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Best Tropical Fruit Salad Recipe

Tropical fruit salad is a summery Brazilian recipe made of a fresh fruit cocktail mixed with a sweet and tangy citrus dressing. It's healthy, delicious,and super refreshing!

Prep Time
20 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 2261 kcal
Course: Snacks
Cuisine: Brazilian

Ingredients

  • ¼ large papaya peeled, de-seeded, and cubed
  • ¼ large pineapple peeled, cored, and cubed. NOTE: Use any fruit leftovers to make juices or freeze them into chunks to make smoothies later!
  • 2 large bananas peeled and medium diced (NOTE: Only add the bananas before serving the salad to avoid oxidation)
  • 1 large mango peeled and cubed
  • ¼ small seedless watermelon peeled and cubed
  • ½ cup fresh orange juice NOTE: In Brazil, our tropical fruit salad contains a lot of citrus juices, allowing the mixture of fruits to marinate into the flavored citrus juices. But if you prefer your salad not as saucy, you can reduce this amount to a ¼ cup.
  • Juice of 1 lime or lemon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 Dash of nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar, or more if you have a sweet tooth or some fruits are not very sweet. See NOTES for fruit add-on suggestions or substitutions!

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut all the fruits into chunks or sized pieces, except the bananas, and gently mix them in a medium bowl.
  2. In a separate mixing bowl or glass jar, whisk or shake orange and lemon juices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey (or sugar) until homogeneous. Then, pour over the fresh fruit mixture and toss them together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  3. About 10 minutes before serving, peel and dice the bananas, mix with the other fruits, and refrigerate.
  4. Serve this tropical fruit salad in bowls or plastic/glass cups as it is, topped with a dollop of whipped cream (Cool Whip) or Greek yogurt, a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. TIP: For a dairy-free version, serve it without any dairy. Enjoy!

Notes

  • INACTIVE TIME (chilling): 2-24 hours
  • Add-ons/Substitutions: You can use other fresh fruits such as fresh grapes, kiwi, berries, peaches, dragon fruit or pitaya, sweet oranges, and star fruit for a more exotic fruit salad. You can also sprinkle some shredded coconut on top or stir in thinly sliced fresh mint leaves!
  • Add-ons/Substitutions:
  • You can use other fresh fruits such as fresh grapes, kiwi, berries, peaches, dragon fruit or pitaya, sweet oranges, and star fruit for a more exotic fruit salad. You can also sprinkle some shredded coconut on top or stir in thinly sliced fresh mint leaves!
  •  
  • STORAGE
  • The best way to store it is in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours to preserve freshness. I recommend adding the bananas only before serving the salad so they won't get brown. When stored properly, this tropical fruit salad can last up to 2 days although some of the fruits (e.g. watermelon and papaya) will start to get a little mushy but not spoiled. 
  • The best way to store it is in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours to preserve freshness. I recommend adding the bananas only before serving the salad so they won't get brown. When stored properly, this tropical fruit salad can last up to 2 days although some of the fruits (e.g. watermelon and papaya) will start to get a little mushy but not spoiled. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 226.1kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 57.2g (19%) Protein 3.5g (7%) Fat 1.2g (2%) Saturated Fat 0.3g (2%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g Sodium 6.7mg (0%) Potassium 790.5mg (23%) Fiber 5.3g (21%) Sugar 41.8g (84%) Vitamin A 2482.4IU (50%) Vitamin C 105.8mg (118%) Calcium 50mg (5%) Iron 1.3mg (7%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 2261

% Daily Value*

Calories 226.1kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 57.2g 19%
Protein 3.5g 7%
Fat 1.2g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g 1%
Sodium 6.7mg 0%
Potassium 790.5mg 17%
Fiber 5.3g 21%
Sugar 41.8g 84%
Vitamin A 2482.4IU 50%
Vitamin C 105.8mg 118%
Calcium 50mg 5%
Iron 1.3mg 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.