Italian fruit salad or Macedonia di Frutta is an Italian way to serve fresh fruit all year round. It's simple, it's easy and it's absolutely delicious.
Table Of Contents
Italian Fruit Salad - What's So Special?
- Only 3 main ingredients. Technically you can make Italian fruit salad using only 3 base ingredients: banana, lemon juice, and sugar. It's a delicious fruit salad in and of itself. Of course, use an opportunity to make it with variety of seasonal fruits.
- No Bake. It's a perfect no bake dessert, ready in 10 minutes flat.
- All year round. Depending on the time of the year or your personal taste you can use different types of fruit. You'll find ideas and examples below.
- The sauce. What makes Italian fruit salad special is the sauce. It doesn't contain yogurt or cream of any kind, instead fresh fruits are seasoned with fresh lemon juice and a dash of sugar. This makes all the fruit flavors come together in a delicious fruity sauce that enhances but doesn't overpower flavor of the fruits.
- The best way to eat fresh fruit. After eating plain fresh fruit, of course.
- Many ways to use it. Besides enjoying it as a salad, you can also use it to top your favorite ice-cream, panna cotta, oatmeal or simply blend it into a smoothie (perfect for leftovers).
Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Base Ingredients
Bananas, lemon juice and sugar are the only base ingredients you'll use all year round. You can even make Italian fruit salad using ONLY these 3 ingredients or add more fresh fruit depending on the season.
I also like to add gently rubbed mint leaves for extra flavor.
Variations
Ideas to add to the base ingredients:
- Summer Version: strawberries, pitted cherries, blueberries, blackberries, peach, apricot, melon.
- Winter Version: pear, apple, canned pineapple, pomegranate seeds, kiwi, oranges, mandarins/tangerines.
- Spring Version: apple, orange, grapefruit.
- Fall Version: grapes, apple, kiwi.
- Mix and match as you like!
Top Tip!
Apples, oranges and canned pineapple are available all year round to add to your Italian fruit salad. If using canned pineapples, don't throw its juice away, add it to the salad and reduce or omit sugar since pineapple syrup is already sweet.
How To Make - Step By Step Pictures
Prepare fruit
- Wash and pat-dry all the fruit except for the bananas.
- Peel, core/hull the fruit if needed and cut in cubes.
- Slice bananas ⅓ inch (a little less than 1 cm) slices. Thinner slices will break when mixing the salad.
- Lastly, cut/slice fruit that oxides fast, like bananas and apples, to prevent oxidation.
Put everything together
- Squeeze lemon juice (you should have about ¼ cup or so) - photo 1.
- Add all the fruit in a bowl together with lemon juice, sugar and mint leaves gently rubbed between your fingers - photo 2, 3.
- Mix gently. Let rest in the fridge before serving - photo 4.
Tips for Success
- Choose fruits that are ripe but firm to touch, otherwise, your fruit salad will turn into a mush. For the best result, bananas should be slightly under-ripe.
- If you have any leftover macerated strawberries, add them to the salad.
- Cut/slice fruit like bananas and apples last and top with lemon juice right after to prevent oxidation (turning brown).
- Let Italian Fruit Salad sit in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before serving. During this time lemon juice will macerate the fruit letting it release some of its juices, creating a delicious sweet and sour sauce.
- Add a splash of Limoncello or Orangecello for a little booze and delicious fresh citrus flavor.
Ways to Serve
- Serve in mini round dessert bowls as a light after-meal dessert.
- Add a splash of red wine to individual servings that will make it taste like Sangria.
- Add splash of Limoncello for a little booze and extra lemony flavor. Use my easy Limoncello recipe to make it at home.
- Use as a topping for ice-cream, panna cotta, yogurt and even add to your morning oatmeal.
- Blended into a smoothie - perfect way to use leftover fruit salad.
More Fruity Desserts
If you love Italian Fruit Salad, try also:
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Full Recipe
Italian Fruit Salad (Recipe and Ways to Use It)
Try this Italian Fruit Salad made with fresh fruit and delicious lemon dressing. It's perfect to bring to picnics, outdoor gatherings and more!
SERVINGS: 4
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 10 strawberries
- 1 orange
- 1 apple
- 2 peaches
- 1 lemon ,juice only
- 2 tablespoon Sugar ,more or less to taste
- Fresh mint leaves , optional
Instructions
Prepare fruit
- Wash and pat-dry all the fruit except for the bananas.
- Peel, core/hull the fruit if needed and cut in cubes.
- Slice bananas ⅓ inch (a little less than 1 cm) slices. Thinner slices will break when mixing the salad.
- Lastly, cut/slice fruit that oxides fast, like bananas and apples, to prevent oxidation.
Put everything together
- Squeeze lemon juice (you should have about ¼ cup or so).
- Add all the fruit in a bowl together with lemon juice, sugar, and mint leaves gently rubbed between your fingers.
- Mix gently. Let rest in the fridge before serving.
Notes
See the Step By Step Pictures for a visual walk-through of the recipe.
- Choose fruits that are ripe but firm to touch.
- Bananas are best used slightly under-ripe, ripe bananas will turn a mushy but some prefer it this way. The choice is yours.
- If you have any leftover macerated strawberries, add them to the salad.
- Cut/slice fruit like bananas and apples last and top with lemon juice right after to prevent oxidation (turning brown).
- Let Italian Fruit Salad sit in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before serving. During this time lemon juice will macerate the fruit letting it release some of its juices, creating a delicious sweet and sour sauce.
- Add a splash of Limoncello for a little booze and extra lemon flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 131kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 11mgPotassium: 448mgFiber: 5gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 386IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have a question or want to let me know you loved the recipe?Leave a comment below! I love hearing from you!
Karly
Love. This. Post. One, I just straight up love the fruit salad. But I adore all of the tips and tricks to use it in other ways! Delish!
SV
Oh, thank you so much for the kind words, Karly ❤
Happy you enjoyed the Italian fruit salad and my little tricks!