Easy Dragon Fruit Salad with Berries
This Easy Dragon Fruit Salad makes for a refreshing snack or light dessert!
Dragon fruit’s crisp flesh is juicy and dotted with little black seeds, providing a wonderful contrast of color and texture to any fruit salad.
My Dragon Fruit Salad features fresh berries and an easy mint and lime dressing for a refreshing summertime twist!
Key ingredients
Dragon fruit: Also known as pitaya, dragon fruit is a tropical fruit produced by several cactus species native to Central and South America. It’s characterized by its vibrant skin and green “scales.” There are numerous varieties of dragon fruit.
Which type of dragon fruit should I use for this fruit salad? Any type will work! White dragon fruit, the variety pictured in my dragon fruit salad photos, has a bright pink peel and white flesh. Red dragon fruit has the same bright pink peel, but the inside ranges from light pink to vibrant pink. And yellow dragon fruit has a yellow exterior with white flesh.
Berries: I used a mix of strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. Raspberries and cherries would also make great additions or substitutions.
Dressing: With perfectly ripe and juicy fruit, you don’t need much in the way of dressing. For this dragon fruit salad, I go for a simple blend of chopped mint leaves, fresh lime juice and a pinch of sugar.
Recipe variations
Here are two of my favorite fruit salads where dragon fruit would make an excellent addition:
- Melon Salad: Use a melon baller to scoop spheres of watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe.
- Tropical Fruit Salad: Think kiwi, pineapple and mango!
Step by step instructions
How to cut dragon fruit
Dragon fruit may look intimidating, but it’s surprisingly easy to cut! Start by slicing down the middle lengthwise and then choose one of these methods for your dragon fruit salad:
- Spheres: Use a melon baller to scoop out the flesh into small spheres.
- Slices or cubes: Use your fingers to peel the skin away (this is easier to do when the dragon fruit is quartered). Cut into small slices or cubes.
Dragon fruit will lose some of its crisp texture after cutting, so I recommend preparing it not long before serving.
Mixing the salad
Cut any larger fruits, such as strawberries, into bite sized pieces. Chop the lime, mix everything together and serve!
Storage and make ahead
Leftover dragon fruit salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
You can prep this fruit salad ahead of time by pre-slicing the fruit. But I don’t recommend adding the lime and sugar until 30 minutes to an hour before serving. If you add it too early, the fruit can become a bit mushy.
Expert tips and tricks
- Use the hollowed-out dragon fruit skin to make a bowl. This is a fun way to serve the dragon fruit salad. They won’t hold much so you may need a few extra dragon fruits if you want to serve each guest their own bowl.
- Pay attention to the color of the berries you choose. For visual appeal, try to choose an array of colors.
- Make this fruit salad into a dessert. Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream for a fun summer treat.
Dragon Fruit Salad: FAQs
While both sweet and sour varieties of dragon fruit exist, you’ll likely only come across the sweet variety in the States. Its flavor is often described as a cross between kiwi and pear with subtle floral undertones.
The most common variety with pink skin and white flesh has the mildest flavor. Dragon fruit with pink skin and pink or red flesh tends to be slightly sweeter and yellow dragon fruit is the sweetest variety. Any of these varieties will work well.
When choosing dragon fruit, you should stay away from anything green, which will be underripe. The skin should be a vibrant pink (or yellow, depending on the variety) and uniformly colored. The dragon fruit should be slightly soft to the touch, but not at all mushy.
With so much sweetness from the fruit, do you really need to add sugar? In my humble opinion, yes! It’s only a few teaspoons and helps to extract juice and soften the fruit. The flavors meld together into a well-balanced and cohesive salad!
You can prepare the fruit and dressing one day in advance, but I recommend adding the dressing just 30 minutes before serving for best results. Also keep in mind that dragon fruit can lose some of its crispness after cut, so you may want to add it to your salad on the day of serving.
Leftover fruit salad can be stored covered in the refrigerator for several days. The fruit will soften, but it makes an excellent topping for waffles and pancakes and is wonderful stirred into yogurt!
For more side dishes perfect for a picnic, make sure to check out these recipes:
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Dragon Fruit Salad Recipe
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: no bake
- Cuisine: global
Ingredients
- 1 dragon fruit
- 16 ounces (450 grams) strawberries, sliced
- 6 ounces (170 grams) blueberries
- 6 ounces (170 grams) blackberries
- 10 fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Cut the dragon fruit in half. Use a melon baller to scoop out balls.* Reserve the peels for serving if desired.
- Combine the dragon fruit, sliced strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and chopped mint in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the lime juice and sugar. Pour over the salad and gently toss to coat.
Notes
Make ahead:Â Pour the lime juice mixture over the salad 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving for best results.
Cutting dragon fruit: If you don’t have a melon baller, you can peel the skin off the dragon fruit. Then use a knife to thinly slice or roughly chop.
Storing: Fruit salad can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, but is best enjoyed soon after adding the dressing.
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