How to Make Mexican Fruit Salad Recipe (Best)
Updated May 13, 2025, Published Jun 26, 2023
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Best and Easy Mexican Fruit Salad Recipe-combines various fresh and flavorful fruits with a sweet and tangy dressing. The fruit used in the salad is ripe and juicy, which gives it a burst of natural sweetness and a refreshing texture. Make it for any gathering in just 10 minutes!
Serve with my Pollo Asado Recipe for Cinco de Mayo or on hot summer days as a refreshing treat. You will also love this Italian Fruit Salad recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
On our recent trip to Mexico, I fell in love with the tropical fruits and wanted to recreate a fresh fruit salad we tasted. This simple fruit salad recipe is one we saw sold by street vendors and even in their local grocery stores.
Serve it in individual bowls or a big serving bowl for all your summer gatherings. It is one of the most delicious desserts that takes minutes to make.
You will also love this post, which has more summer recipe ideas.
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
For best results, use sweet fruits that are in season for making Mexican fruit salad. The ripe fruit will make this delicious Mexican fruit salad outstanding! It makes a refreshing and irresistible snack.
Fruit
- Mango
- Papaya
- Pineapple
- Watermelon
Dressing
- Orange Juice
- Fresh lime juice and lime zest
- Cinnamon (optional)
- Mint
- Honey
Optional
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- Chile lime seasoning, such as Tajin, to taste
- Chopped nuts (such as almonds or pecans), shredded coconut, or whipped cream
See the recipe card for quantities found at the bottom of this post.
Variations
This simple Mexican fruit salad is a versatile dish that can be customized to suit your taste preferences and the ingredients you have on hand.
- Spicy Fruit Salad: Add some chopped jalapenos, chili-lime powder, or chili powder to the dressing for a little kick for those who love spicy flavors. Try jicama and apples to tone down the spice.
- Citrus Fruit Salad: Instead of using oranges and limes in the dressing, try using grapefruits or blood oranges for a tangy twist. Add pomegranate seeds for a burst of sweetness and crunch. We also love adding grapes.
- Berry Fruit Salad: Use a variety of fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries for a colorful and antioxidant-rich salad. You can also add some chopped nuts or granola for added texture.
- Creamy Fruit Salad: Add Greek yogurt, sour cream, sweet cream sauce, sweetened condensed milk, or whipped cream to the dressing for a creamy and indulgent fruit salad.
How to Make Mexican Fruit Salad
The fruit is washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces to make the salad, then mixed together in a large bowl.
Wash and chop your fruit into cubes or bite-sized pieces and place them in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice and zest, honey, and cinnamon (optional) until well combined.
Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss gently to combine.
Add the chopped mint leaves and toss again.
Transfer the fruit salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with any optional toppings you like. You can also serve the fruit salad in a pineapple half for a pretty presentation.
Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious Mexican fruit salad!
Making Ahead of Time
Yes, you can definitely make Mexican fruit salad ahead of time. However, it’s important to keep a few things in mind to ensure that the salad stays fresh and delicious:
- Prepare the dressing separately: To prevent the fruit from becoming soggy, it’s best to prepare the dressing separately and toss it with the fruit just before serving.
- Store the fruit and dressing separately: If you need to make the fruit salad ahead of time, store the fruit and dressing separately in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve the salad, toss the fruit with the dressing.
- Keep the salad chilled: If you’re bringing the salad to a potluck or picnic, make sure to keep it chilled in a cooler or refrigerator until it’s time to serve.
How to Store
- Cover: Cover the fruit salad with plastic wrap or an airtight container to prevent it from drying out or absorbing odors from other foods in the fridge.
- Consume within a few days: Mexican fruit salad is best eaten within a few days of making it. After that, the fruit may start to lose its texture and flavor, and the risk of spoilage increases.
- Avoid freezing: Freezing Mexican fruit salad is not recommended, as it can cause the fruit to become mushy and lose its texture.
Top tips
Here are some top tips for making a delicious and refreshing Mexican-style fruit salad:
- Choose ripe and fresh fruits: For the best flavor and texture, choose ripe and fresh fruits. Fruits that are in season will be sweeter and juicier.
- Cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces: Cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces so they are easy to eat and mix with the dressing.
- Mix up the fruits: Mix up the fruits for a variety of colors, textures, and flavors. Some good options include oranges, pineapples, strawberries, kiwis, mango, and papaya.
- Use a tangy dressing: The dressing should balance sweet and tangy. Use freshly squeezed orange and lime juice, honey, and a dash of cinnamon for a delicious and tangy dressing.
- Add fresh herbs: Adding fresh mint or cilantro to the salad adds flavor and freshness.
- Chill before serving: Chill the fruit salad for at least an hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld and the salad to become even more refreshing.
More Mexican Recipes
- Want something easy and quick? You can prepare these chicken enchiladas ahead of time, store them in the fridge, and bake them just before serving.
FAQs
Mexican fruit salad is also a healthy and nutritious dish, as it contains a variety of vitamins and antioxidants from fresh fruit. Overall, the combination of fresh and flavorful fruits with a sweet and tangy dressing, plus the addition of fresh herbs, make Mexican fruit salad a truly delicious and enjoyable dish.
You can use a variety of fruits in a Mexican fruit salad, such as oranges, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, strawberries, and papaya. Choose fruits that are in season and ripe for the best flavor.
While fresh fruits are preferred, you can use canned fruits in a pinch. Just make sure to drain and rinse the fruits before using them in the salad.
Mexican fruit salad, also known as “ensalada de frutas,” is a colorful and refreshing dish that typically consists of various chopped fresh fruits mixed with a sweet and tangy dressing. The fruit used in the salad can vary, but it often includes watermelon, pineapple, mango, papaya, cantaloupe, and/or strawberries.
Serving Suggestions
Serve it with Leftover Turkey Tacos and Corn and Zucchini Salad Recipe! Another Mexican-inspired recipe you will love is this Street Corn Dip, Hot Salsa, and Easy Shrimp Ceviche!
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Mexican Fruit Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups mango, cut into cubes
- 2 cups papaya, cut into cubes
- 2 cups pineapple, cut into cubes
- 2 cups watermelon, cut into cubes
- 2 cups kiwis, sliced
- ½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, cut into thin strips
- 1 teaspoon honey
Optional:
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- Chile-lime salt, such as Tajin, to taste
- Chopped nuts, such as almonds or pecans, shredded coconut, or whipped cream
Instructions
- Wash and chop your fruit into cubes or bite-sized pieces and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice and zest, honey, and cinnamon (optional) until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss gently to combine.
- Add the chopped mint leaves and toss again.
- Transfer the fruit salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with any optional toppings you like. You can also serve the fruit salad in a pineapple half for a pretty presentation.
- Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious Mexican fruit salad!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Fresh and tasty! You will love the tropical taste of this yummy fruit salad. Enjoy.