Description
A vibrant and fresh Thanksgiving Fruit Salad combining crisp apples, juicy oranges, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy toasted pecans, and grapes, all tossed in a zesty, spiced citrus dressing. This colorful salad makes a perfect side dish for holiday meals or any time you want a refreshing, fruity treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 2 medium green apples
- 2 medium red apples
- 1 cup grapes
- 3 medium navel oranges
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
Nut
- 1 cup pecans
Dressing
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ tsp apple pie spice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 medium lemon (juiced)
Instructions
- Toast Pecans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and place them in the oven as it heats up. Toast the pecans until you begin to smell their aroma, which should coincide with the oven reaching full temperature. Remove the pecans from the oven and let them cool completely.
- Prepare Dressing: In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, white sugar, apple pie spice, lemon zest, and orange zest. Stir the mixture to blend all ingredients evenly.
- Simmer Dressing: Place the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk continuously to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil. Let it simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes to infuse the flavors and slightly thicken the dressing.
- Strain and Cool Dressing: Pour the dressing through a fine mesh strainer to remove zest and spices. Allow the filtered dressing to cool completely before using.
- Prepare Apples: Core and slice both green and red apples into bite-sized pieces. Toss the apple pieces with the juice of half a lemon to prevent browning and maintain their fresh appearance.
- Prepare Oranges: Peel the navel oranges carefully, removing all pith, and cut them into bite-sized pieces suitable for salad.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the prepared apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, grapes, and orange pieces. Gently toss them together to mix evenly.
- Toss with Dressing and Serve: Drizzle the cooled citrus dressing over the fruit and nut mixture. Toss gently until all pieces are coated with the dressing. Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh, vibrant flavors.
Notes
- Toasting pecans enhances their flavor and adds a pleasant crunch to the salad.
- Using lemon juice on the apples prevents them from browning and keeps the salad looking fresh.
- Simmering the dressing briefly helps meld the spices and citrus flavors.
- This salad can be prepared a few hours in advance but is best served fresh to avoid sogginess.
- To keep the salad gluten-free, ensure all processed ingredients are verified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Thanksgiving fruit salad, holiday fruit salad, apple orange salad, toasted pecans salad, citrus dressing
