Fancy Fruit

A few extra ingredients can elevate fruit salad from dull to divine.

Is your idea of fruit salad a cup of mushy fruit swimming around in over-sweetened juice with a single cherry? If so, this recipe will inspire you to start thinking outside the box. In my opinion, there’s a fruit salad for every occasion, from a random afternoon snack to a light lunch for your family to an appetizing dinner starter. This recipe is proof that fruit salad done correctly can be many things: elegant, zesty, surprising, colorful and refreshing.

This fancy fruit salad is great to serve after a day in the sun. My family and I had been on the beach all morning, and we were craving something fresh and light yet filling. My mind went right to fruit salad — a bowl of fresh, ripe fruit, bursting with flavor and color — but I wanted something different from the norm.

I looked around my kitchen and found what I needed. My son loves the easy-to-peel Little Cutie clementines so we always have those on hand. Clementines are high in vitamin C, and we can all use a boost of that. I also had some pears, which are a good source of potassium and fiber. I thought about kicking it up a notch and lightly grilling the pear for an even fancier presentation, but in this case time did not allow. We keep dried cranberries in our home at all times, so of course I used those too. I feel like people overlook cranberries or assume they are only used for holiday recipes, but they add a burst of flavor to recipes all year round and are rich in antioxidants, which is good for your gut-health and cancer prevention.

For the dressing, I used mascarpone, leftover from a pasta dish I created early in the week, as the base. Mixed with a little sweetener and a tangy bite of vinegar, the dressing was perfect for the selected fruit. When I served this salad to my spouse and son, they were delightfully surprised at the simple but complex flavors.

This salad also keeps well in the refrigerator, so you don’t have to rush at the last minute if you want to serve it later.

Try this light but filling fruit salad for a different approach that is sure to wow your family.

Photography by James Stefiuk

Print Recipe

Pear, Clementine, Cranberry and Mascarpone Fruit Salad

A few extra ingredients can elevate fruit salad from dull to divine.

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

salad

Keyword

clementine, mascarpone, pear

Servings

Servings

Ingredients

For the Dressing

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup mascarpone
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar

For the Fruit Salad

• 4 pears peeled, cubed
• 6 Little Cutie clementines peeled and separated
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup walnuts chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
• 2 cups baby arugula

Course Main Dish Cuisine salad Keyword clementine, mascarpone, pear Servings Servings Ingredients For the Dressing 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup orange juice 1/2 cup mascarpone 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar For the Fruit Salad 4 pears peeled, cubed 6 Little Cutie clementines peeled and separated 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/3 cup walnuts chopped 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped 2 cups baby arugula

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a medium bowl and mix well. Set aside.
2. Combine the pears, clementines, cranberries, walnuts and mint in a medium bowl and toss to mix.
3. Plate by placing a handful of baby arugula on a plate, top with the fruit salad and drizzle with desired amount of dressing. Enjoy!