Fruit salad is one of those healthy, classic side dishes that’s perfect for the summer months. But if you’re craving something different from your usual recipe, you’ll want to try this dragon fruit version.
Featuring ripe dragon fruit, juicy mangoes, and tart kiwi, this tropical fruit salad tastes as good as it looks. It’s also tossed in a maple syrup-lime dressing and a dash of salt, which brings out the best of each fruit.
As a bonus, the dragon fruit peel doubles as a colorful vessel for serving your vegan fruit salad. You can also add a dollop of coconut whipped cream or vegan Greek yogurt for even more flavor and fun.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Dragon fruit. This mildly sweet tropical fruit is the star of this recipe. If you’re new to dragon fruit, check out our guide on how to cut dragon fruit.
- Mango. As another tropical fruit, mango works beautifully with dragon fruit.
- Maple syrup. To make this recipe vegetarian, you can also honey instead of maple syrup.
- Lime juice. This ingredient will round everything out and brighten up the dish.
- Salt. Salt helps bring out the sweetness of the fruit.
How to Make Dragon Fruit Salad
This vegan fruit salad is easy to make at home. Simply dice your fruits, prepare the dressing, and toss everything until combined. Here’s a step by step breakdown:
1. In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup and lime juice. Whisk until combined.
2. In a large bowl, combine all of the fruits and maple-lime mixture. Add a sprinkle of salt, if desired.
3. Using a slotted spoon, add the fruit salad to the hollowed out dragon fruit peel. You can also serve it on top of ice cream, yogurt, or a smoothie bowl.
Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
- Add sugar. If your maple syrup isn’t sweet enough for your liking, toss the fruit salad with white or coconut sugar. This may be useful if your fruits aren’t very sweet, too.
- Use different fruits. Pink dragon fruit, strawberries, pineapple, star fruit, and lychee all work well in this salad. Feel free to mix and match your favorite fruits.
- Top with coconut. For even more tropical vibes, add coconut flakes or shreds as a garnish.
How to Store Leftovers
Fruit salad is best enjoyed fresh. But if you must store leftovers, do so in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator. Eat it within 3 days, if not sooner. Note that the fruit salad will become soupy during this time, so be sure to use a slotted spoon.
Serving Suggestions
- Vegan Ice Cream — This fruit salad tastes delicious with dairy-free ice cream.
- Vegan Greek Yogurt — Mix a scoop of this fruit salad into plain yogurt for a tasty treat.
- Coconut Milk Whipped Cream — Add a dose of richness with homemade coconut whipped cream.
Dragon Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 1 dragon fruit
- 1 mango
- 1 kiwi
- 1 pomegranate
- 1 lime
- ½ cup blueberries
- 3 tbsp maple syrup Add more for a sweeter dressing
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup and lime juice. Whisk until combined.
- In a large bowl, combine all of the fruits and maple-lime mixture. Add a sprinkle of salt, if desired.
- Using a slotted spoon, add the fruit salad to the hollowed out dragon fruit peel. You can also serve it on top of yogurt, ice cream, or a smoothie bowl.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a covered airtight container. Eat within 3 days.
- This recipe makes 4 to 6 servings, depending on the size of each portion.
- We used 3 tbsp of maple syrup for this recipe, but you can use up to 4 tbsp for a sweeter dressing.
- Feel free to mix and match your favorite fruits. Pink dragon fruit, strawberries, pineapple, and star fruit all work well in this recipe.
Recommended Tools & Products
Nutrition
About the Author
Kirsten Nunez is a journalist who focuses on healthy food and cooking. Her vegan and plant-based recipes have appeared on VegNews, eHow, Shape, and more. When she’s not creating and photographing vegan recipes for Clean Green Simple, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen and sharing plant-based meals with friends and family. More articles by Kirsten.
