This Mexican fruit salad is loaded with fresh summer fruit and tossed in a zesty chili lime dressing. It's the perfect salad to take to a BBQ on a hot summer's day. It also makes an excellent side dish to serve with tacos , quesadillas or enchiladas. Or, serve it at the end of a meal as the perfect summer dessert.
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I know that when you think of Mexican food, sweet fruit salad isn't the first thing that springs to mind. But, trust me when I say, this salad is more than sum of its parts.
The sweet tropical fruit is balanced out by a light dusting of tajin chili powder and a squeeze of tangy lime juice. The flavors really bounce off each other in a way that's surprisingly addictive. If you're used to soggy, creamy fruit salads that are cloyingly sweet, and have sworn fruit salad off for forever, you've got to try Mexican fruit salad.
Top Tip: You might also like my spicy cucumber mango salad.
🧡Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
🧡It's versatile and adaptable! Mexican fruit salads can be customized according to your personal preferences. Add or remove ingredients, adjust the spice level - it's totally up to you.
🧡It' simple to make and require no cooking, making it ideal for hot summer days when you don't want to heat up the house by turning on the oven.
🧡It's a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Mexican fruit salad is also low in calories and high in fiber.
🧡The blend of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors are layered and complex.
🛒Ingredients & Tips
Note: it's always best to use fresh, not frozen fruit for fruit salad.
- Mango: A ripe mango gives slightly under pressure and feels slightly soft. And, here's a great video that will show you how to cut a mango without massacring it:)
- Watermelon: I cut my watermelon into balls using a melon baller tool, but if you don't have one it's fine to cut it into cubes.
- Pineapple: A ripe pineapple should have a sweet fragrance, feel firm to the touch, and have leaves that are green and healthy-looking.
- Papaya: Like mango, a ripe papaya should feel slightly soft when gently pressed, have skin that is mostly yellow and may have some green patches, and give off a sweet aroma at the stem end.
- Kiwi: Peel and cut your kiwi fruit into triangular shaped pieces.
- Blueberries: Blueberries aren't necessarily a traditional ingredient in Mexican fruit salad. I've added them for their bright pop of color.
- Lime: Lime juice is absolutely essential to the flavor profile of this salad.
- Tajin Seasoning: Tajin seasoning is a traditional chili lime seasoning. You can usually find it in the Mexican section of your local grocery store. If you can't find it, ancho chili powder would be a great substitute.
- Maple Syrup (Or Agave Nectar): You don't need much added sweetness , but just a touch offsets the lime.
🥗How To Make Mexican Fruit Salad
- Wash all the fruits and prepare them by peeling and cutting them into small pieces. For asethetic appeal, cut the pieces of fruit into different shapes and sizes. Place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Squeeze the lime juice over the fruit and drizzle the maple syrup on top. Sprinkle the Tajin over the fruit. Toss gently to coat it with the lime and maple and seasoning.Sprinkle
- Add the chopped fresh mint leaves to the fruit mixture and mix well.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, give the fruit salad a final toss and divide it into serving bowls or cups.
- Garnish your Mexican fruit salad with a few more mint leaves and a wedge of lime and serve immediately.
Variations
You can use this recipe as a Mexican fruit salad template. Feel free to add the fresh fruits that you like best, or the ones that you have on hand. Here's a few suggestions:
- Cantaloupe or honeydew melon would both be excellent choices.
- If you can get your hands on jicama, that would be perfect.
- Clementine oranges are a traditional addition to Mexican fruit salad.
- Grapes, both purple and green would add a pop of color.
- Replace the mint in my recipe with cilantro.
- Add raisins and coconut flakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Transfer the fruit salad to an airtight container. You can use a plastic container with a lid or a glass bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Store the fruit salad in the refrigerator for up to three days.
While it's ipossible to freeze fruit salad, it may not be the best idea as some fruits may not freeze well or may change texture when thawed. However, if you have leftover fruit salad that you don't want to go to waste, you can transfer the fruit salad to an airtight container or a freezer-safe plastic bag and store it in the freezer for up to 9 months. Defrost in the fridge before eating.
Mexican fruit salad is commonly known as "Ensalada de Frutas" in Spanish.
Craving More Easy Vegan Mexican Recipes?
Mexican Pickled Red Onions With Lime
Chipotle Pinto Beans (Copycat Recipe)
Ultimate Pineapple Habanero Salsa
📖 Recipe
Mexican Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups pineapple diced
- 2 cups watermelon made into balls
- 1 cup mango diced
- 1 cup papaya diced
- 1 cup kiwi cut into triangles
- 1½ cup blueberries
- 2 limes juiced
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or agave nectar
- 2 teaspoons Tajin
- ¼ cup of chopped fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Wash all the fruits and prepare them by peeling and cutting them into small pieces. Place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Squeeze the lime juice over the fruit and drizzle the maple syrup on top. Sprinkle the Tajin over the fruit. Toss gently to coat it with the lime and maple and seasoning.Sprinkle
- Add the chopped fresh mint leaves to the fruit mixture and mix well.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, give the fruit salad a final toss and divide it into serving bowls or cups.
- Garnish with a few more mint leaves and serve immediately.
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