This Fall Fruit Salad with Yogurt boasts all the favorite winter fruits such as crisp apples, pears, persimmons and seasonal citrus – tossed in a healthy yogurt dressing with chia seeds for additional nutritional boost.
The best way to enjoy a variety of autumn fruits is from a bowl. This salad is packed with vitamins – all the stuff you need just in time to greet cooler months and the seasonal nasties it may bring.
This Fall Fruit Salad makes a great potluck dish to a brunch or another holiday get together. It’s a great way to enjoy fruits and satisfy the sweet tooth craving but without the guilt.
Fall Fruit Salad with Yogurt
This Fall Fruit Salad has a short ingredient list and is pretty versatile, satisfying the personal preferences of many.
Don’t care for pears? Swap another variety of apples. Go for blood oranges instead of valencias for an additional pop of color and tart flavor.
Add a healthy serving of pomegranate anvils or pecans for some crunch.
There are so many ways to dress up or dress down this salad. That’s why it’s a favorite for any holiday gathering or office potluck.
Dressing Recipe for Fruit Salad
The dressing recipe for this fall fruit salad is hardly a recipe. It’s a loose combination of Greek yogurt, real maple syrup and chia seeds. The Greek yogurt adds a delicate creaminess and protein punch to the fruit salad.
To make this paleo and dairy free, you may sub coconut yogurt or your other favorite dairy free version for Greek yogurt.
The maple syrup adds just a touch of sweetness but not to overpowering. If you find that the fruits in your salad are overly sweet – just omit the maple syrup. Likewise, honey would be a great way to add subtle sweetness and it would also be GAPS compliant.
Finally, the chia seeds are a wonderful addition to the fruit salad. They are a great source of fiber, protein, calcium and other vitamins and minerals. Chia seeds are naturally gluten free and are low in calories.
Besides the health benefits, a great advantage to adding chia seeds to fruit salads is that they absorb moisture well. This helps avoid soggy and watery fruit salad.
What fruits go well with yogurt?
To keep with the autumn and winter theme, any fall fruits will work great with yogurt. Some of the favorites like granny smith apples, D’anjou pears, persimmon and oranges pair well with yogurt. The addition of pomegranate anvils would take this Fall Fruit Salad to a festive level.
How do you keep fruit salad from going bad?
Exposed fruits undergo oxidation the longer they sit, turning brown and soggy. They are still safe to eat but the appearance is less than desirable. There are a number of ways to avoid this natural process but I would only recommend this if making this well in advance of more than 2 days.
In other words, if you know the salad will be consumed within 24 hours, just prepare as is, without the need for these additional steps. But if you would still like to meal prep for a longer shelf life, consider these tips:
- Persimmons and citrus fruits do well during oxidation and will not turn brown but the citrus will release juice.
- Consider adding apples and pears just before serving. If not possible, toss them with lemon juice or something acidic. Tossing pineapple chunks, though not fall or winter fruit, will also help with preserving the bright appearance.
- Keep cut fruit in separate containers and toss together just before serving.
- Adding chia seeds will help absorb the moisture from the fruits.
- Transfer the fruit salad in an airtight container and refrigerate immediately.
Fall Fruit Salad with Yogurt
Ingredients
- 2 granny smith apple diced
- 2 D'anjou pear diced
- 2 persimmon diced
- 2 orange peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup *
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional
Instructions
- Wash and dry fruit. Cut all fruit in 1/2"-1" pieces.
- Cut fruit into 1/2-1" pieces. Toss apples and pears in lemon juice if using. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Combine yogurt, maple syrup and chia seeds in a small mixing bowl.
- Toss fruit well with the yogurt dressing. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes for chia seeds to absorb excess moisture.
- Enjoy immediately. Can be refrigerated up to 24 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
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