Thanksgiving Fruit Salad (Can Be Made Ahead of Time)

Name: Thanksgiving Fruit Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (15 ounce) can mandarin oranges; 1 pear, diced; 1 red apple, diced; 1 ½ cups red grapes, halved; ½ cup chopped pecans; ½ cup dried cranberries; 2 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

Jump to Recipe

This easy Thanksgiving fruit salad is made with the best mix of seasonal fall fruits and ready in only 10 minutes. It can also be made in advance to save time on Thanksgiving day.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this recipe. The full recipe and ingredient list can be found at the bottom of the page.

Mandarin oranges
Pear
Red apple
Red grapes
Pecans
Cranberries
Honey
Lemon juice & zest
Cinnamon

Instructions

Here's how to make this recipe in 3 simple steps:

Mix the dressing: in a small bowl, stir together the honey, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and cinnamon (optional).
Mix the salad: add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing on top and stir to mix. Taste and season with more honey, lemon, or cinnamon if desired.
Serve: serve immediately or cover and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to enjoy. You can make this recipe ahead of time and let it sit overnight. The apples and pears will start to brown after 1-2 days. The recipe will stay good for 4-5 days.

Substitutions

Here's some of the most popular substitutions and additions for this recipe:

Mandarin oranges: 1 cup of fresh clementine slices or diced naval orange can be substituted
Pear: I've use a Bartlett pear but you can use any type
Honey: swap this out for maple syrup if you prefer
Lemon: lime juice and zest is also delicious
Cinnamon: if you like the taste of cinnamon, add a sprinkle! This add warmth and festive fall flavor. A little goes a long way.
Pomegranate, kiwi: these 2 seasonal fruits would both make tasty additions to this recipe

Thanksgiving fruit salad with wooden spoon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it ahead of time. You can make it a few hours ahead of time or overnight. After about 1-2 days the apples and pears will start to brown. The longer this recipe sits the better it will taste because the flavors marinate.

How should I serve this fruit salad?

This salad is best served cold. It's a tasty, fresh addition to any Thanksgiving feast! As a side dish, this recipe makes about 6 servings. Double the recipe if you need to feed a larger crowd.

Can I use fresh oranges instead of mandarin oranges?

Yes, you can. Swap out the mandarin oranges for 1 cup of clementine slices or a diced naval orange.

Storage

This recipe should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container until it's ready to serve. Any leftovers should also be stored in the fridge and will stay good for up to 4-5 days.

Top Tip

If you can, make this recipe ahead of time. Not only will it taste better (the flavors will marinate and strengthen) but it will save you time as you cook the rest of Thanksgiving dinner. You can make this fruit salad a few hours ahead of time or a day ahead of time.

Similar Recipes

Here's a few more salad ideas for your Thanksgiving table:

Thanksgiving Salad
Fall Harvest Salad
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Or check out our full collection of fall salads here: Fall Salads

Thanksgiving fruit salad in a white bowl.

If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment & rating at the bottom of this page!