If you're looking to make a splash at your Fourth of July picnic or just want to eat a delicious fruit salad, this Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad is a choose-your-own-adventure in fruit form. Drizzled in a Maple-Orange dressing, and you have an instant favorite.
We’re talking juicy reds, crisp whites, and bold blues all mixed up into one festive, refreshing bowl of summer goodness. No measuring cups needed here. Grab your favorite fruits and a cute star-shaped cookie cutter, melon baller, or crinkle cutter, and you'll be eating in minutes.
How many recipes can pull off being an appetizer, side, light lunch, and a brunch superstar? Not many - but this one totally does! It's a summer all-star, especially around Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day, when red, white, and blue are the dress code.
It brings the same kind of chill, no-fuss magic as Cucumber and Apple Salad and Classic Vegan Coleslaw to any get-together.
With its delicious fruit salad dressing, it's simple, sweet, and guaranteed to get more compliments than your uncle’s flag shorts.
For even more fruity inspiration, check out my guides to 9 White Fruits and Vegetables (With Pictures), 17 Exotic Fruits with Pictures, and the Top 11 Pink Fruits (With Pictures) - perfect for mixing things up or adding a pop of unexpected color to your fruit salad game!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Choosing Your Red, White & Blue Fruits
- How to Prep Your Fruit Like a Pro
- Idea Combos
- Variations
- How To Make a Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad
- Top Tips
- Creative Layout & Design Ideas for Fruit Salad
- Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad FAQS
- More Summer Recipe Ideas
- Red, White, and Blue Salad
- Comments
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Totally Customizable: That is what this salad is all about! If it’s red, white, or blue and edible, it’s fair game.
- Naturally Sweet: No added sugar needed - just fresh, juicy fruit doing its thing. The dressing is optional!
- Quick & Easy: No oven, no stovetop, no stress. Just chop, mix, and dazzle.
- Kid-Approved: Bonus points if you use a star-shaped cookie cutter. Trust me, it's what gives the vibes of patriotism.
- Vegan & Gluten-Free: So everyone at the cookout can have some.
Choosing Your Red, White & Blue Fruits
What fruits are red, white, and blue?
Red – Strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, red grapes, plums
White – Apples, bananas, pears, jicama, lychee (peeled & pitted), dragon fruit (pink variety; highly recommended because they have a lovely bright white)
Blue – Blueberries, blackberries (they count!), concord grapes
Add-ins - These are optional, but if you want to add a little more white to the fruit salad, slivered almonds (pictured) or even little vegan marshmallows work!
See the recipe card for a more robust list.
How to Prep Your Fruit Like a Pro
Want that fruit salad to look like it belongs on a brunch board at the Ritz (or at least Pinterest)? Here’s how to level up your prep game:
- Wash and dry everything — excess moisture = sad, soggy fruit.
- Use a melon baller, cookie cutters, or a crinkle cutter for playful shapes, such as star apples (highly recommended) and watermelon balls.
- Toss the banana and apples in lemon juice to keep them from going 50 shades of brown.
- Prepare everything in advance, but keep the juicy fruits (like watermelon) separate until showtime to avoid a messy situation.
Idea Combos
Not sure how to pair your reds, whites, and blues? Here are a couple of my favorite combo ideas to help you nail the vibe:
- Classic & Crisp: Strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, and apple stars — simple, refreshing, and always a crowd-pleaser.
- Berry-Heavy: Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries (for a deep blue look), and pear chunks or stars.
Variations
- Add a Crunch: Toss in sliced almonds or coconut flakes for more texture and color.
- Make It Creamy: Stir in a dollop of coconut whipped cream or a splash of vanilla cashew yogurt.
- Minty Fresh: A sprinkle of chopped mint or basil takes this from basic to brunch fruit salad in 5 seconds.
How To Make a Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad
Start by picking one or two fruits from each color. Peel, wash, and prep. See the recipe card below for the details.
Step 1: Cut the fruit
Use a star-shaped cookie cutter for the apples, a melon baller for the softer fruits (watermelon and dragon fruit), and a crinkle cutter for fun edges on bananas or other sliceable fruit.
Step 2: Mix and dress
Toss all the prepped fruit into a big bowl. Drizzle on fruit salad dressing. Give it a gentle mix and add the apple stars for the top. Store in refrigerator until ready to eat. (If not eating right away, drizzle some lime juice to keep the fruits from browning)
Top Tips
- Don't Skip the Stars: The stars are what give the whole Fourth of July vibe. The apples pop as stars and are the magic touch that makes the entire salad scream “USA!” It pulls the whole red, white, and blue theme together.
- More on the Stars: If your apple stars are a bit flimsy, just save a few for the top as decoration. It all depends on the size of your cutter and the thickness of the apples. And don’t toss the scraps—I chop them up and mix them into the salad too. No apple left behind!
- Toss Right Before Serving – Bananas and apples can brown quickly, so keep them fresh by tossing with lemon juice and mixing everything at the last minute.
- Staining the Fruit: The white fruits, like bananas and apples, might end up looking a little pink after tossing. The juices from strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries can bleed onto the lighter fruits, giving them a tie-dye makeover. So if you’re bringing this to a gathering, wait to stir it all together until just before serving to keep those colors looking fresh and festive.
- Use the Freshest Fruit You Can Find – This salad is basically a fruit fashion show.
- Cut Smart – Use a small cookie cutter to turn the apples or melon into festive stars (the apples pop more as the stars). You can also use a melon baller and a crinkle cutter linked in the recipe card. Kids love helping with this part.
- Chill Out – Let the salad hang out in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. If you’re using watermelon and it becomes a little watery, simply drain the excess juice or wait to add it right before serving.
Creative Layout & Design Ideas for Fruit Salad
- In Mini Mason Jars – This is great for BBQs or picnics. Layer the fruit for a red-white-blue effect, seal with a lid, and boom - portable patriotism.
- Platter - Serve it on a rectangular platter, arranging blueberries in the corner and stripes of red and white fruits across the rest - voilà, a fruity flag that’s festive and edible!
- As a Brunch Sidekick – Serve it alongside vegan protein waffles or Simple Vegan Pancakes with coconut whipped cream. (Make your pancakes star-shaped!)
- On Skewers – Alternate fruits on bamboo skewers for fruit kabobs, kids and adults will both love. Easy to grab, fun to eat, zero cleanup.
- Topped with Yogurt or Whipped Coconut Cream – Add a dollop of vanilla cashew yogurt or coconut whip to individual portions. This turns it into a light dessert.
- Inside a Watermelon Bowl – Hollow out half a watermelon and pile your fruit salad high. Maximum presentation with a little more effort.
Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad FAQS
Yes! You can prep everything a few hours in advance. Just wait to add bananas, apples, or other fruits that brown until just before serving.
Toss them in a little lemon or lime juice right after cutting. It keeps them fresh and adds a bright flavor punch.
More Summer Recipe Ideas
Don’t leave me hanging — drop a comment and tell me how your red, white, and blue fruit salad turned out! Was it love at first bite? Surprisingly easy? Or a full-on “Reg, what were you thinking?” And if my directions helped (or didn’t), let me know so I can keep making these recipes better for you.
Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Red, White, and Blue Salad
Equipment
- crinkle cutter optional
- star cookie cutters recommended using for the stars
- melon baller optional
Ingredients
Red Fruits
- strawberries hulled and halved (or quartered if large)
- cherries halved
- raspberries
- watermelon chunks or make them into stars
- red grapes halved
- plums red-skinned varieties with red flesh
Blue Fruits
- blueberries
- blackberries
- concord grapes halved
White Fruits
- jicama peeled and diced or use mini marshmallows
- bananas
- apples chopped or cut into stars or hearts
- pears chopped or cut into stars or hearts
- dragon fruit cubed
Optional but recommended
- lime juice for keeping apples and bananas from browning
- slivered almonds for crunch and color; sub with coconut flakes
- Maple-Orange Dressing fruit salad dressing
Instructions
- Pick your players: Choose at least one fruit from each color group: red, white, and blue.
- Wash, peel, and chop: Give your fruits a rinse, peel where needed, and chop into bite-sized pieces. Use a small cookie cutter to cut apples or pears into stars for extra flair.
- Toss it all together: Gently mix the fruit in a large bowl. If using bananas or apples, toss them with a little lemon or lime juice to keep them fresh and perky. Note: Some fruit juices—especially from berries—can stain the lighter fruits, so wait to mix everything until just before serving for a nicer presentation.
- Dress it up (optional): Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together until smooth, adjust to taste, and drizzle over the fruit salad right before serving. Alternatively, leave it naked or add a dollop of vegan sweetened yogurt to individual portions.
- Chill and serve: Pop it in the fridge for 15–30 minutes if you want it cool and refreshing. Serve in a big bowl, cute cups, or even little jars.
Regi Pearce says
Is it a side? Is it lunch? Is it brunch? Honestly, this fruit salad is having a main character moment. Let me know if you try it especially if you go full Martha and make the apple stars!