Easy Italian Fruit Salad Recipe

This Italian fruit salad (Macedonia) is a refreshing mix of seasonal winter fruits tossed in a light citrus dressing. It’s a simple, healthy dessert or brunch option!

Growing up Italian meant dessert wasn’t always cake or biscotti—more often, it was fresh, seasonal fruit.

In the winter, my mom would slice oranges and dice pears to create a simple Macedonia di frutta (mah-cheh-DOH-neeah), the Italian word for a fruit salad.

No heavy syrups or elaborate dressings—just fresh fruit, sometimes lightly sweetened, depending on what was in season.

She had a way of turning seasonal fresh fruits into something special. Whether macerated strawberries, baked apples, or stuffed peaches, fruit often took center stage for dessert.

If you’ve ever thought a healthy fruit salad for dessert sounds boring, think again!

When you start with ripe, high-quality fruit, the natural flavors shine, making for a refreshing and healthy end to any meal.

This Italian fruit salad is vibrant, delicious, and perfect for any occasion. I know your family will love it as much as mine does. Let’s make it together!

Jump to:

• What Fruits to Use
• Step by Step Directions
• Tips
• FAQ
• Serving Suggestions
• Salad Recipes with Fruits
• Recipe Inspiration
• Fresh Fruit Recipes
• Recipe

What Fruits to Use

A fresh fruit salad is always a delicious choice, no matter the season. This recipe highlights winter fruits, but you can easily swap in your favorites based on what’s in season at your local market.

• Cara Cara Oranges: Slicing these pink navels truly showcases their unique color. This seedless variety of oranges is slightly less acidic than their counterparts and tastes a little sweeter. Available from December through May. [source]
• Mandarins: There are two varieties of mandarins: clementines and tangerines. Both types are sweet and easy to peel and separate into sections. Either variety works well in this recipe. 
• Pomegranate arils: Easily remove the seeds by cutting the fruit into sections, or save time by purchasing pre-packaged arils from the store. If you’d like a simple method for extracting them, check out my guide on How to Remove Pomegranate Seeds.
• Kiwi: Feel free to use green or yellow/golden varieties. Ripe kiwis taste sweet with just a touch of tartness. 
• Pears: Any variety of ripe pears works well in this recipe. Use ripe pears for maximum flavor.

Step by Step Directions

Rinse and Prep the Fruit: Rinse all the fruit and one sprig of mint under cold running water. You’ll need:

• 2 Cara Cara oranges
• 5 mandarins
• 1 pomegranate (we need 1½ cups pomegranate arils)
• 4 ripe kiwis
• 2 ripe pears

Pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Slice and Dice the Fruit: To showcase the vibrant colors of these winter fruits, you can slice, dice, or leave them whole. For this recipe:

• Kiwis: Dice 2 and slice the other 2 (I used a potato wave cutter to create scalloped edges for a festive look).
• Oranges: Slice into rounds or half-moons.
• Pears: Dice into bite-sized pieces.
• Mandarins: Peel and separate into sections.

Place all the prepared fruit in a large mixing bowl. 

Fruit salad dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together:  

• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine and serve: Pour the citrus honey dressing over the fruit and gently toss to combine. Let it sit for 15 minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld.

Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve.

Tips

• Choose fresh, ripe fruit for the best flavor and texture. If possible, opt for organic produce.
• Stick to firm fruits. Avoid mushy or overripe fruit, as it can affect the texture of the salad.
• Skip frozen fruit. It tends to release too much moisture when thawed, making the salad watery.
• Dry fruit thoroughly after washing to prevent excess moisture from making the salad soggy.
• Cut fruit into bite-sized pieces for easy eating and a visually appealing presentation. Mixing different shapes (slices, cubes, sections) adds interest.
• Adjust the sweetness. Depending on how ripe your fruit is, you may not need to add honey. Taste first and sweeten only if necessary.
• Enjoy fresh! This fruit salad is best the day it’s made, as the fruit will soften over time.

FAQ

Serving Suggestions

This homemade fruit salad is not only a refreshing dessert but also a great addition to breakfast or brunch alongside these food items:

Salad Recipes with Fruits

If you loved this vibrant fruit salad, here are more refreshing salads featuring fresh, seasonal fruits:

Recipe Inspiration

My mom would always prepare a platter of colorful fresh fruit for dessert. She would tell us that fresh fruits were full of vitamins and some of the healthiest foods we could eat.

She was right, and a few decades later, here we are all trying to “eat the rainbow.”

Depending on the season and the type of fruits available, sometimes she would slice them up and create bright and tasty fruit salads. There was no particular recipe, but as was previously mentioned, using fresh seasonal fruit makes all the difference. 

A fresh Italian fruit salad is a great way to savor your favorite seasonal fruits, all year long.

Enjoy!

★★★★★ If you have made this fresh fruit recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Fresh Fruit Recipes

Recipe

I originally published this post on January 18, 2021, and republished it on January 20, 2025, with updated content. Thanks for sharing.