Mixed Berry Salad with a Simple Honey Dressing

Whisk together an easy mixed berry salad with fresh fruit and a simple honey dressing. It's perfect for a spring or summer side dish everyone will love!

Now that spring is officially here, I can't help but think ahead to the summer season. On a stifling hot afternoon smack dab in the middle of the dog days of summer, there's not much better than this refreshing berry fruit salad served with a creamy homemade vanilla milkshake.

mixed berry salad in large mint green bowl with wooden spoon

In other words, I'm REALLY craving fresh fruit. It's been a long winter! Of course, this is a great recipe for any time of the year.

My youngest, berry-loving child will devour a batch of this very berry fruit salad before I even make it out of the kitchen! He also loves when we take the berries from this salad and make mixed berry fruit cups.

It's healthy and nutritious, and it's incredibly easy to make, the perfect snack for even the busiest of days.

Why Make This Recipe

It's simple, easy, and beautiful. Whip it up in under 10 minutes for a healthy, nutritious snack or a simple side dish for a get together.
It's also super delicious!
Due to the above reasons, kids will love this mixed berry fruit salad. My youngest goes crazy over anything involving fresh fruit. The sweet honey dressing really complements the tangy, almost tart flavors of the fruits and berries.
Although it's not the longest-lasting snack, this is actually a great recipe to make ahead of time. Mix this simple fruit salad a couple days ahead of time for an all-you-can-eat berry buffet right out of the fridge.

mixed berry fruit salad ingredients on white marble countertop

Ingredient Notes

Let's talk about a few of the ingredients for this berry salad recipe…

Fruits and Berries – For this recipe, it's really best to use fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries; the same goes with any other fruit that might be used. Frozen fruit will be soggy after thawing, which doesn't yield a very desirable texture or flavor.
Lemon Juice – The best lemon juice is that of freshly-squeezed lemons. In fact, one medium lemon will produce as much as 2-3 tablespoons of mouth-puckering lemon juice. That said, if you'd prefer to skip that extra step, it will work just fine to use bottled lemon juice from the store; my go to is this Minute Maid lemon juice in the freezer section.
Honey – Unfiltered raw honey can be found at almost any grocery store or health food store.

How to Make Mixed Berry Salad

Before getting started, be sure to wash and prep all of your fruits and berries, allowing them time to dry afterward. I like to soak my berries in a vinegar/water mixture, then rinse well.

By prep, I just mean to remove any stems from the berries; then slice the strawberries to the size you prefer for your salad.

Now you're ready to mix this berry fruit salad…

Gently mix together the strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries in a large mixing bowl.
Stir in the lemon juice.
Then stir in the honey.
Spoon the triple mixed berries into bowls and serve. It's that easy!

how to make mixed berry salad by mixing berries in a mixing bowl with lemon juice and honey

What other fruit can I add to my fruit salad?

To be honest, I don't really know of a fruit that wouldn't work with this berry salad recipe. Here are just a few ideas…

Fresh pineapple
Cherries – Just a note… Contrary to what most people think, a cherry is not a berry. In fact, it's a stone fruit with a pit at its center.
Kiwi – This lovely green fruit, peeled and sliced, pairs so very well with a big bowl of fresh berries.
Red or green seedless grapes
Mandarin oranges
Mangoes
Papaya
Pawpaws
Watermelon, cantaloupe, or honeydew
Apples
Bananas

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ's

Which berries are healthiest?

Berries are one of the healthiest snacks you can eat. In fact, most berries are a great source of vitamin C and antioxidants. Strawberries are one of the best sources of vitamin C you can consume. Blueberries are a great source of vitamin K and manganese. Raspberries are a great source of vitamin C, manganese, and fiber. Blackberries are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, and fiber.

How do you keep fruit salad from turning brown?

Provided the proper amount of lemon juice is used, this fruit salad really shouldn't turn brown in the refrigerator. It's best to make it no more than 1-2 days ahead of time; if adding in fruit that can rapidly brown, like apples or bananas, it's best to refrain from slicing them up and adding them to the salad until you're ready to serve.

Can I make it up ahead of time?

Again, this recipe is best if made no more than 1-2 days ahead of time. Any longer, and the fruit might turn soft and/or begin to brown.

How do you store fruit salad?

Store your mixed berry salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. After this, most fruit will begin to turn soft and/or brown in color. Just watch it.

A Few Variations and Additions You Can Try

Try serving your mixed berries with homemade whipped cream, homemade vanilla ice cream, or even fresh mint leaves.
You might also drizzle over it with caramel sauce.
Substitute orange juice/zest or even lime juice/zest for the lemon juice to really switch up the underlying flavors of this dish.
Use maple syrup instead of honey. Both are interchangeable in so many recipes; I have a feeling that maple syrup might actually be preferred by many people that try it in this recipe.
Try adding pecans or walnuts or even granola for a crunchy texture. Better yet, mix all of this together with a big bowl of Greek yogurt!
Add a little bit of coconut.
Similarly to the nuts, you might add poppy seeds. They pair well with anything that contains fruit, and they'll give your salad a bit of crunch in every bite.

berry fruit salad served in small glass trifle dish with spoon

More Fruit Recipe Ideas

Homemade tropical fruit cups are filled with fresh pineapple, kiwi, mango, strawberries, mandarin oranges, and more.
Fresh strawberry pie is filled with fresh berries mixed with a wonderful glaze.
Strawberry Jello cottage cheese salad is a quick and easy, classic side dish recipe that contains lots of strawberries.
Easy mandarin orange Jello salad is another take on Jello, except this time it uses mandarin oranges.
Quick and easy ambrosia fruit salad is filled with fresh pineapple, mandarin oranges, and maraschino cherries– It's perfect for Easter.
Fruit pizza with puff pastry is filled with strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, blackberries, and more. This one's a big favorite around here!

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