Spare Spoons Kitchen
Aunt Betty’s Comfort Kitchen · Salads
Christmas Fruit Salad
A fresh fruit salad for the holiday table — pineapple, oranges, apples, and banana with a spoon of sugar and a bottle of cherries, left to mellow into its own light syrup. Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Effort ●○○○
Time ●○○○ Anytime
VeganGluten-Free
Servingsamounts scale to match
8
Units
Ingredients
Sweeten and let it rest — the sugar makes its own light syrup. Stirring in the sugar draws juice from the fruit into a glossy syrup that ties the salad together over a couple of hours. Add the bananas closer to serving so they stay pale.
Easier, if you like
- Canned mandarin oranges (drained) skip the peeling and sectioning.
- A handful of seedless grapes or pomegranate seeds makes it even more festive.
Method
Cook's notes
Naturally vegan and gluten-free — just fruit, sugar, and cherries.
Add the bananas near serving if it'll sit a while, so they don't brown or go soft.
The cherry juice tints the whole bowl a festive pink — a little goes a long way.
Best the day it's made; it keeps a day or two, though the bananas soften.
Vegan and gluten-free as written
Vegan / gluten-free: it already is — no swaps needed.
Less sweet: cut the sugar to 2 tablespoons, or skip it and let the fruit and cherry juice carry it.