Easy Breakfast Fruit Salad with Orange Syrup is full of fresh luscious berries and seasonal fruit, including blackberries, peaches, grapes, and strawberries. Besides being delicious, this good-for-you, low-calorie, fresh fruit salad is kid-friendly and the perfect dish whether you are serving it for a casual breakfast at home or feeding a crowd for brunch.
Like my Old-Fashioned Southern Ambrosia, Watermelon Feta Salad with Basil and Blueberries, or Southern Grape Salad with Pecans, homemade fruit salad also makes a light and refreshing dessert or side dish for lunch or dinner. Because it can be made ahead and travels well, it’s an ideal dish to take to a potluck.
While this mixed fruit salad is delicious on its own, I’ve added a simple orange syrup topping made with orange juice and a hint of vanilla. This fruit salad dressing adds a citrusy sweetness and is what kicks this dish up a notch and makes it truly unique.
This recipe is very adaptable, and it can be made with whatever fresh fruits and berries you have on hand. Besides the blackberries, peaches, grapes, and strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, melon, oranges, pineapple, kiwi, cherries, nectarines, apples, pears, bananas, and mango would also be delicious.
There are no rules with this easy recipe, and you can use what you have on hand or fruit that your family likes. It’s a simple and versatile recipe and tasty however it’s served.
Ingredients – here’s what you need:
- Peaches – sweet, aromatic fresh peaches form the base of this fruit salad. I usually leave the peel on, but feel free to peel yours if you prefer.
- Blackberries – are a classic summer berry and add their characteristic berrylicious flavor and lovely dark purple color.
- Strawberries – another aromatic and juicy berry, strawberries add a beautiful red pop of color and delectable sweetness.
- Grapes – add even more sweetness and another dimension of flavor. I used red grapes in this recipe, but feel free to use green or your favorite variety.
- Oranges – both the zest and juice are used to make the orange syrup fruit salad dressing.
- Vanilla – is another ingredient in the orange syrup. I used a vanilla bean, but you can substitute vanilla extract.
- Sugar – is used to make a simple syrup flavored with orange juice and vanilla.
Directions – here’s how to make it:
- To make the orange syrup, use a sharp knife to carefully split the vanilla bean down one side of its length to expose the seeds and open it up like a book.
- Add the split vanilla bean or one teaspoon of vanilla extract, sugar, one-half cup of water, orange zest, and orange juice to a small pan over medium heat. Bring this mixture to a boil and turn the heat to low. Simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes or until it has thickened to the consistency of light syrup. Remove the vanilla bean and set it aside to cool.
- Place all of the fruit in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Let it drain and pat dry with a paper towel. Slice or chop as directed.
- Place all of the prepared fruit in a large bowl and gently toss to combine.
- Pour about half of the cooled orange syrup over the mixture and gently toss to combine. Save the rest for another use.
- Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Optional – before serving garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Frequently asked questions:
This recipe, as written, will make eight, one-half to three-quarter cup servings. Feel free to scale the recipe up if you are feeding a crowd or down for a smaller number or if you are serving kids. You also don’t have to be exact on the amount of each fruit you use.
You should have plenty of orange syrup even if you double the amount of fruit.
For the best results, I don’t recommend using most frozen fruit. Fresh is best, but you can probably use frozen peaches, but most frozen fruit, including strawberries, turn a little mushy when it’s thawed, and the texture is not as pleasing.
As far as canned fruit, canned mandarin oranges, canned peaches, and canned pineapple work okayl. But be sure to drain them completely before adding them to your salad.
Yes, one of the best things about this breakfast fruit salad recipe is you can make it the night before. For the best results, prepare your fruit, then prepare the orange syrup but store them separately in the refrigerator. Then, before serving, combine the fruit and syrup.
In addition to the orange syrup, a dollop of Cool Whip, homemade whipped cream, sour cream, plain yogurt, or even a handful of miniature marshmallows or pomegranate seeds would all be delicious toppings or add-ons.
Breakfast fruit salad is best eaten as soon as possible after it is made. Once the orange syrup is added, the fruit gets a little watery if it is kept longer than two days in the fridge.
If I’m making a big breakfast or brunch for a crowd, I will often serve this dish with my Spinach and Bacon Quiche with Tomatoes, Southern Tomato Gravy, or Cheesy Mushroom and Broccoli Frittata, along with either Southern Fried Potatoes or Southern Cheese Grits Casserole. A serving of my Quick and Easy Hoe Cakes or Easy Sausage Cheese Bread rounds things out nicely.
Sharon’s tips:
- If you use bananas in this recipe, do not add them until you are ready to serve the fruit salad.
- To shake things up a bit, instead of combining the fruit in a bowl, you can thread it on skewers to make fruit kabobs, layer the fruit in jars for serving on the go, or place the fruit in ramekins to make fruit cups.
- There should be enough orange syrup for two salads, and it should be fine for a week or longer if you keep it in the refrigerator.
More fruit recipes:
If you are a fan of recipes that feature fruit, check out these popular sweet and savory recipes on my blog:
- Southern Fresh Peach Salsa
- Peach Glazed Chicken
- Old-Fashioned Strawberry Pie
- The Best Apple Dumplings
- Old-Fashioned Blackberry Pie
- Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Sauce
Looking for more breakfast recipes, check out all of my breakfast and brunch recipes or my roundup of 30 Mother’s Day Breakfast and Brunch Recipes!
Breakfast Fruit Salad Recipe with Orange Syrup
Ingredients
Orange Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- zest and juice of one large orange
- 1 vanilla bean split down it's length to expose the vanilla seeds, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fruit Salad
- 4 large ripe peaches peeled or unpeeled, cut into bite-slzed pieces
- 2 cups fresh blackberries
- 1 cup sliced strawberries Remove the leaves and stems before slicing
- 1 cup seedless grapes Cut in half if they are large
Instructions
- To make the orange syrup, use a sharp knife to carefully split the vanilla bean down one side of its length to expose the seeds and open it up like a book. Add the split vanilla bean or one teaspoon of vanilla extract, sugar, one-half cup of water, orange zest, and orange juice to a small pan over medium heat. Bring this mixture to a boil and turn the heat to low. Simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes or until it has thickened to the consistency of light syrup. Remove the vanilla bean and set it aside to cool.
- Place all of the fruit in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Let it drain and pat dry with a paper towel. Slice or chop as directed.
- Place all of the prepared fruit in a large bowl and gently toss to combine.
- Pour about half of the cooled orange syrup over the mixture and gently toss to combine. Save the rest for another use.
- Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Optional – before serving garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
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