4th of July Fruit Salad

Fresh, tangy and loaded with tons of fruit, this 4th of July fruit salad will be a favorite side dish at any summer cookout you bring it to!

Your search is over for the best summer fruit salad! The perfect fruit salad centerpiece is staring ya in the face.

Not only is this gem of a fruit salad absolutely perfect for any 4th of July gathering, but it’s easy and delicious enough that you’ll want it at every cookout you go to this summer.

Extra watermelon stars in my bowl, please.

This salad only calls for 8 basic ingredients and while I give fruit suggestions, it’s basically a blank canvas for any fruit you have on hand!

Pro tip: just don’t skip the watermelon stars – they make it SO festive and kids and adults alike can’t get enough!

This Fruit Salad features…

• Fresh watermelon, strawberries, and blueberries
• A tangy lime poppyseed dressing
• Minutes to make and perfect for a 4th of July cookout

Making the Fruit Salad

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

• Watermelon
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Lime juice
• Granulated sugar
• Poppyseeds
• Cornstarch
• Basil

How To Cut Watermelon

Remove the skin from the watermelon and cut the watermelon into 1-inch thick slabs. Use a star cookie cutter to cut out star shapes for salad (save the watermelon scraps for pureeing into watermelon juice!).

Tips for Perfect Fruit Salad

1. Get fresh basil – fresh basil adds an unmatchable fresh flavor to the fruit.
2. Use cornstarch in dressing – I use just a touch of cornstarch in the dressing to thicken the texture so it clings to the fruit.
3. Sweeten salad to taste – we typically like our salad a little more tangy, but you can add more or less sugar to taste.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on this salad.

• Use different fruit – this salad works great with a variety of fruit. Try fresh blackberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, pineapple, or mango.
• Sub mint – try fresh minced mint in place of the basil.
• Garnish with nuts – toasted almonds or pecans add a great crunch.

Storing Fruit Salad

This salad stores well in refrigerator up to 3 days. It actually tastes better if you can let it sit in the dressing a few hours so it soaks up all that wonderful flavor!

For best results, I recommend waiting to add the fresh basil until just before serving so it doesn’t turn brown.

I swear the fresh basil is the secret weapon in this fruit salad! It adds an incredible pop of herby flavor that pairs so well with the tangy lime and all that fresh fruit goodness. That and the watermelon stars bump up the cuteness level to a 10.

Trust me, this is the fruit salad you’re going to want at all your cookouts this summer! It’s obviously 4th of July-themed, but it will definitely be wanted more than just once!

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

Watch this fruit salad made step-by-step on Google web stories.

More fruity salads to try next!

• Cherry Burrata Panzanella Salad
• Blueberry Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
• Prosciutto Strawberry Burrata Salad

This post was updated with new recipe tips and photos on 5/31/24.