Tropical Fruit Salad

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A crisp and refreshing tropical fruit salad with coconut milk dressing. It’s sweet, slightly creamy, and the perfect side or dessert for a hot Summer day.

An aerial view of the fruit salad in a serving dish.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge fan of well-made fruit salads. However, I’m not a huge fan of the store-bought ones.

Not that there’s anything wrong with them, I just prefer fresh fruit and making my own dressings

For today’s post, we’re sharing a homemade tropical fruit salad with coconut milk dressing.

It’s perfect for hot days because it contains no dairy but still has a rich, creamy texture and flavor!

If you’re looking for other types of salads check out our Red Potato Salad, Chicken Avocado Salad, or Apple Walnut Salad.

What are the best tropical fruits?

I feel the best tropical fruits are coconut and pineapple. With that being said, you might feel papaya is the best tropical fruit.

So, the short answer is, any tropical fruit you enjoy is the best tropical fruit!

What goes well with papaya?

Cantaloupe is a wonderful fruit to pair with papaya. Also, bananas and mangoes work well the light flavor of papaya.

A close-up view of the tropical salad.

Recipe Tips:

  • Making the recipe in advance? Then toss the fresh fruit with extra lime juice or lemon juice. Doing so will help the fruit stay bright, colorful, and will reduce the risk of the bananas turning brown.
  • You can use canned pineapple chunks. Simply drain away the sweetened syrup before adding them to the mixing bowl.
  • If there’s a fruit you’d rather use, substitute it into the salad. Prefer papaya, go for it!
  • Maraschino cherries can have a lot of added sugar. So, if you can find pitted whole or halved cherries, use them instead.

More Desserts to Try

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The tropical fruit salad with coconut served in a green bowl.

Fruit Salad with Coconut Milk

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Author: John
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 bananas, sliced into circles
  • 2 cups pineapple, fresh or canned (See Note)
  • 2 cups mango, fresh or frozen (See Note)
  • 10 ounces maraschino cherries, drained, rinsed, and dried
  • 1 cup coconut milk, canned
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons shredded coconut, optional
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, combine the bananas, pineapple, mango, and cherries. Set aside.
    2 bananas
    2 cups pineapple
    2 cups mango
    10 ounces maraschino cherries
    Cherries and sliced bananas and pineapples, in a mixing bowl.
  • In a separate medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the coconut milk, honey, shredded coconut if using, and lime juice.
    1 cup coconut milk
    2 tablespoons honey
    2 tablespoons shredded coconut
    1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
    Honey being poured into coconut milk in a measuring cup.
  • Pour the coconut milk mixture over the fruit. Gently stir to coat.
    The coconut milk dressing being poured over the fruit.
  • Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. This salad is best enjoyed within a few hours of preparation.
    The fruit salad and dressing have been combined in the mixing bowl.

Notes

The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of about ½-cup of the tropical fruit salad with coconut dressing. Actual calories will vary.
*Papaya is delicious if you’d like to add another tropical fruit!
*If using canned pineapple, make sure to drain it well and pat it dry. For frozen mango, thaw it, drain it, and pat it dry before adding it to the salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gSodium: 7mgPotassium: 305mgFiber: 3gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 506IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg

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