Nutmeg Free Basil-Pesto Fruit Harvest Salad
This vibrant fruit salad is a showstopper that brings together juicy grapes, plump blueberries, sweet strawberries, and tender slices of apple and pear in one gorgeous bowl. What makes it truly special is the herby basil-pesto dressing — fresh basil ribbons, bright lemon juice, garlic, and a whisper of ground ginger blended with good olive oil into something that feels far more interesting than your average fruit salad topping. The dressing gets a ten-minute rest before it hits the fruit, which lets the basil fully infuse into the oil and deepens every bite. Many warm-spice dressings and store-bought fruit salad kits sneak in nutmeg as a background note, but this one keeps things clean and fragrant without it — every ingredient is right there in plain sight. Tossing everything together is genuinely quick, and the optional torn mint scattered over the top adds a cool, fresh finish that makes the whole bowl look like it came from a fancy brunch spread. Serve it immediately so the fruit stays crisp and the dressing stays bright.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the basil-pesto dressing
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
For the salad
- 2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 medium pear, cored and thinly sliced
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, fine sea salt, and ground ginger until fully combined and slightly emulsified.
- 2
Stack the basil leaves, roll them tightly lengthwise, and slice into thin ribbons (chiffonade). Add the basil to the dressing and stir to combine. Let the dressing sit for 10 minutes so the basil flavor infuses into the oil.
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