My Red White and Blue Salad is Summer in a bowl. Christmas and Thanksgiving are great holidays, but I’m a summer gal through and through. There’s just something magical about the smell of sunscreen and fresh cut grass mingling with drool-worthy scents wafting from the grill. Are you with me? Now, all you need is an ice cold beverage, some sunshine, and this Red White and Blue Fruit Salad! You’re going to want to save this recipe, because it’s perfect for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.
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The only thing I love more than celebrating ‘Merica and honoring our veterans is berries being in season! I pretty much refuse to buy berries when they aren’t in season because the quality is never as good and they are never quite as budget-friendly. I’m also a sucker for nostalgia and I feel like there was always a whipped cream fruit salad variation at all of my family gatherings growing up, probably because fruit salads require almost zero prep and they are always a crowd pleaser! This one is extra special because it brings the patriotic vibes, too.
What is Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad?
This patriotic fruit salad utilizes red, white, and blue fruits to create a colorful display fit for Independence Day or Memorial Day (or anytime I’m craving a refreshing and fun fruit salad). Strawberries represent the red, bananas and apples represent the white, and blueberries represent the blue. I added a little bit of crunch with some walnuts for texture. Topped off with some classic Cool Whip, this is one refreshing salad that’s a great BBQ side dish or dessert.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this red white and blue fruit salad:
- Fruit: I used a combination of bananas, strawberries, apples, and blueberries to create this patriotic salad.
- Sugar: A little bit of granulated sugar makes the berries glisten and helps prevents the apples from browning.
- Walnuts: Crushed walnut pieces add a bit of savory nuttiness and crunch.
- Marshmallows: Add pops of sweetness. Mini marshmallows are the perfect size, but you can also quarter full-sized marshmallows.
- Cool Whip: The perfect garnish for this fresh and fruity salad. You can also make your own whipped cream if you prefer!
What Else Can I Add?
- Fruits: If you’re not needing this to be particularly red, white, and blue, you can add any fruits your heart desires. Blackberries, raspberries, pitted cherries, concord grapes, pomegranate arils, or chopped pineapple would all keep the red white and blue theme going! Just be careful to avoid smushing the fruit when tossing the ingredients so you can see the distinct red, white, and blue colors throughout.
- Crunch: Pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, homemade granola, or even crushed biscotti are all great sources of crunch.
How To Store Leftovers
This fruit salad can be prepared up to 24 hours before you plan to serve it, although the tender berries may shed some juices as they sit and the bananas and apples may brown a bit. To achieve true fireworks, prepare just before your company arrives! It will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Red White and Blue Fruit Salad
Servings 8 people (about 1 cups each)Ingredients
- 2 bananas ($0.46)
- 2 cups quartered strawberries ($2.50)
- 1 diced apple ($1.00)
- 2 cups blueberries (1 pint) ($2.99)
- 2 tsp. sugar ($0.01)
- ½ cup walnut pieces ($2.64)
- 1 cup mini marshmallows ($1.00)
- 1 cup Cool Whip ($1.14)
Instructions
- Dice bananas into ¼ inch pieces, quarter strawberries, core and dice the apple, gather walnut pieces, blueberries and mini marshmellows.
- Toss bananas, strawberries, apple, and blueberries in a big mixing bowl with sugar.*
- Fold in walnut pieces and mini marshmallows to sugared fruits and toss to combine.
- Top each serving with a generous dollop of Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream and extra walnut pieces.
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Notes
Nutrition
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how to make Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad – step by step photos
Dice 2 bananas into ¼ inch pieces; quarter 2 cups of strawberries; core and dice 1 apple; and gather ½ cup walnut pieces, 2 cups of blueberries and 1 cup of mini marshmallows.
Toss the 2 diced bananas, 2 cups of quartered strawberries, 1 diced apple, and 2 cups of blueberries in a big mixing bowl with 2 tsp sugar.
Fold in ½ cup walnut pieces and 1 cup mini marshmallows to sugared fruits and toss to combine.
Top each serving with about 1 Tbsp of Cool Whip and extra walnut pieces.
This easy-to-make red white and blue fruit salad will be the star of your July 4th BBQ!
I would like to express my endless gratitude for the veterans who have sacrificed their lives while defending our country and their families.
What will keep the bananas and apples from browning if there is no lemon juice? Does the sugar do the trick?
Yep! The sugar should be sufficient!
These recipes are so easy that I may even like to cook.