Tropical Fruit Salad with Coconut

I’m not going away on a tropical vacation this year, so I’m bringing those flavors home with this Tropical Fruit Salad.

The blend of tropical fruits is incredibly refreshing, and it’s so much better than that canned fruit salad. There’s simply no comparison between the two (and there’s no added sugar!).

In my opinion, fruit salad doesn’t need any sugar to be absolutely delicious. If your fruit is perfectly ripe, it’s already sweet enough on its own.

I’ve just enhanced the flavor with some freshly squeezed lime, which complements the flavors of the fruit and it helps keep it from discoloring.

It includes coconut flakes for a nice crunchy texture and even more island vibes.

Who needs palm trees anyway? 🙂

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This salad is packed with fresh tropical fruits and is bursting with vibrant flavor.
• Toasted coconut flakes add crunchy texture and adds even more island flair.
• There’s no added sugar — it’s simply fruit, fresh lime juice and coconut.
• This is an easy side dish for barbecues, picnics and more.

Recipe ingredients

This coconut fruit salad can easily be customized by using your favorite tropical fruits and fruit juices.

• Pineapple. Normally, unripe pineapple is green and a ripe one is more yellow in color. I’ve found that the easiest way to find a ripe pineapple is by smelling it.
• Mangoes. Your grocery store will likely carry Tommy Atkins mangoes, but we also love honey (ataulfo) mangoes because they’re super sweet.
• Papaya. My favorite papaya for this recipe is Hawaiian papaya or strawberry papaya. They’re both the perfect size (about 6″ long), and are so sweet and delicious.
• Kiwi. Peel the kiwi using a vegetable peeler before roughly chopping.
• Bananas. Look for bananas that are ripe, fragrant, and have some speckling. Avoid using overripe or brown bananas, which will fall apart in the fruit salad. (Save those for making banana bread!)
• Lime juice. The lime juice may be substituted with orange.
• Coconut flakes. If you’re not a fan of coconut, simply omit it.

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

How to make tropical fruit salad

When preparing this recipe, I prefer to quickly toast the coconut flakes in a skillet until lightly golden. This adds so much texture to the fruit salad, but it’s an optional step.

Pro tip: If you want to make this in advance, prep all the fruit except for the banana a few hours ahead of time and store in separate containers, then toss together just before serving time.

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

• Prep the tropical fruits. All of the fruits must be peeled. I suggest chopping them into bite-sized chunks so you can get a little of everything on your fork.
• Toss with lime juice. Use a gentle folding motion to coat the fruit in lime juice to avoid bruising or smashing the fruit.
• Top with coconut flakes. Adding the coconut last prevents it from becoming soggy.

Recipe FAQs

Serving suggestions

This fresh fruit salad can be served any time of day, with both sweet and savory dishes.

• Spoon the fruit salad over a bowl of yogurt and top with chocolate granola for a hearty yet fresh breakfast.
• Pair it with your favorite savory brunch recipes, like this asparagus frittata or these bacon and egg cups.
• Serve it as a side dish for jerk shrimp skewers, bgrilled urgers, or grilled bbq chicken.

Recipe notes

• Pro tip: If your fruit isn’t entirely ripe, let it sit out on the counter for a few days until it is. The more ripe it is, the sweeter it is!
• This salad is best served the day that it’s made.
• It’s easy to tell when mangos, bananas, kiwi, and papaya are ripe because they’re soft when pressed with your finger.
• You’re welcome to omit or replace any fruits that you don’t like.