Infuse your celebrations with a touch of joy with this Christmas Fruit Salad. Quick, nutritious, and visually enchanting, it's an ideal choice for both hectic days and festive get-togethers. Adored by both little ones and grown-ups, this vibrant salad isn't just a feast for your palate but also caters to vegan and gluten-free choices.
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This Christmas Fruit Salad is a very common one in Mexico during the festivities. Reason is because it comes together in a snap, it's healthy, colourful and very versatile.
I like to bring it to potlucks. I put it in the centre of the table and everyone seems to be drawn to it. It's perfect for lunch, brunch. Eat it on its own as an appetizer or as a dessert.
If I have more time, I also like to bring to potlucks my Mexican refried beans and put them at the centre of the table as well. There are also gone in no time!
Why indulging in this Christmas Fruit Salad is a delightful choice?
- Almost no cooking involved. Okay, if you are here it's because most likely you like to cook, but maybe you don't have too much time to do it. Other than cooking the beets, all other ingredients are raw.
- Kids friendly. Sometimes it's hard to find recipes that kids and adults like it alike and this recipe is one of those. Reason kids are drawn to this salad is because of its vibrant colours and sweetness (only mildly sweet, actually).
- Perfect for social gatherings. If you are like me and sometimes find yourself wondering what to bring to your social gatherings, this salad can really come to the rescue. You can easily modify the ingredients amounts to suit the required number of servings.
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this delicious salad:
Ingredients Notes
Jicama. Besides jicama, almost all of the ingredients to make this salad can be easily found at any grocery store. Jicama can be found at Save on Foods and Whole Foods. In case you want to substitute it, you can use pears instead. However, jicamas are really worth the extra mile.
What are Jicamas?
Jicamas are oval-shaped tubers. Its white meat is starchy and crunchy. It has a slightly sweet taste. It's a good source of dietary fibre, of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, folate and potassium, and are low in calories.
It's really worth while to get your hands on these gems!
How to Make this Christmas Fruit Salad.
You can find the full description of how to make this salad in the Recipe card. Below are the photos and a more concise description of the process.
Step 1. To a pot at medium high heat, add in the water, the star anise and the beets. Cook for 20 minutes approximately or until you pinch the beets with the tip of a knife and it goes through smoothly.
Step 2. Remove the beets from the pot and dice them up. Remove the star anise and discard.
Step 3. Once the beets water is cool, add in the sugar and orange juice. Stir to combine. Sweeten up to your preference.
Step 4. Add to the pot with the beets water the diced up beets, apple, peanuts, and jicama. Mix in to combine.
Step 5. Refrigerate for at least an hour before eating. Serve in bowls. Garnish each serving with a basil leaf, if using.
Tips for Making Christmas Fruit Salad
- Wear gloves. When dicing up the cooked beets, wear gloves to avoid getting your hands stained and place parchment paper in your cutting board to avoid any stains in it.
- Prep ahead. Dice up the apples and jicama a day before using. In order to prevent the apple from browning, dissolve ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt per cup of room-temperature tap water in an air tight container or sealable bag. Place the apples in the bag or container. Once ready to use, rinse the apples under running water. They won't retain any salty taste.
- Choose a different apple variety depending on your taste preference. For example, use Granny Smith for a tart flavor or Honeycrisp for sweetness.
Storage
Store the fruit salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cool temperature will help preserve the freshness of the ingredients. Stays well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Before serving leftovers, gently stir the salad to redistribute any juices and flavors that may have settled.
Freezing
Freezing is not recommended, as it can alter the texture of fruits with high water content like apples.
Additions
- Nuts: Besides peanuts, consider adding toasted almonds, walnuts, or pecans for extra crunch.
- Pomegranate Seeds: Add a burst of sweetness and an extra pop of color.
Substitutions
- Pears. Use them instead of jicama. Dice up one or two pears if using and add them to the salad same time as the apples, peanuts, and beets.
- Sugar. Use a sugar substitute like stevia or monk fruit for a lower-calorie option.
- Peanuts. Swap peanuts with almonds, walnuts, pecans, or any other preferred nut. For a nut-free option, consider toasted seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Your Questions Answered
Dissolve ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt per cup of room-temperature tap water in an air tight container or sealable bag. Place the apples in the bag or container. Once ready to use, rinse the apples under running water. They won't retain any salty taste.
Another way to prevent the apples from browning is to toss the apple dices in a bit of lemon juice to slow down the oxidation process and keep them looking fresh.
Yes, you can adjust the sweetness according to your preference or omit the sugar entirely. Natural sweetness from fruits can be sufficient for some.
Yes, you can dice up the jicama and apple one day before preparing the salad. Bear in mind my recommendation on how to prevent apples from browning.
Ready to make this Christmas Fruit Salad? Of course! Please leave a comment and a rating if you do. I always look forward to reading your comments.
Christmas Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 2 liters water
- 350 grams beets, cleaned and peeled
- 2 pieces star anise
- ½ cup white sugar can increase or decrease the amount to your preference
- 2 medium sized oranges, the juice
- 1 apple, diced
- ½ cup peanuts without salt
- 1 medium-sized jicama, diced
- 6 basil leafs optional
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Instructions
- To a pot set at medium high heat, add in the water, the star anise and the beets. Cook for 20 minutes approximately or until you pinch the beets with the tip of a knife and it goes through smoothly.
- Remove the beets from the pot and dice them up. Remove the star anise and discard. Set the beets water to the side to cool off.
- Once the beets water has cooled off, add in the sugar and orange juice. Sweeten it to your preference.
- Add to the pot with the beets water the diced up beets, apple, peanuts, and jicama. Mix in to combine.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour before eating. Serve in bowls. Garnish each serving with a basil leaf.
Notes
- When dicing up the cooked beets, wear gloves and place a piece of parchment paper on your cutting board to prevent any staining of your board and of your hands.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before eating. If possible, refrigerate the salad overnight. It'll taste even better the next day once the ingredients have fully absorbed all the flavours.
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