Berry Watermelon Fruit Salad with Ruby Syrup (Paleo, Vegan)

This light and easy summer fruit salad features an array of jewel-toned berries lightly dressed with a sweet/tart syrup.

One of the best things about this time of year is all the wonderful fruit that’s coming into season. There’s an onslaught of berries at the moment, cherries are just coming onto market and with the temperatures rising watermelon becomes especially inviting right about now. So what better way to enjoy the best the season has to offer than to make a fruit salad.

No, not the kind that’s filled with a less than inviting assortment of under ripe melon and the occasional grape, but a vibrant jewel-toned fruit salad that’s bursting with bold berry flavor.

While the typical fruit salad is pretty much an afterthought and just a jumble of mismatched fruit tossed together in an attempt at dessert, this fruit salad with its vivid colors and vibrant flavors is decidedly more special and sophisticated.

My version includes strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries and watermelon because they are in season now and hold up well in a salad but red plums or black figs would also make a nice addition when they come into season late summer.

The fruit is tossed with a simple syrup that’s a bright ruby red to add an extra dimension of both color and flavor. Strawberries and raspberries are simmered together with a pinch of pink peppercorns to create a sweet syrupy base that’s rich and jammy in taste. A splash of pomegranate vinegar adds a bit of acidity to balance out the sweetness and round out all the flavors. The result is a fruit salad that’s both sweet and tart and full of flavor.

It’s a healthy and easy dessert that will quickly become a mainstay at your summer get-togethers since the syrup and the fruit can both be prepared ahead of time. And speaking of syrup, if you have any leftover, it’s also pretty terrific over yogurt or ice cream or even stirred into sparkling water.

Serves 6

Berry Watermelon Fruit Salad with Ruby Syrup (Paleo, Vegan)

Sylvie Shirazi

20 minPrep Time

5 minCook Time

25 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

For the Ruby Syrup:

¼ cup/46g raspberries (frozen)
½ cup/ 61g strawberries (frozen)
2 Tablespoons/30ml light maple syrup
2 Tablespoons/30ml filtered water
Pinch of pink peppercorns (optional)
1 Tablespoon/15ml pomegranate (or raspberry) vinegar

For the Fruit Salad:

8oz/227g strawberries, thinly sliced
½ a mini watermelon, thinly sliced into small triangles
8 oz/ 226g cherries, halved and pitted
6oz/275g g blueberries
4oz/ 113g blackberries

Instructions

Place the raspberries, strawberries, maple syrup, water and pinch of pink peppercorns in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and turn off the heat. Let steep for 15 minutes.
Strain syrup through a fine mesh strainer pressing firmly on fruit to extract liquid. Discard solids and return syrup to saucepan. Return to a simmer and simmer on low for an additional 1-2 minutes or until syrupy. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar and let cool. Store in fridge until needed.
When ready to serve, place fruit on a large platter and pour a few spoonfuls of syrup over the top (enough to lightly coat). Toss gently and serve immediately.