Easy Layered Fruit Salad with Yogurt Dressing Recipe

This layered fruit salad is the easiest way to turn a bowl of fresh fruit into something that looks like you spent hours on it. Sweet cantaloupe, crisp apples, mandarin oranges, and purple grapes are layered in a trifle bowl, then topped with a creamy vanilla yogurt dressing that soaks down into every layer as it sits. A handful of pecans and mini marshmallows add crunch and a little bit of fun, and a sprinkle of granola right before serving keeps everything from getting soggy. It takes about fifteen minutes to put together, there's no oven involved, and it's always one of the first things to disappear at potlucks, brunches, and family dinners.

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Why this is the best Layered Fruit Salad with Yogurt Dressing recipe

This recipe is quick and easy. This layered fruit salad with yogurt dressing takes about 15 minutes to put together, and there is no cooking involved. Just chop the fruit, layer everything in a bowl, spoon the yogurt over the top, and it's ready to serve.

Layered fruit salad is easy to customize. You can use whatever fresh fruit looks good at the grocery store or happens to be in season. Apples, grapes, cantaloupe, mandarin oranges, berries, kiwi, pineapple, peaches, and other melons all work well, so you don't have to buy a long list of specific fruits.

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The combination of fruits has lots of different textures. Juicy fresh fruit, creamy vanilla yogurt, crunchy nuts, soft marshmallows, and crisp granola make every serving a little different. Keeping the granola on the side means everyone can add as much crunch as they want without it getting soggy.

Layered fruit salad looks beautiful on the table. Layering the different colors of fruit in a glass trifle bowl makes this incredibly simple recipe look impressive enough for brunches, showers, parties, potlucks, bbq parties, and holiday meals.

What you'll need to make the best Easy Layered Fruit Salad Recipe with Yogurt Dressing

Equipment

• Citrus juicer - This is to squeeze the lemon to prevent some of your fruit from browning. If you don't have one, you can use a fork to squeeze the lemon. Search you tube for "how to juice a lemon using a fork" and you will find help.
• Trifle bowl - This is a tall, glass bowl that's perfect for showing off the layers of your fruit salad. If you don't have one, you can use any glass bowl that's taller than it is wide. And if you don't have anything, put it in any serving bowl and know that it tastes the same whether your guests can see the layers or not.

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Ingredients

• Cantaloupe - cut into cubes
• Granny Smith apple - chopped
• Honeycrisp apple - chopped
• Lemon juice - This will prevent your apples from turning brown. You can use lemon juice, lime juice, or orange juice, because it's the acid that keeps the browning from taking place.
• Mandarin oranges - well drained so they don't make your salad soggy.
• Purple grapes - halved or whole per your preference. I chose purple grapes for the color contrast, but green grapes would taste great too.
• Pecans chopped, substitute walnuts or almonds
• Mini marshmallows - You can leave these out if you're looking for something super healthy, but I like the little notes of sweet marshmallow that you get when they're in the salad.
• Vanilla Greek yogurt - Make sure it's vanilla because plain Greek yogurt will make your fruit salad taste super weird.
• Granola - our favorite is Bear Naked Fit Vanilla Almond Crunch but you choose whatever you like. This is optional but the crunch is a very nice addition to the fruit salad.

How to make easy Easy Layered Fruit Salad with Yogurt Dressing Recipe

1. Core and chop the apples. No need to peel them. Toss the chopped apple in a tablespoon or two of lemon juice to prevent browning. If you're in a pinch, orange juice will work, too. Place the chopped apples in the bottom of a trifle bowl.
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2. Add the remaining layers of fruit, nuts, and marshmallows, one kind at a time, keeping the layers even.
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3. When you get to the top, spoon yogurt over the whole thing. It will fall down into the crannies and crevices, and it will be beautiful.
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4. To serve, sprinkle the top with granola. If you add the granola too soon, it will get soggy. If the salad will be sitting out for longer than an hour or two, I suggest leaving the granola on the side so that guests can add their own fresh, crunchy granola when they serve themselves.

Substitutions & variations

You can add as many additional fruits as your bowl will hold, and you can change the fruit based on what is fresh, affordable, and in season. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, pineapple, kiwi, peaches, nectarines, mango, watermelon, honeydew, or different varieties of grapes and apples are all good options. I don't recommend bananas because they get soft so quickly after cutting, and no one wants mushy bananas in their fruit salad.

If you don't have vanilla yogurt, strawberry, peach, or another fruit-flavored yogurt would give the salad a different but pleasing flavor. Or make a box of instant vanilla pudding and use that instead.

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Pecans, walnuts, and almonds all work well for the crunchy nut layer. You could also use pistachios, cashews, or sunflower seeds. Leave the nuts out altogether if you're serving someone with a nut allergy.

The marshmallows are optional. Leave them out for a healthier salad, or add extra if you're serving this as a sweeter brunch or dessert dish.

You can use almost any granola you like. Vanilla, honey, almond, cinnamon, or even a granola with dried fruit would work. Serve the granola in a separate bowl to keep it nice and crunchy.

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Apples should be tossed with a little lemon juice, orange juice, or even lemon-lime soda after chopping to help keep them from turning brown.

You don't need a trifle bowl to make this recipe. Any large serving bowl will work. You can layer the ingredients for a pretty presentation or simply toss the fruit together before adding the yogurt.

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Storing leftover Layered Fruit Salad with Yogurt Dressing

Transfer leftover layered fruit salad with yogurt dressing to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The fruit will release more juice as it sits, so the salad is best when eaten as soon as possible.

Keep any leftover granola in a separate airtight container at room temperature. Don't mix it into the fruit salad before putting it in the fridge because it will absorb the moisture from the fruit and yogurt and become soggy. Soggy granola isn't bad, but the whole reason we use it is that it's sweet and crunchy.

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If you are making the fruit salad ahead of time, you can prepare and refrigerate most of the fruit separately, then assemble the layers and add the yogurt closer to serving time. This will avoid excess liquid pooling at the bottom. Add delicate fruits at the last minute for the best color and texture.

I don't recommend freezing leftover fruit salad with yogurt dressing. Most fresh fruit becomes soft and watery after freezing and thawing, and the yogurt can separate, so this recipe is much better enjoyed fresh.

Check out more delicious fruit recipes

• Red, White, & Blue Fruit Salad
• Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
• Pistachio Fruit Salad AKA Watergate Salad
• Fresh Fruit Tart
• Apple Pecan Feta Salad with Homemade Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Wormy Apple Snacks
• Red White and Blue Berry Trifle

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