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A simple Mexican Fruit Salad with cubed melon, mango, dragon fruit, kiwi, jicama, lime juice, and a hint of spicy chili. It's an unexpected and delicious take on the traditional fruit salad.
Fruit salad is one of my favorite dishes to enjoy in the spring and summer months. Typically, I just throw whatever fruit I have on hand into a bowl and dress it with a bit of lemon juice (or for dessert - some honey). This Mexican Fruit Salad is a fun take on the usual way you might dress up summer fruits. In this salad I brought together: mango, dragon fruit, melon, jicama, pineapple, strawberry, kiwi and chili powder for a sweet + spicy side dish. You can use whatever fruits you have on hand - although tropical fruits work really well in this recipe!
Tools and Equipment You'll Need
How to Make Mexican Fruit Salad - Step by Step
Step 1: Cube all of your fruit to be about the same size.
Step 2: Transfer to large bowl. Pour lime juice over top. Using clean hands gently combine so that lime juice covers the fruit evenly.
Step 3: Add salt, pepper, and chili powder. Incorporate with your hands to evenly spread spices among the fruit.
Step 4: Serve immediately, and enjoy!
What makes this Mexican Fruit Salad healthy?
- Low Calorie: One serving of this fruit salad has only 55 calories. It's a healthy low calorie dessert, or perfect to bring to a picnic.
- No Added Sugar: Unlike some fruit salads this fruit salad has no added sugar. All of the fruits included are naturally sweet. There's no need to sprinkle any sugar on top to enjoy the sweetness of this recipe. One serving of this fruit salad contains 8 grams of all natural sugars.
- High in Fiber: Fruit is a natural source of fiber. Eating whole fruit compared to drinking fruit juice is a much healthier option. Whole fruit is higher in fiber and lower in calories. It takes a lot more fruit to make 1 cup of fruit juice than it does to slice 1 cup of fruit. When a fruit is juiced it loses its fiber. One serving of this fruit salad has 2 grams of fiber.
- Anti-Inflammatory: Chili powder is an anti-inflammatory ingredient. Since chili powder is spicy you'd think it would have the opposite affect, but in fact chili helps decrease swelling and increase blood flow!
Will kids enjoy this Mexican Fruit Salad?
Kids love fruit salad! This one is a little different than ones they are likely used to enjoying. They may love the addition of chili or they might not. I always encourage my kids to give new recipes a try, telling them "You won't know if you don't like it until you try!" More times than not they end up liking what they try. I encourage you to have your kids try the fruit salad as is, but leave some cut fruit on the side in case the spices aren't their thing. If they don't like it you can offer them the plain fruit.
What is jicama?
Jicama is a root vegetable. It is also called a Mexican yam bean , or Mexican turnip. It's round in shape with a thin brown skin, and a white starchy interior. It has a sweet and starchy flavor and adds a nice bit of crunch to recipes. It's most often eaten raw with a touch of lemon or lime juice and a sprinkle of the chili powder.
What is dragon fruit?
Dragon fruit has a bright pink exterior and is "polka dotted" on the inside. It tastes like a cross between a kiwi and a melon. The exterior is not edible, but the inside is sweet and delicious! Dragon fruit is a great source of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals.
What fruit goes well with chili powder?
Tropical fruits taste delicious with chili powder. Fruits such as watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, pineapple, and mango all pair well with a hint of chili. It's that sweet and spicy flavor that comes through and is so complimentary.
What do you serve with Mexican Fruit Salad?
Mexican Fruit Salad would pair perfectly with a Mexican themed meal. Here are a few ideas...
- Black Bean Tacos
- Elotes
- Chips and Guacamole
- Enchiladas
- Burrito Bowl
- Cheese Quesadilla
- Healthy Nachos
Top Tips for Making Mexican Fruit Salad
- Cube all of your fruit into bite size pieces
- Cube the fruit into 1 inch cubes
- Use more or less chili powder depending on how spicy you like it. If you have kids you may want to hold off on adding the spices until you have separated out their portion.
- For an extra kick - add a pinch of cayenne to this dish!
- Add other tropical fruit such as papaya or pineapple! Or use any fruit you have on hand!
