Cozy Autumn Fruit Salad with Creamy Yogurt Honey Dressing | Festive Fall Recipe

Today, we're making a beautiful, vibrant, and nutritious dish perfect for the autumn season—an Autumn Fruit Salad with Yogurt Honey Dressing. This salad brings together the best seasonal fruits, from crisp apples and juicy pears to sweet persimmons and bright pomegranate seeds. It's dressed with a creamy, honey-sweetened yogurt and a hint of cinnamon for a cozy twist. This salad is perfect for any fall gathering, a light snack, or even as a festive side for Thanksgiving. Let’s dive into this simple, colorful recipe that’s as delicious as it is refreshing!

Servings: 6-8

Prep Time 20-30 mins

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 2 apples (Honeycrisp or Gala)

• 2 pears (Bosc or Anjou)

• 1 large persimmon

• ½ of a large pomegranate (to be deseeded)

• ½ cup of red or green grapes

• ¼ cup of dried cranberries

• ½ cup fresh mint leaves

Optional Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup of pecans or walnuts for crunch

• ½ cup of feta or goat cheese for creaminess

For the Yogurt Honey Dressing:

• 1.5 cups of thick yogurt (Greek or homemade)

• 2 tablespoons of honey

• Juice of 1 fresh lemon

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon black salt (optional, to taste)

To add a Nepalese touch, black salt adds a unique, savory element that brings out the flavors of the fresh fruit.

How to make:

1. Preparing the Fruit

1. Chop the apples: Remove the core and cut into bite-sized pieces.

2. Prepare the pears: Trim the tops and bottoms for stability, then chop similarly to the apples.

3. For the persimmon: Cut into quarters, remove the core, and chop each piece into bite-sized chunks.

4. Halve the grapes: I’m using seedless red grapes, but green grapes work well too.

5. Deseed a pomegranate to reveal those bright red jewels.

6. Chop the mint leaves roughly, saving some for garnish.

7. Crumble the goat cheese if you’re using it. 

8. Nuts: Toast the pecans or walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, then chop roughly for extra crunch. Set a bit aside for garnish.

9. Add all the prepared fruits, dried cranberries, and toasted nuts (if using) to a large mixing bowl.

2. Making the Yogurt Honey Dressing

1. In a bowl, whisk together: 1.5 cups of yogurt (use 1 cup for a lighter dressing), 2 tablespoons of honey, Juice of 1 fresh lemon, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and A pinch of black salt (optional). Whisk until the dressing is smooth and creamy.

3. Tossing the Salad

1. Pour the yogurt honey dressing over the fruit in the bowl.

2. Gently toss everything to evenly coat each piece with the dressing.

4. Garnishing and Serving

1. Add the finishing touches by sprinkling crumbled feta or goat cheese on top (optional), a handful of toasted nuts, chopped cranberries, fresh mint, and extra pomegranate seeds for a burst of color.

2. Serve the salad immediately or chill for 10-15 minutes for an extra refreshing touch.

And there you have it—a beautiful and nutritious Autumn Fruit Salad with Yogurt Honey Dressing! Packed with seasonal fruits like apples, pears, persimmons, and pomegranate seeds, and balanced with the warmth of cinnamon and creaminess of the yogurt dressing. This salad is the perfect addition to any autumn meal, especially Thanksgiving. Enjoy!