Berrylicious Fruit Salad with Orange-Vanilla Syrup is perfect for a brunch, shower, or anytime lunch!
The orange-vanilla syrup in this fruit salad comes from Pioneer Woman
and is a delightful addition to the fruit,
described as “slightly citrusy, nice and sweet,
with a little hint of vanilla lusciousness”!
I couldn’t describe it any better so I didn’t try :)
I used a combination of strawberries, blueberries and grapes in this salad,
but you can use your fruit of choice or whatever is in season.
The orange-vanilla syrup can be made in advance and is
what sets this salad apart from your average fruit salad!
Fruit salad
2 pints Strawberries, hulled and halved
2 pints. Blueberries
2 cups Red Grapes, halved
2 cups Green Grapes, halved
Mint Leaves
Violas or edible flowers to garnish if desired
Orange-Vanilla Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Juice of 1 orange
Zest of 1 orange
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
Directions
Place the sugar, water, orange juice, zest and vanilla into a small pan and stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes
to infuse and thicken slightly.
Allow syrup to cool, then refrigerate until cold.
Add cold syrup to cut up fruit, tossing gently, adjusting the ratio of syrup to fruit for your taste.
Garnish fruit with mint and edible violas or flowers if desired.
(Use only edible flowers that are chemical / pesticide free.)
Store any unused syrup in refrigerator in sealed glass jar.
I didn’t measure out the amount of syrup to fruit, just poured and tasted.
Keep a batch of orange-vanilla syrup in your fridge to add to fruit and
to serve over waffles / pancakes or for simple syrup in a cocktail!
Berrylicious Fruit Salad with Orange-Vanilla Syrup
Ingredients
Orange-Vanilla Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- Juice of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fruit salad
- 2 pints Strawberries hulled and halved
- 2 pints Blueberries
- 2 cups Red Grapes halved
- 2 cups Green Grapes halved
- Mint Leaves
- violas, or edible flowers to garnish if desired (Use only edible flowers that are chemical / pesticide free.)
Instructions
To make syrup:
- Place the sugar, water, orange juice, zest and vanilla into a small pan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes to infuse and thicken slightly.
- Allow syrup to cool, then refrigerate until cold. Add cold syrup to cut up fruit, tossing gently, adjusting the ratio of syrup to fruit for your taste.
- Store any unused syrup in refrigerator in sealed, clean glass jar. Syrup will last a couple of weeks in fridge. Discard syrup when it starts to turn cloudy.
To make salad:
- Mix together all the fruit in a large bowl and pour the syrup over the top, tossing gently.
- Garnish fruit with mint and edible violas or flowers if desired. (Use only edible flowers that are pesticide free).
Notes
- I used a combination of strawberries, blueberries and grapes in this salad, but you can use the fruit of your choice or whatever is in season.
- Keep a batch of orange-vanilla syrup in your fridge to add to fruit to serve over waffles, pancakes or for mixing a cocktail.
- Vanilla bean paste is a jarred product that can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. It’s made from all the scraped-out specks found in vanilla bean pods. Vanilla bean paste is thicker and more gelatinous than vanilla extract, but it can be used almost interchangeably. It’s a great product because you get the specks that vanilla beans provide, but it’s easy to scoop out of the jar and it’s also more affordable than the beans themselves. The overall flavor in vanilla bean paste is slightly less intense than whole vanilla beans, but it still packs a powerful punch.
Find 20+ recipes for your Spring or Easter celebration with
a round up of make-ahead sides, salads and desserts, HERE.
Thank you for your visit, sharing with:
Yum-gorgeous colors! Lovin’ the great shape of that Portmeirion bowl Mary:@)
So pretty! I am more than ready for fresh berries from the Farmer’s Market. My favorite Portmeirion shop had a sale .. I came home with 6 new “bird” bowls. …. :)
We love our fruit salad this time of the year when there is an abundance of different fruit. The vanilla syrup would add a special treat! Yum!
This sounds so delish and I’m definitely going to give it a try (as soon as our berries are in season).
Mary…the salad looks fabulous!…and the orange vanilla syrup is just perfect for that added sweetness . . Love, love those dishes…and adore the shape of the bow!….the perfect presentation as always!…
Every pic is so darn gorgeous… dockside with flowers and sweet morsels, oolala be still my heart. Your bowl is a knock out! Dreamy start to my day…
Oh yum, what a wonderful sounding syrup~and such a simply perfect summer salad~every recipe I’ve ever made from PW has been delicious, so I can’t wait to try this! This will be perfect for beach entertaining~ I love the single viola blossom swimming in the syrup carafe~
Jenna
The salad looks beautiful and the syrup sounds delicious. I’m thinking it could also be used in a cocktail or two. Orange-vanilla martinis, or orange-vanilla-spiced rum, a bit of syrup topped off with champagne or persecco. Think I’ll make up a batch of syrup and experiment!
Hi Carolyn, You’re a girl after my own heart! Cheers :)
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PW has some wonderful recipes to share, but only you, Mary, can display food with such flair and beauty. I wish that I could scoop a bowlful of your salad right through my iPad screen. I guess I’ll just have to go make me some! xo
I’m planning to have fruit salad tonight. It sounds like it could be made really special with the addition of the syrup. Thanks to you and PW for sharing.
This sounds like a delish change to my usual orange juice/ginger ale/honey mixture!! Need to find those violas…….franki
You are making me sooo hungry for fruit salad. Love the look of it in the Portmeirion ? bowl and the little violas for garnish. Gotta try the orange- vanilla syrup. Pioneer Woman is one of my favorite programs. Hubby likes it, too…not so much for the food, but the ranch work. :) He’s an old cowboy at heart.
I am going to go make this syrup right now!! I have alot of fruit in the fridge right now so will make the syrup to taste with it. Gorgeous presentation, as always. LOVE the dishes!
We eat a lot of fruit salads…mostly using tropical fruit, but do add berries from time to time when available…Most of the time I use liliko’i (passion fruit) syrup that I make myself…This syrup sounds very good…Will definitely make it!
This looks so good and almost too pretty to eat! Thanks for sharing. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Beginning to think that you are a bad influence! Not only have to try the food but had to find the dishes–oh my pretty, pretty!
~Mary~
This is sure to be a summer time salad !! Oh how I love those dishes, I have been eyeing them for years !!
Paula
IN
Just lovely…beautiful photography. The salad and syrup looks so good. pinning. found at foodie friday. Have a wonderful weekend.
What a beautiful salad! They syrup takes it to another level. This has me craving summer. I’ll have to keep this in mind as the season warms up. Visiting from Foodie Friday!
So pretty and appetizing. I’ve got to try the syrup, too.
Trying to understand the zest ingredient. Does that mean I go around the whole orange and once I’ve taken off the outer layer that’s the amount of zest I put in??