Sweet and Spicy Fruit Salad

By Melissa Clark

Updated August 15, 2022

  • Photographs by Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(659)
Comments
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Most fruit salads consist of little more than diced fruit mixed in a bowl. They are simple and satisfying, but not necessarily special. This one is a more sophisticated take. It calls for a star anise- and chile-infused simple syrup, which adds sweetness and musky, spicy complexity. In addition to fruit, herbs – tarragon and basil – are tossed in for freshness. You can use whatever fruit you like as long as it is sweet and ripe. Eat the salad as it is, or top it with either mascarpone for a mellow, creamy note, or crumbled ricotta salata for something savory and bracing. Feel free to play around with other toppings as well. In the mellow category are fresh ricotta, crème fraîche, sour cream or ice cream. For something on the salty side, try shaved Parmesan, crumbled feta or goat cheese.

Featured in: A Fruit Salad Both Sweet and Spicy

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 12 servings

  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar

  • 1 serrano chile, halved

  • 1 whole dried star anise 

  • 7 to 8 cups mixed cut fruit, like kiwi, peaches, plums, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, mango, pineapple, oranges, grapefruit, pears or bananas

  • 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon

  • 2 teaspoons chopped basil 

  • Flaky sea salt, to taste 

  • Black pepper, to taste 

  • Mascarpone or crumbled ricotta salata, for garnish (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 to 12 servings)

26 grams carbs; 102 calories; 1 gram fat; 2 grams fiber; 307 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein; 24 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place sugar, ¾ cup water, chile and star anise in a small pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture is as thick as maple syrup and spicy tasting. Strain syrup. (Syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance; store in the refrigerator.)

  2. Step 2

    Toss fruit with half of the sugar syrup, the tarragon and the basil. Add more syrup to taste, depending on how sweet and spicy you want the salad. Season very lightly with salt and pepper. If desired, add dollops of mascarpone or crumbled ricotta salata on top.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
659 user ratings
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Comments

Emily S.

Enjoy this amazing fruit salad two ways! After enjoying the fresh fruit salad, puree the leftover fruit salad in your blender, pour into small dixie cups and freeze overnight (add your wooden sticks @ 1-2 hours into the freezing process). These are the most delicious fruit pops you will ever eat - sweet and refreshing with a nice kick from the chile and star anise. They are the perfect anytime snack or dessert.

LizD

Sweet and spicy for sure! I love this salad. I would caution, however, against inhaling the steam/fumes while simmering the simple syrup with serrano chile! I highly recommend this recipe.

Ellen

Use 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper if don’t have serrano

Dawn

I made this using apples (for bulk, so it wasn't a $90 potluck dish), frozen raspberries, 2 really good melons, some frozen mango and some red grapes, halved. Didn't have basil so I added mint, which everyone loved (and did add the tarragon, which I have a lot of in my garden), but no ricotta. It was divine.

Heikki Lunta

I was trying hard not to turn my spicy simple syrup into hard candy, so I ended up under-cooking it. One split serrano chili seeds and membrane removed, and one whole star anise. Definitely spicy. The taste was great, but it didn't coat the fruit well, and accumulated in the bottom of my bowl. No one in my book club could taste the spice. Wish I had thought of stirring it back together. I am enjoying the leftovers now. Note to self: syrup is thicker than water.

Jane

I liked it, however next time I will use half of the chile.

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