Berry Fruit Salad with Basil and Pepper

5 from 6 votes

Berry Fruit Salad with Basil and Pepper

This mixed berry fruit salad with basil and pepper is a refreshing side dish, breakfast or dessert served with coconut whipped cream.

Prep Time5 mins

Marinating Time30 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Basil, Berry, Fruit Salad

Servings: servings

Calories: 49kcal

Author: Maggie

Ingredients

1 teaspoon granulated sugar or other sweetener, or more to taste*
2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4-1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, adjust to taste
6 cups mixed fresh berries such as strawberries, blackberries or blueberries**

Instructions

Add the sugar, basil and black pepper to a large bowl. The amount of sugar you add will depend largely on how sweet the berries are on their own. During the peak of summer, you’ll need less than a teaspoon. But, if you are making this in the dead of winter you may want to add up to a tablespoon or more. Adjust according your taste.
Use a silicone spatula to mash the basil into the sugar and pepper. Do this for about a minute until the basil looks wet, sandy and thoroughly bruised.
Add your berries to the basil mixture and toss gently to combine. Put the fruit salad in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours. Give it another gentle stir and then serve as desired. I love to serve this on top of coconut whipped cream for a decadent and healthy treat.

Notes

*The purpose of the sugar in this recipe is to break down the basil to get as much flavor as possible out of it by acting as a sort of sandpaper. If you choose the leave the sugar out of it, that’s okay, the pepper will help to achieve the same result to a lesser extent.

**I have made this with peaches, nectarines, plums and sweet cherries when they are at the peak of their season. The pepper and basil both work well with these fruits and I highly recommend playing around with different flavor combinations with in-season fruits.

Nutrition