This gorgeous tropical dragon fruit salad recipe will elevate your Summer brunch gatherings, soirees, and showers to celebrate the season. Featuring exotic island fruits like dragon fruit, star fruit, papaya, mango, and kiwi, this dragon fruit salad isn’t just delicious—it’s an edible work of art.
Even better? It’s served inside dragon fruit halves for a stunning presentation that doubles as a zero-waste, eco-chic bowl.
Updated on July 25, 2025
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Salad
- Looks like a rainbow in a bowl (or fruit shell!). It’s seriously stunning!
- Naturally sweet & hydrating
- Loaded with vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants
- Perfect for sunny day brunches, beach parties, or as a healthy dessert
- Easily customizable with tropical add-ins like young coconut or palm fruit
Ingredients
Fresh Fruits:
- 1 ripe dragon fruit (cut in half, scoop out flesh using a melon baller or spoon)
- 1/2 cup mango, diced (Ataulfo or Honey mango preferred for sweetness)
- 1/2 cup papaya, diced or scooped into small balls
- 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 star fruit (carambola), sliced into star-shaped pieces
- A squeeze of lime or calamansi for brightness and preservation
- optional: add strawberries
Optional Tropical Add-Ins:
- 1/4 cup young coconut meat, shredded or cut into strips
- 1/4 cup palm fruit (kaong), drained and sliced if large
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish
- Toasted coconut flakes for texture and aroma
Indulgent Add-Ins:
While these delicious additions make the fruit salad more rich, they are natural and homemade so go ahead and enjoy!
- drizzle condensed milk
- add tapioca pearls
- toss in chantilly whipped cream
Equipment
- Cutting board
- knife
- melon baller
Instructions
1. Prepare the Dragon Fruit Bowls
- Slice the dragon fruit lengthwise to create two “bowls.”
- Carefully scoop out the flesh using a melon baller and set aside.
2. Dice and Slice All Fruits
- Dice mango, papaya, and dragon fruit.
- Slice kiwi into thin rounds or half-moons.
- Cut star fruit crosswise into thin stars.
- If using young coconut or palm fruit, prepare and chill ahead of time.
3. Mix Gently
- In a medium bowl, combine all the fruits.
- Add a gentle squeeze of lime or calamansi juice for a tropical citrus kick.
- Gently toss with a spoon to mix without mashing the fruits.
4. Assemble in the Dragon Fruit Halves
- Spoon the fruit salad into the emptied dragon fruit shells.
- Garnish with star fruit. Additionally, garnish with mint leaves or other toppings like toasted coconut shreds.
- Optionally, place these on a platter, gently cover, and chill for 15 minutes before serving.
Pro Tip: Chill Before Serving
Refrigerate the assembled salad for at least 15 minutes before serving for the most refreshing bite, OR chill the fruits before cutting them.
Variations & Creative Twists
| Add-In | Flavor Boost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passionfruit pulp | Tart & tangy | Scoop fresh pulp right over the top |
| Lychee or Rambutan | Juicy & sweet | Use fresh or canned |
| Chia Seeds | Nutritious crunch | Soak in coconut water before adding |
| Agave or Coconut Syrup | Light sweetness | Drizzle lightly if fruits aren’t fully ripe |
| Coconut Custard, Chia Yogurt, or Condensed Milk | Creamy and Rich | Scoop as the bottom layer of the dragon fruit salad into the dragon fruit halves, or toss |
Serving Ideas
- Brunch centerpiece: Serve in dragon fruit halves placed on tropical banana leaves for a wow factor. Wipe the banana leaves with a tiny bit of oil to shine them.
- Poolside snack: Pair with coconut water or a light sparkling drink.
- Healthy dessert: Top with dairy-free coconut whipped cream for a guilt-free treat.
📸 Capture the Beauty
Don’t forget to snap a photo before digging in—this salad is Instagram gold. Arrange the stars, kiwi slices, and dragon fruit pearls in layers for a color pop that turns heads.
You can make it stand out on the buffet table next to some edamame pasta salad, empanada or lumpia roll appetizers, and chicken skewers!
Storage Tips
This salad is best eaten fresh, but if you need to store it:
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
- Avoid adding lime until just before serving to prevent fogginess.
This Most Beautiful Summer Tropical Salad is more than just a fruit mix—it’s a taste of the tropics and a wellness combo that embraces the essence of sunny days.
Love this recipe? Save it to your “Summer Recipes” or “Healthy Desserts” Pinterest board and share the love.
Gorgeous Tropical Dragon Fruit Salad
This tropical dragon fruit salad is gorgeous, healthy, easy, and will elevate your sunny day soirees.
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Servings: servings
Calories: 377kcal
Equipment
- knife
Ingredients
Fresh Fruits:
- 1 ripe dragon fruit cut in half, scoop out flesh using a melon baller or spoon
- ½ cup yellow mango diced (Ataulfo or Honey mango preferred for sweetness)
- ½ cup papaya diced or scooped into small balls
- 1 kiwi peeled and sliced
- ½ star fruit carambola, sliced into star-shaped pieces
- A squeeze of lime or calamansi for brightness and preservation
- optional: add strawberries
Optional Tropical Add-Ins:
- ¼ cup young coconut meat shredded or cut into strips
- ¼ cup palm fruit kaong, drained and sliced if large
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish
- Toasted coconut flakes for texture and aroma
Indulgent Add-Ins:
- drizzle condensed milk
- add tapioca pearls
- toss in chantilly whipped cream
Instructions
Prepare the Dragon Fruit Bowls
- Slice the dragon fruit lengthwise to create two “bowls.”Carefully scoop out the flesh using a melon baller and set aside.1 ripe dragon fruit
Dice and Slice All Fruits
- Dice mango, papaya, and dragon fruit.½ cup yellow mango, ½ cup papaya
- Slice kiwi into thin rounds or half-moons.1 kiwi, ½ star fruit, optional: add strawberries
- Cut star fruit crosswise into thin stars.If using young coconut or palm fruit, prepare and chill ahead of time.¼ cup young coconut meat, ¼ cup palm fruit
Mix Gently
- In a medium bowl, combine all the fruits. Add a gentle squeeze of lime or calamansi juice for a tropical citrus kick.A squeeze of lime or calamansi for brightness and preservation
- Gently toss with a spoon to mix without mashing the fruits.
Assemble in the Dragon Fruit Halves
- Spoon the fruit salad into the emptied dragon fruit shells.Garnish with star fruit. Additionally, garnish with mint leaves or other toppings like toasted coconut shreds.Optionally, place these on a platter, gently cover, and chill for 15 minutes before serving.Fresh mint leaves for garnish, Toasted coconut flakes for texture and aroma, drizzle condensed milk, add tapioca pearls, toss in chantilly whipped cream
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Gorgeous Tropical Dragon Fruit Salad
Amount per Serving
Calories
377
% Daily Value*
Fat
32
g
49
%
Saturated Fat
16
g
100
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
10
g
Sodium
38
mg
2
%
Potassium
289
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
24
g
8
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
18
g
20
%
Protein
2
g
4
%
Vitamin A
832
IU
17
%
Vitamin C
78
mg
95
%
Calcium
30
mg
3
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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