Strawberry Banana Fruit Salad with Vanilla Yogurt

Name: Strawberry Banana Fruit Salad with Vanilla Yogurt
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) fresh strawberries, rinsed, patted dry, hulled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 1½ cup (220 g) fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry; 3 medium (340 g) ripe but firm bananas, peeled weight; sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds just before mixing; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about ½ lemon; 1 cup (245 g) vanilla yogurt, thick style (regular or Greek-style), cold; 2 tablespoon (42 g) honey; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) pure vanilla extract; fine salt, a tiny pinch, to taste; 2 tablespoon (6 g) fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy strawberries, sweet bananas and plump blueberries folded into a creamy honey-vanilla yogurt dressing. It comes together in 15 minutes and chills briefly for the flavors to mingle.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: —
Wait: 30 min
Total: 45 min
Makes: About 7 cups (6 servings of about 1 generous cup each)

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Ingredients

6 servings

1½ lb (680 g) fresh strawberries, rinsed, patted dry, hulled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
1½ cup (220 g) fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
3 medium (340 g) ripe but firm bananas, peeled weight; sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds just before mixing
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about ½ lemon
For the vanilla yogurt dressing
1 cup (245 g) vanilla yogurt, thick style (regular or Greek-style), cold
2 tablespoon (42 g) honey
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pure vanilla extract
fine salt, a tiny pinch, to taste
2 tablespoon (6 g) fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large mixing bowl (3-quart / 3 L)
Small bowl for the dressing
Sharp paring knife and cutting board
Rubber spatula or large spoon
Colander and clean kitchen towel or paper towels
Plastic wrap or a lid for the bowl

Steps

Before you start

Slice the bananas last so they stay bright and firm; the lemon juice helps slow browning.
Use bananas that are yellow and just ripe (a few freckles are fine). Very soft bananas turn mushy when tossed.
Wash the berries just before using and dry them well so extra water doesn't thin the dressing.
Plan on 30 minutes of chilling; this salad is best eaten within a few hours.

1
Prep the berries
- Rinse the strawberries and blueberries in a colander under cool running water.
- Spread them on a clean towel and pat completely dry.
- Hull the strawberries and cut them into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces, cutting very large berries into quarters so all pieces are similar in size.
- Add both berries to the large mixing bowl.
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Ready when: Berries are dry on the surface and strawberry pieces are roughly uniform.
Tip: Dry berries keep the dressing thick instead of watery.
2
Make the dressing
- In the small bowl, whisk together the vanilla yogurt, honey, vanilla extract and a tiny pinch of salt until completely smooth and the honey is fully blended in.
- Taste and add a little more honey if your yogurt is tart.
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Ready when: Dressing is smooth, uniformly pale, with no honey streaks.
Tip: Warm the honey for 10 seconds in the microwave if it is too thick to blend easily.
3
Slice the bananas
- Peel the bananas and slice into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds directly into a separate small bowl.
- Drizzle with the lemon juice and gently toss to coat.
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Ready when: Every banana slice looks lightly glossy from the lemon juice.
Tip: Slice bananas last; they brown and soften the longer they sit.
4
Toss the salad
- Add the banana slices to the berries.
- Pour the dressing over the top.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold gently, scooping from the bottom and turning over, about 8 to 10 folds, until all the fruit is lightly coated.
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Ready when: Fruit is evenly coated with no pockets of plain yogurt, and the banana slices are still intact.
Tip: Fold rather than stir vigorously so the bananas and strawberries don't break down.
5
Chill briefly
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the flavors blend and the salad becomes cold and refreshing.
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Ready when: Salad is cold throughout.
Tip: Don't chill longer than 2 hours before serving, or the berries will release a lot of juice.
6
Garnish and serve
- Give the salad one gentle fold to redistribute the dressing.
- Spoon into bowls and sprinkle with the sliced mint, if using.
- Serve right away.
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Ready when: Dressing clings to the fruit in a creamy coating.

Good to know

Tips

Choose bananas that are yellow with no green at the stem; they hold their shape best.
Cut strawberries and bananas to similar sizes so every spoonful has a mix of fruit.
If the salad looks too wet after chilling, drain off a little juice with a spoon before serving.
For crunch, sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds or granola right before serving.

Make ahead

"Prep the strawberries, blueberries and dressing up to 1 day ahead and store them separately, covered, in the refrigerator. Slice the bananas and combine everything no more than 1 hour before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 1 hour (2 hours max in cool weather). Refrigerator: covered, up to 24 hours; bananas will soften and darken slightly and the dressing will thin out, so stir gently before serving. Freezer: not recommended because the fruit turns mushy when thawed."

Substitutions

vanilla yogurt → Plain Greek yogurt plus an extra 1 tablespoon honey and ¼ teaspoon extra vanilla. Gives a tangier, thicker dressing.
honey → Maple syrup. Use the same amount; adds a mild maple flavor and is vegan-friendly if paired with dairy-free yogurt.
fresh blueberries → Raspberries or seedless grapes, halved (same weight). Raspberries are more delicate, so fold very gently.
vanilla yogurt → Dairy-free coconut or almond vanilla yogurt. Makes the salad dairy-free; choose a thick variety.