Katie Lee’s Sangria Fruit Salad Recipe

This sangria fruit salad combines strawberries, grapes, peaches, blueberries, and orange with a lightly sweetened red-wine and citrus dressing. It takes its cue from Spanish sangria, but serves the fruit as a chilled side or dessert; the short rest lets the flavors mingle without making the pieces soggy.

Ingredients

3 cups hulled and quartered strawberries (450 g)
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved (300 g)
2 medium oranges, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces (about 360 g)
2 medium ripe but firm peaches, pitted and cut into bite-size pieces (about 300 g)
1 cup blueberries (150 g)
½ cup dry red wine (120 ml)
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (30 ml)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15 ml)
1 tablespoon honey (21 g), or to taste
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (about 2 g)
1 small cinnamon stick (about 7 g), optional
2 tablespoons loosely packed fresh mint leaves, finely sliced (about 5 g), for serving

Instructions

Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine, orange juice, lemon juice, honey, and orange zest until the honey is dissolved. Taste a small drop. If your fruit is very sweet, keep the dressing as written; if the oranges or peaches are tart, whisk in another teaspoon of honey. The dressing should taste bright and lightly sweet, not like syrup.
Prepare the fruit. Rinse the strawberries, grapes, blueberries, and peaches under cool running water, then dry them well. Remove strawberry tops and quarter the berries. Halve the grapes so the dressing can reach their interiors. Peel the oranges and cut away any large pieces of white pith, then separate the segments or cut them into roughly 1-inch pieces. Pit the peaches and cut them into similar-size pieces. Keeping the fruit pieces fairly even makes the salad easier to serve and gives each spoonful a mix.
Combine gently. Put the prepared strawberries, grapes, orange, peaches, and blueberries in a large nonreactive bowl, such as glass or stainless steel. Pour over the dressing and fold with a broad spoon until the fruit is lightly coated. Avoid vigorous stirring, which can crush ripe berries and turn the dressing cloudy. If using the cinnamon stick, tuck it into the fruit now rather than grating cinnamon into the bowl.
Chill for 45 minutes. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 45 minutes. This gives the citrus and wine time to flavor the fruit while keeping its pieces distinct. If you used the cinnamon stick, remove it before serving. Do not leave the salad out on the counter to marinate; chilling is part of the recipe and keeps the fruit cold.
Finish and serve. Fold the salad once more gently, spoon it into a serving bowl with some of the dressing, and scatter the sliced mint over the top. Taste a piece of fruit with a little dressing before bringing it to the table; add a small squeeze of lemon if it needs more lift. This version contains wine and is for adults of legal drinking age; serve responsibly.

Tips

Choose fruit that is ripe but still holds its shape. Fragrant peaches should give slightly when pressed, but very soft peaches can break down during mixing. Strawberries should be dry and free of bruised spots. If the blueberries are especially small, leave them whole; they help keep the salad colorful without adding much extra juice.
Dry the washed fruit thoroughly. Water clinging to berries dilutes the dressing and makes it harder for the wine, citrus, and honey to coat the fruit. A salad spinner works for grapes and blueberries; spread delicate fruit on a clean towel and pat gently rather than rubbing.
Adjust sweetness after tasting, not before. The fruit’s ripeness changes the balance from batch to batch. Begin with the tablespoon of honey in the recipe, then add more in small increments only if needed. Honey can be replaced with 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar; whisk until fully dissolved so it does not leave a gritty texture.
Keep the fruit pieces intact. Use a sharp knife and fold with a spoon instead of tossing the salad like leafy greens. If making it ahead, reserve the mint for the last moment. Mint darkens and loses its fresh aroma when it sits in the wine dressing for a long time.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the salad well chilled in a shallow glass bowl so the fruit and dressing are visible. It works as a summer brunch side, a light dessert after a grilled meal, or part of a fruit-and-cheese spread. For a dessert portion, spoon fruit into small glasses and include a little of the wine-citrus dressing in each one. A dollop of plain Greek yogurt, lightly sweetened whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream makes it more substantial; add those toppings just before eating rather than stirring them into the main bowl.

For a buffet, set the serving bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice, and provide a slotted spoon for guests who want mostly fruit. Keep the dressing in the bowl rather than draining it away: it carries the orange and lemon flavor through the fruit and helps prevent the cut surfaces from tasting dry. Since this salad contains wine, label it clearly and offer a separate alcohol-free fruit option if guests need one.

Variations

Use white wine. Replace the red wine with the same amount of dry white wine or rosé. The flavor will be lighter, and the fruit’s colors will show more clearly. A dry wine is preferable to a sweet one because the honey and ripe fruit already contribute sweetness.
Make it alcohol-free. Swap the wine for ½ cup (120 ml) of white grape juice or a mix of ⅓ cup (80 ml) sparkling water and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra orange juice. Grape juice gives the dressing a sweeter, rounder taste, so start with half the honey and add more only after tasting. Sparkling water makes a lighter dressing; stir it in just before serving if you want to keep its bubbles.
Change the fruit with the season. Nectarines can replace peaches in equal quantity, and blackberries can replace the blueberries. In late summer, try diced plums or a modest amount of seedless melon. Keep the total fruit volume close to the original recipe so the dressing remains balanced, and avoid very soft fruit such as overripe raspberries if the salad must sit for the full chill.
Add a little spice or herb. The optional cinnamon stick gives a gentle warm note; remove it before serving so it does not dominate. For a fresher variation, use thinly sliced basil instead of mint. Add only a small amount at first, since basil has a stronger, more savory aroma than mint.

Storage and Reheating

Keep the salad covered in the refrigerator and serve it cold. Refrigerate it within 2 hours of preparation, or within 1 hour if it has been sitting somewhere hotter than 90°F (32°C). Because cut fruit softens as it absorbs dressing, the best texture is on the day it is made. Leftovers can generally be kept refrigerated for up to 2 days; discard them sooner if they have been left out too long or show signs of spoilage. The wine dressing does not make the fruit shelf-stable.

This dish is not cooked, so reheating does not apply. To make it partly ahead, whisk the dressing and wash and dry the fruit several hours in advance, keeping each covered and refrigerated. Cut the peaches and strawberries, combine everything, and start the 45-minute chill closer to serving time. If storing leftovers, use a clean, covered container and expect the fruit to release more juice overnight. Freezing is not recommended because thawed berries and peaches become soft and watery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make sangria fruit salad the night before?

You can, but the fruit will be softer and release more liquid by the next day. For the best texture, prepare and dress it about 45 minutes before serving. If you need to get ahead, make the dressing separately and refrigerate it, then cut and combine the fruit closer to serving. Add mint only at the end.

What kind of wine should I use?

Choose a dry, fruit-forward red wine that you would be happy to drink, rather than a very tannic or heavily oaked wine. A dry Spanish red such as Tempranillo is a fitting option, but another approachable dry red works. The recipe uses only half a cup, so there is no need to open an expensive bottle specifically for the salad.

Does the alcohol cook off?

No cooking step is used here, so do not assume that the alcohol has evaporated. The wine is mixed into the dressing and served with the fruit. For children or anyone avoiding alcohol, make the alcohol-free variation with grape juice or orange juice and sparkling water instead.

Can I use frozen fruit?

Fresh fruit is the better choice because frozen strawberries and peaches tend to become soft and release a lot of liquid when thawed. Frozen blueberries can work if thawed completely and drained very well, but their color may tint the dressing. If using them, fold them in while still cold and serve soon after chilling.

How can I keep the salad from getting watery?

Dry the washed fruit well, choose firm ripe fruit, and avoid cutting it much earlier than needed. Halving grapes and cutting the other fruit into generous bite-size pieces gives the dressing flavor without turning the bowl into a puree. Some juice at the bottom is normal after chilling; spoon it over the fruit when serving rather than pouring it off.

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