Fruit Platter with Lemon Yogurt Dip

When it comes to a visually appealing large platter, it’s hard to beat a fruit platter. It’s bright, colorful, and unbelievably versatile for in-season fruit. Don’t forget a delicious dip, and this is the perfect spread for special occasions and gatherings all year long.

Fresh fruit platters are one of my go to things to serve for just about every occasion, brunch, Easter lunch, a kids birthday party, a backyard barbecue, an easy dessert, the options are endless and it’s something everyone loves, especially in spring and summer when some of my favorite fruits are in season. Rather than going to the store with a list of different fruits you plan to use, I recommend only choosing fruits that are in season and look ripe. This difference between a tart and sour underripe piece of fruit and one that is ripe and juicy is truly night and day. 

Why You Will Love This Fruit Platter 

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• If you are looking for something easy to bring to a gathering, look no further than this gorgeous fruit platter. 
• Add nuts, dried fruit, cheese, and more for an added variety of flavor and texture! 
• Fruit boards make such thoughtful gifts for any occasion.
• It’s a great way to showcase the freshest fruits you can find
• Your next party doesn’t have to be dull; this will feed a large crowd and is appealing to everyone (including kids!)
• Make a tiny fruit platter with delicious dip as a great way to get your kids to eat fruit for a snack!

Let’s Talk About Fruit

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The variety of fruits is vast, and you can’t go wrong with any of them. The key to the best fruit platter is to ensure you have ripe fruit and that it is cut so that they are easy to serve and eat for the ultimate fruit board. When figuring out how much fruit you’ll need to serve a party, I would suggest 4-6 oz. per person. Here are some tips and information so your fruit tray is the best part of your gathering:

Berries

• Strawberries: You will find the best strawberries in the Spring. You want to look for deeply red strawberries that don’t have white on the top. Slice them into individual pieces, cut them in half or slice to the green leafy top, and fan them out. I like to leave a small part of the leaves attached to each piece so they are easy to pick up from the fruit platter.
• Raspberries: Raspberries are at their best in the Summer. Be sure to wash them very carefully, as they are delicate and will fall apart if you’re not careful. 
• Blackberries: Another Summer fruit, but they are available in grocery stores all year long. they are a perfect fruit for fruit boards, just be sure not to stack them too high as they are delicate. 
• Blueberries: Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits. They are at their peak in the Summer, but are available all year long. The larger the blueberry the more likely it is ripe. The smaller ones tend to be more tart and often have red spots which are a sign of being underripe. 

Tropical Fruits

• Mango: Mangoes are in season in the Fall. You want to look for mangoes that are soft when you apply a bit of pressure. If they are firm, they are not ripe yet. Slice them or cut them into cubes. I like to use a vegetable peeler to remove the peel and then place them on a cutting board and run a knife horizontally along the pit which will result in 2 mango “cheeks”. 
• Pineapple: Spring, Fall or Winter are the best times to buy pineapples, but they are available all year. To find a ripe one, you want to make sure they are the same color all around and don’t appear to be too firm. If you smell the bottom and it smells like a pineapple, it is ripe. You can also try the trick to see if the middle green stem pulls out easily, but I find that smelling them is more reliable. I recommend only using a whole pineapple rather than buying canned pineapple slices or chunks. You can use a cookie cutter to cut pieces of pineapple into different shapes. 
• Kiwi: Kiwi is such a fun option for color pop, and they’re so delicious, because there aren’t many green fruits out there (see green grapes and apples below). They are at their peak in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. You can slice them with the peel on, or peel them first and then slice or cube. 
• Papaya: Although you can get papaya all year long, their peak season is May through September. I recommend cubing these after you have peeled and removed the seeds. 
• Dragon Fruit: Dragon fruit is a different type of fruit because it can be harder to find in some parts of the country. It is typically in season from June to October. Scoop the fruit out of the shell after slicing in half and then cube or slice it from there. 
• Oranges (and other citrus): Oranges are at their best in the Winter. Whether it be naval oranges, mandarines, tangerines, or Sumos, you can’t go wrong. Serve them either peeled and sliced, or slice them in the peel and serve as wedges. 

Other Fruits

• Cherries: Bing cherries are best in the Summer and usually only available during that time. If you can grab them for your fruit platter, it’s a great choice. The darker the cherry the more ripe it will be. Be sure to include a small empty bowl on or near the fruit platter for people to leave the cherry pits. 
• Grapes: Whether it be green grapes or red grapes, they’re a great option. They are in season in the Fall, but are available all year long. Cut the vines and serve in little bundles to make them easier to pick up. I recommend choosing grapes without the seeds because there is nothing worse than biting into red seedless grapes and hearing the crunch of seeds.
• Watermelon: Some seasonal fruits are a must; this one of course being a Summer fruit. Use a melon baller, slice them into thin wedges, or cube it. A ripe watermelon will have a creamy yellow or orange spot on its underside, where it rested on the ground. A pale white spot means it may have been picked too early. 
• Honeydew Melon: You can slice, cube, or use the melon baller for this, too. They are best in Summer, but available all year. A ripe honeydew will have a creamy yellow rind, indicating ripeness. Avoid melons with a green rind, as they are likely not ripe. 
• Canteloupe: Another great candidate for the melon baller. You can also slice or cube these. Look for a golden-yellow or cream-colored rind and that have a strong, sweet aroma.
• Apricots: Apricots are usually only available in the Summer in some parts of the country. Look for soft, not firm apricots that are vibrant in color and have a strong, delicious aroma. 
• Peaches or Nectarines: Peach slices or nectarines are great options for a pop of orange. They should be soft, but not mushy and they should smell amazing. They are in season in the Fall. 
• Apples: Green apples, Gala apples, Honeycrisps, Fuji, and so many more. Be sure to cut apples into thin slices right before serving so they don’t brown. Apples are such a great option because they are in season all year long. 
• Banana: Adding bananas right at the end is the best way to ensure they don’t brown and start spotting. I recommend leaving them in the peel and cutting them in half or thirds.  

Additional Toppings For The Fruit Platter

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• Coconut Chips: Unsweetened Coconut Chips or Big Coconut Flakes make the perfect crunchy garnish.
• Dried Fruit: I recommend dried apricots, dried figs, or dried cranberries as dried fruit options. There are so many other options, though, too. Think yogurt covered!!
• Granola: serve a small bowl of granola on the side that people can spoon over their fruit for added crunch
• Pomegranate Seeds: Pomegranate seeds make the most beautiful color pop to sprinkle over the fruit and are perfect for Fall fruit boards. You can buy ready-to-eat seeds or remove them yourself. It’s not difficult, but just a little time consuming.
• ​Graham Crackers: serve some on the side for a sweet crunch. 
• Nuts: For a yummy crunch, you can use chopped walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, or macadamia nuts. 
• Cheese: Although you aren’t going for a cheese board with this, the best cheeses you could pick from are Brie, Camembert, Chèvre, or slices or cubes of aged cheddar or white cheddar. 

Lemon Yogurt Dip

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• Full-fat Greek yogurt: I would recommend Greek yogurt as a thick and protein-filled option, but plain regular yogurt or plain dairy-free yogurt would also work.
• Lemon zest: The zest of the lemon pairs so perfectly with fruit. You don’t want to skip this. Add a splash of lemon juice for an added zing!
• Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract is my first choice over imitation vanilla. 
• Honey: The sweetness of the honey balances the tartness of the Greek yogurt and lemon zest and makes it deliciously sweet and smooth. Feel free to swap it for maple syrup for a vegan option. 

Whisk all ingredients together and serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. You can make this a day in advance. 

 

Other Dip Ideas

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Don’t limit yourself to just one dip to serve with your fruit platter, you can have several small bowls for variety:

• Try my Luscious Lemon Cream Dip or Cinnamon Bun Dip. They are simple to throw together and so delicious!
• Make a peanut butter cream cheese dip for the apples and banana
• Making a cream cheese fruit dip is a great option. You could essentially take the Lemon Yogurt Dip recipe listed and exchange the yogurt for a block of cream cheese. I recommend bringing it to room temperature before mixing.
• Nutella or Whipped Cream are great quick and easy options too. 

How To Display and More

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• For a beautiful fruit platter, I recommend a wood board that is reserved for fruits or cheese. You would hate to have onion or garlic flavors soak into your fruit.  
• When displaying your beautiful boards, you can either lay them according to color, or I like to mix it up so the colors pop all over the entire board. I recommend placing the larger, more squarely cut fruits on the outer part of the board, and then placing berries and grapes more on the inside or tucked between the larger pieces, so you don’t have any runaway fruit if you are transporting the tray.
• Have a classic charcuterie board with various meats and a cheese platter alongside the fresh fruit board then you have something for everyone.
• There are so many different ways to make themed fruit platters, make it color-themed for baby showers, or any upcoming holiday or event….think red, white, and blue for Memorial Day and Independence Day or use a round board to make a rainbow with sliced bananas on the bottom for a cloud effect and nuts for a pot of gold for St Patrick’s Day (you get the idea). 

 

Leftovers and Storage Tips

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There are some excellent fruit storage containers out there to extend the life of your cut fruit, but placing them in any airtight container will work great. You will want to use them within two days after cutting to prevent them from spoiling. Also, mixing it all together with a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice and a bit of honey for a fruit salad is a perfect way to enjoy the leftovers. If the fruit begins to brown I recommend transferring it to a ziploc bag and storing it in the freezer to use in a smoothie in the future. 

More brunch dishes that you will love… 

• BBQ Fruit Salad
• Grapefruit Bowls with Fruit Salad and Orange Poppy Seed Dressing
• Salmon, Goat Cheese & Asparagus Quiche
• Ham & Spinach Breakfast Souffle
• Blueberry & Lemon Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Squares

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If you make this fruit platter let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!