Salads with fruit (that aren't fruit salads)

Fruit is the life of the party when it comes to salads, colourful and vivacious.

Source: Alan Benson

Apple

Hot-smoked salmon, roasted garlic and apple salad

Fresh apple slices add brightness to this clean-tasting, savory Scandinavian salad. Serve with some crusty bread or toasted pita for the perfect light meal.

Hot-smoked salmon, roasted garlic & apple salad. Source: Simon Bajada

Crab and Pink Lady salad with hazelnuts and horseradish

The flavour is kickstarted in this salad by making a mixture of crabmeat, horseradish, vinegar, egg yolk, and olive oil, the adding to this a full spectrum of textures and flavours: lemon-soaked celeriac, tangy apple, and crunchy toasted hazelnuts.

Crab and Pink Lady Salad with hazelnuts and horseradish. Source: Sharyn Cairns

Grapes

Warm sautéed grapes, autumn kale and edamame salad with shiso vinaigrette

This salad has as a few special touches that really raise its flavour profile: grapes that sauteed with olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, pine nuts until soft and fragrant; and a vibrant shiso dressing. If you can't get shiso - a Japanese herb in the basil family - a mixture of basil and mint would work.

Warm sautéed grapes, autumn kale and edamame salad with shiso vinaigrette. Source: Lindsey S. Love

Peaches

Chargrilled peach and roasted fig salad with prosciutto, creamy blue cheese and walnuts

Kind of like a cheese platter in salad form.

Chargrilled peach and roasted fig salad. Source: Katie Quinn Davies

Peach, lavender and frisee salad

Proving that a salad is not only a place for vegetables, and a BBQ is not only a place for meat, this salad features peaches chargrilled until slightly blackened and very caramelly. The finishing touch of lavender flowers make it an elegant addition for any summer spread.

Peach, lavender and frisee salad.

Grapefruit and pomelos 

Smashed green olive and ruby grapefruit salad

This salad has a lot going on and it's aaaall good. Creamy avocado, nutty roasted hazelnuts, salty green olives, sweet and tart ruby grapefruit, and juicy pomegranate seeds. A simple lemon and olive oil dressing brings all these components together in perfect lively harmony.

Smashed green olive and ruby grapefruit salad.

Pink grapefruit, shaved fennel and avocado salad

Although a true delight by itself, this bright salad is an ideal match for fresh grilled seafood - squid, fish, octopus, prawns - whatever is in season and available.

Pink grapefruit, shaved fennel and avocado salad. Source: Benito Martin

Chinese New Year chicken and pomelo salad with a sweet plum dressing

A bit like a Chinese-style coleslaw, this salad is filled with lots of julienned vegetables and white-meat chicken, which is eaten around Chinese New Year for good luck. The pomelo is a nice little conduit between the fruity, sweet and sour plum sauce and the rest of the savory ingredients.

Chinese New Year chicken and pomelo salad with a sweet plum dressing. Source: Petrina Tinslay

Watermelon

Cherry tomato, watermelon and black olive salad

Sneaky little watermelon balls are hidden amongst the cherry tomatoes in this sweet and salty salad, bringing invigorating bursts of crispness.

Cherry tomato, watermelon and black olive salad.

Rare beef salad with watermelon and raw zucchini noodles

An extravaganza raw and rare ingredients. Try this for a lighter take on your regular beef and vermicelli salad.

Rare beef salad with watermelon and raw zucchini noodles.

Pear and nashi

Pear and walnut salad

This salad would be a lovely pairing with grilled and roasted pork dishes.

Pear and walnut salad.

Roasted nashi, fennel, and crispy polenta salad

Nashi cooked in brown butter and served with crispy fried polenta, salty parmesan, peppery watercress and shavings of fresh fennel? Um, yes please. When making polenta, it's always good to make extra - once it's set and cut into squares, you can put the extras into ziplock bags in the freezer, then pull them out and bake or fry them for a quick meal.

Roasted nashi, fennel, and crispy polenta salad. Source: Sharyn Cairns

Orange and mandarin

Citrus and fennel salad

Orange and fennel are a classic salad combination. This one adds lemons and limes into the mix for extra zing.

Citrus and fennel salad.

Mandarin red braised crisp pork belly salad

This recipe needs to be started the day before, to allow the pork to rest overnight after braising it, and soak up all the flavours - and it is worth every minute.

Mandarin red braised crisp pork belly salad. Source: Sharyn Cairns

Lychee

Lychee, cucumber and chilli salad

Cool down in hot weather with this refreshing salad. Fleshy lychees add some softness to the crunch of bean sprouts and cucumber.

Lychee, cucumber and chilli salad. Source: Benito Martin

Stir-fried lemongrass beef with warm vermicelli noodle salad

This tantalising combination of flavours will make you want to plan a picnic or invite friends over, just as an excuse to make it.

Stir-fried lemongrass beef with warm vermicelli noodle salad. Source: Benito Martin

Figs

Goat’s cheese, date and fig salad

This dressing for this salad really makes it pop, a fruity, sour and creamy blend of raisins honey, apple cider vinegar, lemon rind and juice, and extra virgin olive oil.

Goat’s cheese, date and fig salad.

Homemade mozzarella and fig salad

While you don't have to make your mozzarella for this salad, you can't cut corners on the balsamic vinegar infusion: balsamic vinegar, sugar, currants, fennel seeds and a cinnamon quill are warmed together then set aside to steep for 15 minutes. It's a simple step that brings big outcomes in flavour.

Homemade mozzarella and fig salad.

Mango

Mango salad

While this salad is super easy to prepare, the key to getting it right is letting it stand for 20 minutes before serving, to allow the flavours to mingle and make magic.

Mango salad. Source: Ainsley Harriott's Street Food

Starfruit

Cibadak spicy fruit and vegetable salad (asinan manis Cibadak)

If you're at a loss as to how to use starfruit in meals, try this punchy slaw.

Cibadak spicy fruit and vegetable salad (asinan manis Cibadak).