How to Make a Fruit Tray Platter

Impress your guests at your next get-together with this beautiful simple-to-prepare fruit platter jam-packed with assorted fresh fruit. You will love how easy this is to put together and just how stunning it is.

There’s nothing like a full assortment spread of delicious appetizers. If you are looking to impress your guests, then check out my BLT Dip or Smoked Chicken Wings.

Fruit Tray

A fruit tray is a large platter that showcases assorted prepared fresh fruit. This is mostly served at large get-togethers, including weddings, holidays, or BBQs. The beautiful thing about making a fruit platter is that it can be customized to your and your guest’s liking. In addition, it can be made all year round utilizing seasonal fruit.

When creating this specific fruit tray, I wanted to emulate the same style that I created when I worked in catering. Following my specific procedures will make a beautiful fool-proof fruit platter that will be a showstopper when it’s served.

What Kind of Fruit to Use

There are many different fruits to serve depending on the season. Since I created this during the summer months, I highlighted tropical melons and fresh berries. However, if doing this in the fall and winter months, you can consider using things like apples, citrus, and pears.

• Melon – I like to use cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon. You can also use other melons, like Crenshaw or canary melons.
• Berries – All berries are good to use on a platter and will help bring about beautiful bright colors. I used blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
• Specialty Fruit – Adding a less common fruit like kiwi, golden kiwi, papaya, mango, or dragon fruit, will spark curiosity and add some amazing colors and textures.
• Pineapple – This is an absolute must on summer fruit trays.
• Grapes – All grapes, including red, black, green, or champagne grapes, are great to use to help fill in the board.
• Dips – When fruit is in season, I don’t think you need a dip. However, you can feature melted chocolate sauce or a cream cheese dip.

Three Secrets to Having a Beautiful Fruit Platter

1. Centerpiece – Having a beautiful centerpiece that stands out and immediately catches the eyes of whoever is consuming it is key. In my case, I made a watermelon basket.
2. Colors – It is vital to have a wide assortment of different colored fruits to help the board pop.
3. Garnishes – This can come in the form of fresh berries, mint, nasturtiums, or grapes. These will help fill in the gaps of the bigger fruits to help make the platter look fuller.

How to Make a Fruit Tray

Prepare the watermelon centerpiece for the fruit platter. Please watch the video below to see how I made the basket.

Using a melon baller, scoop out as much of the watermelon as possible. See how to make my Watermelon Agua Fresca.

Fill the watermelon basket with any leftover large chunks of watermelon, and then fill the rest of it with the watermelon balls.

Prepare the cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple.

Start by placing the watermelon basket in the center of your selected fruit tray.

Next, place the sliced cantaloupe in a t shape around the watermelon basked and press down on it to help fan it out.

Repeat the process with the honeydew melon and the pineapple.

To help fill in the gaps, place the assorted berries and sliced kiwi in between where the sliced cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple are.

Finish by adding some fresh berries to the basket of watermelon balls and then garnish with some fresh mint leaves.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can prepare this recipe up to 1 day ahead of time. Cover it in plastic and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Pull out the plate about 1 hour before ready to serve it.

How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze all the fruit separately to use in smoothie recipes.

Chef Notes + Tips

• I like to leave the green tops on the strawberries for a pop of bright green colors.
• Feel free to use the melon baller on the cantaloupe or honeydew.
• Any large round platter will work for this.
• If the fruit is not sweet at all, toss it in some honey to help bring about more sweet flavors.

More Appetizer Recipes

• Guacamole
• Scotch Egg
• Smoked Salmon Dip
• Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
• Salmon Patties

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How to Make a Fruit Tray Platter

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5 from 4 votes

Impress your guests at your next get together with this beautiful simple-to-prepare fruit platter jam-packed with assorted fresh fruit.

Servings: 20

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

• 1 large watermelon
• 1 peeled, seeded, and sliced cantaloupe
• 1 peeled, seeded, and sliced honeydew melon
• 1 peeled, cored, and sliced pineapple
• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 cups fresh blackberries
• 4 cups whole fresh strawberries
• 3 peeled and sliced kiwis
• 10 fresh mint leaves

Instructions

• Prepare the watermelon centerpiece for the fruit platter. Please watch the video to see how I made the basket.
• Using a melon baller, scoop out as much of the watermelon as possible. See how to make my Watermelon Agua Fresca.
• Fill the watermelon basket with any leftover large chunks of watermelon, and then fill the rest of it with the watermelon balls.
• Prepare the cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple.
• Start by placing the watermelon basket in the center of your selected fruit tray.
• Next, place the sliced cantaloupe in a T shape around the watermelon basked and press down on it to help fan it out.
• Repeat the process with the honeydew melon and the pineapple.
• To help fill in the gaps, place the assorted berries and sliced kiwi in between where the sliced cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple are.
• Finish by adding some fresh berries to the basket of watermelon balls and then garnish with some fresh mint leaves.

Notes

Make-Ahead: You can prepare this recipe up to 1 day ahead of time. Cover it in plastic and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Pull out the plate about 1 hour before ready to serve it.

How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze all the fruit separately to use in smoothie recipes.

I like to leave the green tops on the strawberries for a pop of bright green colors.

Feel free to use the melon baller on the cantaloupe or honeydew.

Any large round platter will work for this.

If the fruit is not sweet at all, toss it in some honey to help bring about more sweet flavors.

Nutrition

Calories: 115kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 7mgPotassium: 406mgFiber: 4gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 1433IUVitamin C: 54mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg

Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Fruit

Cuisine: American, english, French

Author: Chef Billy Parisi