This simple Rainbow Fruit Platter is fresh, beautiful, and sure to wow your guests. It is an excellent option for parties or special occasions that can be customized and prepared ahead of time with ease. Try out this festive fruit tray for your next St. Patrick's day party!
This gorgeous rainbow is perfect for any gathering, from a birthday party, St. Patrick's day celebration, or even just to enjoy as a snack. It's so much fun to make and can come together in no time.
This rainbow fruit platter is better than single fruit trays because it offers variety which is always appreciated in a party setting. It's low on prep time and can be assembled a couple of hours before the gathering and covered in plastic wrap for a fresh and ready-to-go treat!
Fruit platters are a great way to flex your creativity and make something amazing. You can choose to style it in the shape of a rainbow or simply in neat rows of similarly colored fruits. You can even incorporate it as part of a breakfast charcuterie board! My St. Patricks Day green pancakes would go wonderfully alongside this delicious rainbow fruit platter. Feel free to get creative and add your own favorite fruit and special touches to make this platter truly magical.
If you're looking for more festive St. Patrick's day recipes try my spicy and cheesy jalapeno cheddar dip with Shamrock Chips! Or my St. Patrick's Day Muddy Buddies!
Why You'll Love It
Simple-There are so many great reasons for having this Rainbow tray at your party. Every hostess knows how busy party time can be, so simplify with this dish. While the initial prep of washing and slicing can be time-consuming, it can be done the day before so that you can spend more time relaxing. You can also purchase pre-cut fruit to really save on time.
Reduces waste- Unlike a rainbow fruit salad, this platter makes it easy for everyone to choose what they like and leave what they don't, which will reduce food waste. You can separate the leftovers as you choose and even bake leftover blueberries into muffins for another day!
Colors Of The Rainbow
One of the best things about this platter is that it's so customizable based on preferences, the event, and what's in season. Here are fruit ideas for each color.
Red-Strawberries, red apples, pomegranates, blood oranges, cherries, lingonberry, red pear, cranberry, raspberries. Red Will be your easiest to find.
Orange- Oranges, tangerines, mandarin oranges, kumquats, apricots, nectarines, cantalope persimmons
Yellow-Pineapple, Yellow watermelon, bananas, mangoes, golden kiwi, yellow apples
Green- Kiwi, green apples, green grapes, green pears, limes
Blue-Blueberries, blackberries, plums
Indigo-I grouped these with the blues above, just chose a lighter shade. Plums are great here.
Violet-A purple shade, so choose fruits that fit into this hue category. Some may overlap with the two above so arrange your choices in a way that makes the most sense given your selections.
Fruit Dip
To make your colorful fruit platter even more exciting, you can add a creamy fruit dip. It's really simple to make and can be prepped ahead of time.
This creamy dip is sweetened cream cheese that is whipped to perfection! It's light and airy which makes it perfect for dipping any fruit. It holds up in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container so you can enjoy it even after the party is over.
How to make a Rainbow Fruit Platter
Wash the fruit
The first step when making the platter is to wash the fruit really well. You'll want to wash the outside of the fruit before you cut into them to prevent any dirt from getting into the fruit when cut. This step can be tedious with lots of different fruits, so you may want to plan for extra time or do this step the day before.
Cut the fruit
All your fruits can be cut ahead of time and even the platter can be arranged several hours in advance. I'd recommend that you cut fruit into bite-sized pieces because it will arrange better on the tray and also be easier for guests to pick up.
If using apple slices, be sure to give them a quick soak in a solution of water and lemon juice to prevent browning. All you need is 1 cup of water and mix with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, scaling as needed to fit your batch. Let the cut apple slices soak for about 5 minutes then pat dry and transfer to a container for storage or to the platter.
I'd recommend cutting soft items such as bananas right before making the platter.
Store or arrange the fruit
When making this rainbow fruit platter in advance, proper storage is key to keeping the fruit fresh and tasting. Once cut, you can store them in resealable bags or mason jars in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. If you're making the platter only a few hours in advance, you can go ahead and place it directly onto the serving tray, just cover it in plastic wrap until you're ready to enjoy.
To arrange the fruit, begin placing it on the large platter. You can make it a curved "U" shape like a rainbow or simply make it in horizontal lines if you prefer. Start by adding the top red layer first, then the remaining colors underneath.
Once your rainbow is complete, add the fruit dip last. You can place it in small bowls, or simply add a spoonful at the end of the rainbow- it's that easy!
Tips and Substitutions
- Use fresh fruit-Fresh fruit will work best for this recipe. Defrosted fruit can turn mushy which isn't ideal for this party tray. When choosing fruit, be sure to pick pieces that are vibrant in color and free from blemishes.
- Get creative-! Add gold coins for a pot of gold or marshmallow clouds in addition to the dip.
- Mix up the leftovers- With the exception of bananas, you can easily mix up leftovers for a fruit salad to keep in the refrigerator. Place all the remaining fruit into a bowl or even individual containers for an easy grab-and-go snack. Try drizzling it with my Honey-Lime fruit salad dressing!
- Buy seedless- Keep seedless in mind when purchasing fruit. Seedless grapes are ideal because they're easier to enjoy and won't take anyone by surprise. Be sure to pit cherries before adding them as well.
- Remember the cutlery- Fruit trays are tempting to grab with your hands. Be sure to offer tongs or cute mini forks to encourage guests to keep the platter clean and not use their hands.
St Patrick's Day Rainbow Fruit Platter
Ingredients
- Fruit of choice for rainbow
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese, softened I like a lowfat, but use what you want here.
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup whipped cream This isn't necessary, but gives the dip a cloud like fluff.
Instructions
- Arrange fruit in rainbow shapes on a plate or platter.
- Add cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar to the mixing bowl. Using your muscles or a hand mixer, mix on high until it is smooth and blended. Next, if using whipped cream, fold it in now.
- Scoop the dip on either end of the rainbow. That's it! So simple and serve.
Notes
- Use fresh fruit-Fresh fruit will work best for this recipe. Defrosted fruit can turn mushy which isn't ideal for this party tray. When choosing fruit, be sure to pick pieces that are vibrant in color and free from blemishes.
- Get creative-! Add gold coins for a pot of gold or marshmallow clouds in addition to the dip.
- Mix up the leftovers- With the exception of bananas, you can easily mix up leftovers for a fruit salad to keep in the refrigerator. Place all the remaining fruit into a bowl or even individual containers for an easy grab-and-go snack. Try drizzling it with my Honey-Lime fruit salad dressing!
- Buy seedless- Keep seedless in mind when purchasing fruit. Seedless grapes are ideal because they're easier to enjoy and won't take anyone by surprise. Be sure to pit cherries before adding them as well.
- Remember the cutlery- Fruit trays are tempting to grab with your hands. Be sure to offer tongs or cute mini forks to encourage guests to keep the platter clean and not use their hands.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!