Mixed Berry Salad with Sweet Lime Dressing

This berry salad hits all the right notes: tart, sweet, and spoonable straight from the fridge. A lime-sugar glaze pulls the juice from fresh berries, turning it into a chilled, no-cook side or simple summer dessert.

This is the kind of recipe you make when you want something cold, sweet, and easy. Just a handful of fresh berries tossed in lime juice and sugar until they’re glossy and a little syrupy—simple, bright, and exactly what you want to pull from the fridge on a hot day. It barely counts as a recipe, but the result tastes like summer in every bite—juicy, citrusy, and just messy enough to feel fun.

The lime dressing comes together fast—zest, juice, and sugar—and clings to the fruit in the best way. You can serve it as a light dessert, spoon it over vegan yogurt, or eat it straight from the bowl before it ever makes it to the table. The whole thing takes about ten minutes, and it’s the kind of easy you’ll want to keep coming back to.

Why You’ll Love This Berry Salad

This is one of those “keep it in the fridge all week” kind of recipes. It’s fast, flexible, and somehow always exactly what you’re in the mood for—especially when the weather gets sticky and turning on the stove feels like a trap. Made with fresh mixed berries and tossed in a tangy-sweet lime dressing, it walks the line between salad and dessert in the best possible way. Here’s why you’ll want to make it on repeat:

• Sweet, Tart, and Just a Little Syrupy: The sugar and lime work fast—drawing out the juices and turning the berries glossy and soft, with just enough syrupy glaze to spoon over yogurt, pancakes, or vegan vanilla ice cream.
• No-Cook, No-Stress: This berry salad comes together in about 10 minutes, with zero cooking required. It’s the easiest summer dessert you’ll make all season—and maybe the most refreshing.
• Built for Hot Days: Serve it chilled straight from the fridge or pack it up for a picnic. It’s cold, juicy, and the kind of snack that makes you forget the temperature for a bit.
• Perfect for Using What You’ve Got: Blueberries, blackberries, cherries, strawberries—this recipe works with whatever’s ripe and ready. Swap in peaches or mango if that’s what’s on hand. It’s flexible, forgiving, and always good.
• Actually Gets Better as It Sits: Let the berries hang out in the lime dressing for a few hours, and the flavors just deepen. The result is a soft, sweet berry salad that tastes even better the next day.

Key Ingredients for This Mixed Berry Salad

This recipe keeps things simple—just fresh fruit and a citrusy-sweet dressing that ties everything together. Every ingredient here plays a role, from the berries that burst with flavor to the lime sugar that adds shine, zip, and a little syrupy magic. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Mixed Berries: Use whatever looks best at the market or is already in your fridge. This version uses blackberries, blueberries, and cherries, but strawberries, raspberries, or sliced stone fruit work beautifully too. The key is choosing ripe, in-season fruit—juicy and sweet enough to hold up to the lime without getting lost.

• Fresh Lime Juice: This is what makes the whole salad pop. It adds tartness, balances the natural sweetness of the berries, and cuts through the syrup just enough to keep things bright. Roll your limes on the counter before juicing for max yield.
• Lime Zest: The zest brings a deeper citrus note and a hit of fragrant oil that lemon juice alone can’t deliver. Use a microplane and stop at the white pith—too much and things turn bitter fast.
• Sugar: Just a couple of teaspoons are all you need. The sugar draws out the juices from the berries, creating a light, syrupy glaze that coats every bite. If you like things extra tangy, start small and taste as you go.

How to Make This Berry Salad

No cooking, or complicated steps—just fresh fruit, a quick lime sugar dressing, and ten minutes from start to finish. It’s a salad, a snack, and a summer dessert all in one. For full recipe instructions, scroll to the end of this post!

Step 1: Prep the Mixed Berries – Start by rinsing your berries and gently patting them dry. If you’re using cherries or strawberries, pit and slice them so everything is roughly the same size. This helps the lime dressing coat the fruit evenly, making the salad easier to scoop and eat.

Step 2: Make the Lime Sugar Dressing – In a small bowl, combine the zest and juice of two limes with two teaspoons of sugar. Stir until the sugar starts to dissolve, or pulse it all together in a mini food processor if you want a smoother, more syrupy finish. Pro Tip: Zest the lime before juicing—it’s easier and way less messy.

Step 3: Toss It Together – Place the berries in a large bowl. Drizzle about half of the lime dressing over the top and gently toss to coat. Taste and add more dressing if you like things sweeter or tangier; this recipe is flexible.

Step 4: Serve or Chill – You can serve this berry salad right away, but it gets even better after it sits in the fridge for 15–30 minutes. The berries soften, the juice thickens, and the whole thing turns jammy and spoonable.

Flavor Swaps and Variations

This mixed berry salad is built to flex. Whether you’re out of one fruit or want to change up the flavor, there are plenty of ways to make it your own. Here are some easy swaps and seasonal twists to keep things interesting:

• Try Different Berries: Blueberries, blackberries, and cherries are a great combo, but raspberries and strawberries work just as well. Mix and match depending on what’s fresh, ripe, and in season. Just aim for 5–6 cups total.
• Add Stone Fruit: Want to stretch this into more of a fruit salad? Add sliced peaches, nectarines, or plums. Their juiciness pairs perfectly with the lime dressing and makes the whole thing feel a little more substantial.
• Swap the Citrus: No limes? Use lemon juice and zest for a slightly sharper, more floral twist. Or try a splash of orange juice if you want something softer and sweeter.
• Sweeten It Your Way: Granulated sugar makes the clearest glaze, but you can use maple syrup or agave for a deeper sweetness. Start small—you can always stir in more once the fruit starts releasing its juices.
• Add Fresh Herbs: A few chopped mint leaves or basil ribbons can take this salad in a more sophisticated, summer-entertaining direction. Especially good if you’re serving it as a picnic side or plated dessert.

Go Wild (If You Want To)

This recipe is perfect as-is, but it also plays well with a few bold upgrades. Here are some fun, flavorful twists to try:

• Add a splash of vanilla extract for soft, floral depth—especially good if you’re serving this over ice cream or yogurt.
• Spike it with a little booze. A splash of Grand Marnier, rum, or prosecco turns this into a grown-up dessert situation.
• Sprinkle with a touch of flaky salt. Sounds weird, tastes amazing. Especially when paired with strawberries or peaches.

These tweaks aren’t required, but they’re fun—and they make this simple vegan berry salad feel even more special.

How to Serve

This vegan berry salad is easy to make and even easier to love. Whether you’re spooning it into bowls for dessert or packing it for a picnic, here are some of our favorite ways to serve it:

• Over vegan yogurt or plant-based whipped cream. Spoon it over a chilled bowl of unsweetened vegan yogurt or whipped coconut cream for a breakfast-meets-dessert moment. It’s an easy upgrade that tastes like more effort than it is.
• With pancakes, French toast, or anything brunchy. The lime-sugar glaze makes it perfect for topping lemony pancakes or coconut French toast. You could even treat it like a fruit compote and serve it next to a slice of vegan sponge cake.
• As a cooling contrast to something savory. Pair it with smoky roasted cauliflower tacos or a sweet potato black bean burger for a bold-sweet balance that actually works. It’s also great next to something grilled, like tofu satay with spicy peanut sauce.
• Packed for a picnic or sandwich spread. This is the kind of side that plays well with handhelds—try it with a vegan lobster roll, crab cake sliders, or pulled pork-style jackfruit sandwich. Cold, juicy, and picnic-ready.
• As a light finish after something bold. This berry salad makes a great counterpoint to spicy, flavor-packed mains like a vegan banh mi or a watermelon poke bowl. Serve it chilled to bring the heat down in the best way.
• On its own, straight from the fridge. No toppings, no extras—just fruit, lime, and a little sugar. Keep a spoon in the bowl and you’re good to go.

FAQs

More Easy Vegan Summer Desserts and Fruit Recipes

• Mango Salsa
• Creamy Chia Pudding with a Fresh Berry Compote
• Kombucha Cocktail
• Easy Blackberry Cobbler (Vegan)

Did you try this berry salad recipe? Please let me know in the comments. I love hearing from you when you try a recipe on the blog!