Fruit Salad Dressing

This creamy fruit salad dressing gets blended smooth in about a minute and coats fresh fruit the way a thin vinaigrette never could. Cream cheese gives it body, orange juice and zest bring bright citrus flavor, and mayonnaise adds tang and keeps it pourable.

The dash of cayenne is the sneaky ingredient. You won’t taste heat, but that tiny bit of pepper lifts all the other flavors and keeps the dressing from tasting flat and one-note sweet. It’s the difference between a dressing that tastes “fruity” and one that tastes interesting.

Softening the cream cheese before blending is a must. Cold cream cheese stays in lumps no matter how long you blend, and nobody wants chunky dressing on their fruit salad.

Pro Tips

• Blend until completely smooth with no visible cream cheese bits. Run it a little longer than you think it needs.
• Use fresh-squeezed orange juice if you can. The flavor is brighter and less processed-tasting than carton juice.
• Make this up to two days ahead and store in the fridge. It thickens slightly as it chills, which actually helps it cling better to slippery fruit.
• Toss the dressing with fruit just before serving. Dressed fruit sitting for hours weeps juice and thins out the dressing.

Variations

• Swap the orange juice and zest for lime juice and lime zest for a tropical version that pairs well with mango and pineapple.
• Use Greek yogurt in place of mayo for a lighter, tangier dressing with more protein.
• Add a tablespoon of honey instead of sugar for a rounder, more floral sweetness.