Print

Fresh Pumpkin Fruit Tray Platter: Easy Fall Appetizer

pumpkin fruit tray platter - featured image
Print Recipe

A stunning pumpkin-shaped fruit platter made entirely from fresh fruit. Perfect for fall gatherings, this healthy and beautiful appetizer is vegan, gluten-free, and incredibly easy to assemble.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large cantaloupe or orange melon
  • 2 cups seedless green grapes
  • 1 cup seedless red grapes
  • 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 6 ounces fresh blackberries
  • 2 apples (mix of green and red), sliced
  • 2 pears (Bosc or Anjou), sliced
  • 1 handful fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
  • 1 small seedless watermelon (optional, for larger platter)
  • Lemon juice (for preventing browning)

Instructions

  1. Wash cantaloupe thoroughly. Cut in half from top to bottom. Scoop out seeds and stringy bits with a spoon. Pat inside dry with a paper towel. Place one half cut-side down on serving platter in the center.
  2. Using a small paring knife, gently score 5-6 vertical lines down the melon half, about 1 inch apart, to create pumpkin ridges.
  3. Take a handful of green grapes and arrange them at the top center of the melon half to form a small cluster that looks like a pumpkin stem.
  4. Using more green grapes, create a cascading ‘vine’ effect by arranging them in a curved line from the stem down one side of the melon. Let a few grapes trail off onto the platter.
  5. Arrange other fruits around the base of the melon. Start with larger items like strawberry halves and apple slices, then fill gaps with blueberries, blackberries, and red grapes. Cover the entire surface of the platter.
  6. Tuck berries between apple slices, slide pear slices under grape clusters, and nestle pomegranate seeds into any tiny empty spaces.
  7. Tuck fresh mint leaves here and there for color and fragrance, especially at the base of the stem and scattered around the edges.
  8. Step back and check for bare spots. Fill in with remaining fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Choose a round, symmetrical cantaloupe for the best pumpkin shape. Pat all fruit dry to prevent sliding. For make-ahead, assemble up to 12 hours in advance, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Add mint leaves just before serving. Toss apple and pear slices in lemon water to prevent browning.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin fruit platter, fall appetizer, fruit tray, vegan appetizer, healthy snack, Thanksgiving appetizer, fruit platter, pumpkin shaped fruit

Find it online: https://zorbmeal.com/fresh-pumpkin-fruit-tray-platter-easy-fall-appetizer/