Ensalada Navideña (or Mexican Christmas Fruit Salad) is a mixture of apples and other fruits covered in a dreamy and creamy dressing.

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You’ll find this Ensalada Navideña, or Mexican Christmas Fruit Salad, during the Holidays and at these big parties.

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Some people will also make it and eat it during their Christmas Eve dinner along with Ponche Navideño. That’s why it’s also referred to as “ensalada de nochebuena.”

You can serve it during the meal itself or have it as a dessert. Such a super easy dish to make and so delicious!

Table of Contents

1 Ingredients
2 Making the Sauce
3 🍎 Making the Salad
4 👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tip
5 Other Ingredients
6 😋 Hungry for More?
7 Ensalada Navideña
8 More Mexican Dessert Recipes

Ingredients

These are the ingredients needed to make the fruit salad. Please refer to the recipe card for the exact ingredients.

This is a very common party recipe. You’ll see them in posadas. In mid December, there are processions where people carry the nativity scene, or people will dress up as Mary and Joseph going to Bethlehem. Afterwards, it’s a big party. We’re talking HUGE spreads of food and maybe a piñata for the kids.

Making the Sauce

Pineapple juice pouring into a metal bowl with a large dollop of sour cream.

Start by making the creamy dressing. This is sour cream, but you can also use crema mexicana or yogurt. Some people will even use mayonnaise.

Get a can, man! This is one case where fresh is actually not better. You will need the juice of 1 can of pineapple. It will help thin out the dressing. See why I like this recipe? You might already everything you need already in your cupboard.

Sweetened condensed milk pouring into a metal bowl with sour cream and pineapple juice.

Sweetened condensed milk adds a lot of sweetness. If you like a sweet sauce, by all means add the entire container. This recipe only calls for half of a container. For me, that is plenty sweet.

Whisk in a metal bowl beating a creamy dressing.

There should be no lumps in the dressing.
Once you’re done, place this in the refrigerator until ready to us.

Just beat it! Cue Michael Jackson! You don’t want anyone to get sick. By the way, Mexicans love MJ. Then again, who doesn’t?

🍎 Making the Salad

Chopped diced apples on a cutting board.

The main ingredient: Apples! Johnny Appleseed took a wrong and probably ended up in Durango. That is where my family has their apple orchards on the ranch. We’re talking acres and acres of Ensalada Navideña waiting to be made.

You can use whatever combination you like. For this recipe, I used Gala apples because they were on sale. Chop and dice.

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tip

If you don’t want the diced apples to get too brown, put them in water or drizzle them with a little lemon juice while you’re getting everything else ready.

Diced pineapple in a decorative blue plate.

This is canned pineapple. We used the liquid from the can for the dressing, remember? You can use pineapple rings and dice them up. Or buy them already diced. Whatever you get is fine, but don’t get crushed pineapple. That don’t work well in this dish.

Go nuts! Chopped pecans give great texture to this Mexican Apple Salad. You can also use slivered almonds or walnuts, but pecans are traditional. Then again, you always start your own tradition.

All the ingredients for the fruit salad in a decorative green glass bowl next to a Santa.

Can’t forget raisins and shredded coconut. Add everything to a large bowl. Isn’t it gorgeous?

Other Ingredients

Some people will also add mini marshmallows, strawberries, grapes, carrots, or celery. Those are completely optional and great additions especially since it’s an easy way to get in your servings of fruits and veggies.

Wooden spoon mixing the fruit salad with the cream dressing.

Add the cream dressing to the fruit and mix thoroughly.

Fyi, you might also hear this dish referred to as Mexican Apple Salad.

It kinda looks like a Waldorf Salad. Truth be told, that is how it originated. Over the years, the recipe morphed into a truly traditional Mexican creation. All cultures steal (borrow) from other cultures. Mexico is no exception.

Ensalada Navideña (or Mexican Christmas Fruit Salad) is a mixture of apples and other fruits covered in a dreamy and creamy dressing.

Finish it off with a cherry on top. Be sure to add plenty of cherries. We used to fight for the cherry as kids. Almost as intense as the battle for the last tamal. That’s when the gloves came off and no holds barred.

Ensalada Navideña is a yummy fruit salad that’s sure to be enjoyed by one and all. Hope you enjoy!

😋 Hungry for More?

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