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If you like something sweet after your meal, or for a light breakfast, a fruit salad parfait fits the bill. Cool and refreshing, you’ll get a serving of fruit that will satisfy any sweet tooth without the added calories.
And of course, any combination of fruits that are in season can be used. We love the combination found in our summer fruit salad recipe.
A type of fermented food, yogurt is both tasty and healthy, and it can help to maintain a healthy gut microbiome!
You can use store bought unsweetened Greek yogurt, or you can make your own. For an extra bit of fiber and crunch, feel free to add a few layers of homemade granola.
Preparing these ingredients in advance as part of your meal prep so you can just add them to a cup in a minute or two is also a great idea for a speedy breakfast, before you dash off to work or send your kids out the door to school.
Serving it in a natural, edible bowl also makes a nice presentation.
Looking for something a little different? Try this orange cinnamon mousse in lieu of yogurt, also delicious in a parfait layered with fruit and granola.
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Fruit Salad Yogurt Parfait
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
If you dig cool, creamy treats with a crunch, you’ll fall hard for this fruit parfait layered with yogurt, toasted coconut, and granola.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup toasted unsweetened coconut chips (or shredded coconut)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
- 1 medium Navel or blood orange, peeled and segmented (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 medium ripe banana, peeled and sliced
- 8 large strawberries, stemmed and sliced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 medium ripe mango, peeled and cubed (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves, divided
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, divided
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 4 tablespoons dark chocolate shavings (or chips), at least 70% cacao
- 1 cup granola
Instructions
- In a small, dry skillet over low heat, add the coconut flakes and toast, shaking often to promote even browning until golden, about 3-5 minutes. Immediately remove the coconut from the pan and set aside.
- Add the walnuts and pistachios to the pan and toast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Immediately remove the nuts from the pan and set them aside.
- Place the oranges in a medium mixing bowl and press them gently with a spatula or wooden spoon to release some of their juice. Gently fold in the bananas, strawberries, mango, blueberries, vanilla, and half of the basil and mint.
- In clear parfait glasses, alternate layers of the fruit salad with the Greek yogurt and granola so you have at least 2 layers of yogurt, and top with toasted nuts, chocolate shavings, and coconut chips.
- Top with the remaining basil and mint as a garnish, and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Parfait
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Keywords: parfait, yogurt, fruit, chocolate, fruit salad
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Toast the Coconut and Nuts
Instead of toasting unsweetened shredded coconut, you can use Dang Coconut Chips (which you can grab on Amazon). They have tons of flavor and a big crunch.
Place a small, dry skillet over low heat to toast the coconut, followed by the nuts. There’s no need to add any additional fat to the pan since both ingredients already contain plenty of of natural oils.
Add the coconut flakes and toast, shaking often to promote even browning, until they are golden. This will take about 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately remove the coconut from the pan and set it aside on a plate so it doesn’t continue to cook.
Chop the walnuts and pistachios and then add them to the pan. Toast, tossing occasionally, until they are fragrant and golden-brown, for about 5 minutes. Immediately remove the nuts from the pan once they’re toasted, and set them aside on a plate to stop the cooking process.
Step 2 – Prep the Fruit Salad Ingredients
Wash all of the fruit well.
Using a sharp knife, peel the skin and pith from the orange and then slice the flesh into segments. For some help with this step, this recipe will walk you through the process of supreming citrus.
Slice the banana, remove the stems and slice the strawberries, and peel and cube the mango. Chop the basil and mint. Leave a few sprigs aside for garnish if you like, or a sprinkling of chopped herbs can be added on top just before serving.
Step 3 – Make the Fruit Salad
Place the oranges in a medium mixing bowl and then gently press on them with a wooden spoon or spatula. Releasing some of their juice into the bowl will help to add flavor and create more of a “dressing” for the fruit salad.
Gently fold the bananas, strawberries, mango, blueberries, vanilla, and about half of the basil and mint with the oranges so everything is combined and lightly coated with the juice.
Step 4 – Layer the Parfait and Serve
Make the chocolate shavings (unless you’re using chocolate chips, which you can also make from scratch).
Hold the chocolate bar with one hand and use a knife or vegetable peeler to create delicate shavings. It helps to gently warm the chocolate and/or your vegetable peeler first to create sturdy curls or shavings that hold their shape.
Store-bought granola is fine for this recipe, but homemade will totally take it up a notch.
Alternate the fruit salad with the Greek yogurt and granola, so you have at least 2 layers of yogurt. Top with toasted nuts, chocolate shavings, and coconut chips. I like to use clear jars or parfait glasses for serving, so you can see the layers.
You could also layer all of the ingredients if you prefer, ending with a smooth layer of yogurt on top for a clean presentation.
Garnish with the remaining basil and mint, and serve immediately.
Parfait Perfection
It’s the contrasting layers of flavor and texture that take this parfait to the next level, but this recipe is just meant to get you started. The wheels in my brain are spinning with sweet ideas to spruce things up even more.
I like to infuse warming spices like cinnamon or nutmeg into the yogurt and occasionally even whisk in the zest from the orange to perk up the overall citrus notes.
Maple syrup, honey, strawberry syrup, or a pinch of sugar added to the fruit salad can help to enhance the fruit’s natural sweetness. If sweet and juicy berries are more your style, you’ll love our entire collection of homemade berry syrups!
For a nice and cold frozen treat in the summer, replace the yogurt with ice cream, gelato, or frozen yogurt.
Homemade jam, like this lovely peach one or our strawberry basil recipe, are other delicious options to build bold, fruity flavor. You can also use our red berry pudding with tapioca for a thicker fruit layer.
How will you personalize your parfait? Share your favorite layering techniques in the comments below! And don’t forget to give this recipe a five-star rating if you loved it.
If you can’t get enough sweet layered treats, give these parfait recipes a try next:
Photos by Fanny Slater, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on May 28, 2015. Last updated on February 22, 2022. With additional writing and editing by Fanny Slater and Allison Sidhu.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Lorna Kring
Recently retired as a costume specialist in the TV and film industry, Lorna now enjoys blogging on contemporary lifestyle themes. A bit daft about the garden, she’s particularly obsessed with organic tomatoes and herbs, and delights in breaking bread with family and friends.
This looks absolutely delicious. My daughter loves fruit parfaits so I’m going to make this one for her. She usually just sticks to strawberries and blueberries so I think this will change it up a bit for her. The dark chocolate added in will be a nice little bonus!
The fruit salad is a nice change of pace from the usual berries, and the chocolate does make it seem just a wee bit decadent! Let us know what she thinks…
Wow this parfait looks delicious! I love the different varieties of colorful fruit in it. Even though it has healthy components, I feel that it would still attract my kids to eat it, especially with the hint of dark chocolate, a guilty pleasure. I can’t wait to try it out.
It’s hot here already, and that looks very refreshing. I love the idea of making these, and it seems they could be made fairly quickly and easily, or planned ahead, which is nice. I like the idea of making homemade Greek yogurt and granola, so I will have to look at those recipes, as well.
Very refreshing Diane, easy to make and healthy. You’ve got to love that combination.
Indeed. Plus, I really like the idea of having something a bit lighter. I still enjoy having a treat, but I don’t really care for heavy foods when the weather starts getting hot. These look so light and cool.
They are pretty too. I like making pretty food. These could easily be altered to be incorporated into a Fourth of July dessert as well. Very nice.
Sooo my confession of the day is that I actually really hate yogurt, even though I know it’s super healthy and beneficial and all that good stuff. I just can’t stand the tart taste. As a result, I’m always on the look out for recipes or tricks that I can use to make yogurt more appealing to me. This recipe looks like one of those. I love the crunch contrast of the granola vs. the yogurt, and the suggestion to use frozen during the summer (I’m in Florida so YES PLEASE, anything frozen) was awesome. And plus you said to add chocolate? Oh yes.
Chocolate makes pretty much anything palatable, doesn’t it? I know what you mean about the tart factor, some brands are over the top for me too. Maybe if you try a few different brands, you can find one that’s more rich and creamy than sour…
I haven’t had a fruit parfait in ages, and I’ve never actually made my own. They are quite delicious though, and I like the mix of fruits in this one. And of course, the bit of dark chocolate will always sell me! It’s still unseasonably chilly here, but I look forward to the weather warming up so I can give this a shot.
They’re kind of fun to make too Leopard, get creative with the fruit combos and presentation for a little extra panache when it warms up. Just don’t forget the chocolate!
I like home made parfaits mostly because of the granola. I can get a energy bar and break it up which not only gives me energy but granola. Also all of the fruit that I can put in it helps. It is a very healthy and changeable snack.
Energy bars are a great addition, as long as they’re sugar free and don’t counteract the health benefits…. I find the natural sugars in the fruit adds plenty of sweetness.
It drives me crazy when I see people pick up these yogurt parfaits at fast food restaurants (McDonald’s, Subway) when it’s so incredibly easy to make yourself. Also customizable & fun. I think laziness has a way of strangling your options.
They are easy and fun to make Joan, and you can choose a yogurt without the added sugars that fast food chains use. Certainly convenience and the instant gratification age comes with a hefty price tag.
Just looking at the pictures makes my mouth water. I love parfaits. They are so easy to make and you can experiment with layers. Sometimes I add some crumbled cookies instead of granola, and I also like to add mascarpone cheese. I usually make this dessert with berries. This is a healthy treat, too!
Mmmm, mascarpone cheese with berries… that’s going on my shopping list right now for tonight’s parfait!
This fruit salad parfait looks devine! My daughter and I love parfaits but when I make them at home I’m not so creative, I usually just have yogurt, strawberries and granola but this is something we would both love. I cant wait to try this out!
Enjoy your parfaits! And let us know what fruit combos you use.
Oh my! I wish I would have read this two hours ago. Desert? How about breakfast! I know what’s fueling me Monday morning.
I have some maple granola that I will toss on top too!
You know jony, usually the fruit has enough sweetness for me but, when I really want an extra boost of sugar, I’ll drizzle a wee bit of maple syrup over the top… heaven! Your maple granola sounds great.
This Parfait looks absolutely delicious! Yogurt is a staple in my household and a fun parfait like this will really help me change up the breakfast routine. These could even be used as dessert by switching out the granola with crumbled wafers and adding in some peanut butter. Either way these are sure to be a huge hit in my house!
If you eat a lot of yogurt, it’s a nice way to dress it up a bit, for dessert or breakfast. And of course, you can add any ingredients that tickle your fancy!
This seems pretty easy to make, and it looks pretty. I love a yogurt and fruit combination. I’d do this with peaches on top!
Very easy harpazo, and it looks great on the table… and peaches will be a great topper!
Couldn’t agree with you more, for people like me who have a huge sugar craving after dinner. This is just absolutely perfect satisfies your craving without the addition of dense calories.
It’s great for an after dinner sweet tooth Sara, refreshing and light too – unlike a lot of baked desserts.
Oh my. That looks delicious! I wonder if I could make one that looks as delicious as well 🙂
Use bright berries to get that vibrant color toradada, guaranteed to look great!
Never had a parfait in my life but I admit that it looks really good. So it’s pretty much a fruit salad mixed with yogurt and thrown in the freezer? I wouldn’t say no to that, haha, it’s probably better than ice cream.
Yup, that’s about it… simple, delicious, and good for you! A great combo.
This looks simply delicious. After going to McDonalds today (Yes, I know, that was my first mistake), we ordered a small yogurt parfait. While they were okay tasting, they were not great, and tasted very… fake. We are in hopes that we will come across a good recipe to make them at home!
Ah yes, the fake-flavored version… try this fresh one instead Ashley, no fake taste!