Start by washing all your fruit thoroughly under cold running water, then pat everything dry with paper towels. This step matters because you don't want extra water sitting in your spring fruit salad recipe once it's mixed. I learned this the hard way when my first batch turned into fruit soup by dessert time.

Slice your strawberries into bite-sized pieces and place them in your largest mixing bowl. You'll need about 4 cups total, so that's roughly 2 pounds of fresh strawberries. The bowl should be pretty full at this point, which is exactly what you want.

Add your 3 cups of cubed watermelon to the bowl next, then your 2 cups of diced pineapple. These three fruits form your base, so make sure the pieces are roughly the same size so everything eats evenly. The watermelon adds juice that'll help create the dressing naturally.

Pour in your 2 cups of fresh blueberries, then add 1 cup of segmented orange pieces and 1 cup of chopped mango. Don't panic if the bowl looks super full—it'll actually compress down once you start tossing. I always add my pomegranate seeds last so they don't burst and stain everything.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of honey, and 1 teaspoon of lime zest until the honey dissolves completely. This should take about 30 seconds of stirring—you want a smooth, pourable dressing without any grainy honey bits. Taste it right here; you can adjust the sweetness if needed.

Pour the honey-lime dressing over your fruit and gently fold everything together using a large spoon or spatula. Don't stir aggressively because you'll bruise the berries and break down the delicate fruit. I use an up-and-over folding motion, kinda like you'd do with folding whipped cream into chocolate mousse.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped fresh mint leaves and 1 tablespoon of toasted coconut flakes over the top right before serving. The mint stays brighter and fresher when you add it just before people eat, rather than hours ahead. This spring fruit salad recipe is best served within an hour of assembly, though the fruit itself keeps for up to 2 days in the fridge.