St. Patrick’s Day Rainbow Fruit Tray: Two Ways

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Updated 2024

It’s not St. Patrick’s Day without rainbows, which is why I made this rainbow fruit tray–perfect for hiding pots of gold (cheese)! – When it comes to this cheery fruit board, there are two ways to organize it, but no matter how you spin it, it’s a colorful way to celebrate on March 17th. For more of a classic green theme, try my Green Paddy’s Day Snack Board.

Not St. Patrick’s Day? You can also make it for any occasion–kid’s birthdays (with this beachy candy board), pride celebrations, or the first day of summer. Serve it alongside my favorite bagel board for a wholesome brunch spread!

For more healthy-ish snacks and boards, check out my Build Your Own Avocado Toast Board, Fruit Board, Crudite Platter, and Veggie and Goat Cheese Board.

And be sure to check out my full list boards by holiday.

>>> Jump to Recipe

What’s On a Rainbow Fruit Tray

Remember ROYGBIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet)? Yeah, major flashbacks for me too. The good news is that, nostalgia aside, ROYGBIV is the only rule of building a rainbow. You’ll see lots of different cheese, fruit, and treat options pictured here.

Don’t love the fruits I chose? Check out the Color Wheel of Fruit below to make your own combination. I love cheese! But if you don’t, meringues and yogurt dips are perfectly sweet substitutions for brie clouds.

The Fruits

• Strawberries

• Raspberries

• Clementine slices

• Kumquats

• Gooseberries

• Pineapple

• Kiwi berries

• Green grapes

• Blueberries

The Clouds

• Brie bites 

• Brie wheel with shamrock cut-out topper

• Babybel

• Dorothy’s Creamery Comeback Cow (brie-like cheese perfectly shaped like a cloud or flower)

• Meringues

• Yogurt Dip (like this recipe, served in round dishes)

The St. Patrick’s Day Touch

• Chocolate Coins (or your favorite gold foil-wrapped candies, like Rolos)

• Green apple shamrock (check out the tutorial)

• Shamrock Brie Cut out (see below)

Color Wheel of Rainbow Fruit

Red

• Strawberries

• Raspberries

• Red apples

• Cranberries

• Cherries 

• Pomegranate seeds

• Red grapes

Orange

• Tangerines

• Clementines

• Oranges

• Kumquats 

• Cantaloupe

• Apricots

• Mango

• Gooseberries

Yellow

• Pineapple

• Banana

• Peaches

• Star fruit

• Yellow pears

• Golden Delicious apples

Green

• Kiwi

• Green apples

• Honeydew 

• Green grapes

• Green pears

Blue/Indigo/Violet

• Blueberries

• Blackberries 

• Plums

• Purple grapes

• Black currants

How To Build This Rainbow Fruit Board

Traditional Arch

Directions:

Start with the red fruits on the outside, then move inwards following the rule of ROYGBIV. If using a round board, the red arch should follow the top edge of the board. If using a rectangular board, the top of the red arch should be centered in the top third of the board. Add the cloud option of your choice to each end of the rainbow, then add the chocolates to a ramekin (or pot) and place on or next to the board. Et voila!

Rainbow Stripes

Directions:

Start with the yellow fruits in the center of the board, then add the color stripes in order on each side of it (i’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: ROYGBIV). No matter what shape board you use, the yellow should be dead center. Add gold coins to a ramekin and add to the board along with the brie wheel and shamrock apple. Scatter gold coins across the board to fill any empty spaces if necessary.

Rainbow Fruit Platter Video Tutorials

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4eewK1xqbD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9f0w2nh0na/?igshid=ktnj0im47yub

How to Make a Brie Cut-Out for a Fruit Board

For festive gatherings, I like to do my Brie cookie cutter trick. First harden the Brie in the freezer for a bit, then slice off the top layer of rind (approximately ¼”). Push the cookie cutter through the center of the rind slice, then place the shamrock shape back on top of the brie wheel for decoration. Alternatively, you can use my original brie method seen here on my Proud to Brie an American post.

Use either cut-out style for any holiday: Thanksgiving leaves, a heart for Valentine’s Day, a tree for Christmas, or even a spooky Halloween bat.

@ainttooproudtomeg

Do you eat the rind on Brie? I do! #learnfromme #foodnetwork #charcuterieboard #cheeseboard #brie

♬ LITTLE MO’ BETTA – David Davis

If you don’t have any cookie cutters handy, you can go the more traditional route. Slice the wheel in half then cut smaller, even triangles from each side to make it easy for grabbing. No matter how you slice it, serve the Brie at room temperature to boost its flavor. 

Irish Cheese for St Patrick’s Day

I chose brie not only because it’s on the sweeter side, but also because the richness and creaminess complement the bright, juicy fruits! However, it’s not the only cheese that’s mild enough to pair with fruit. If you want to lean more into the St Paddy’s day of it all, try some of these Irish cheeses:

• Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese: a robust cow’s milk cheese with Parmesan vibes 

• McCall’s 6-Month Irish Cheddar: creamy and rich with small clusters of tyrosine crystals

• Cashel Blue: creamy and mild with that classic blue cheese tanginess

Vegan Rainbow Fruit Board

This board is pretty vegan-friendly as it is, but if you still want to have the cheese without the dairy, here are my top choices for this board:

• The Vegan Cheese Shoppe’s Macadamia Nut Brie 

• Treeline Cheesemakers’ Vegan Goat-Style Cashew Cheese 

• Kite Hill Almond Milk Ricotta 

• Miyoko’s Plant Milk Mozzarella (made with cashews)

Show Me Your Rainbow Fruit Boards

I hope this post inspires you to create a delicious Paddy’s Day spread. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the beautiful boards you create from my tips. If you make something inspired by this post, please tag me at @ainttooproudtomeg so I can see and share! 

And, If you liked this recipe, please rate and review.