Wash and thoroughly dry all your fresh fruit—moisture is the enemy of a good yogurt dressing, as it will dilute the sauce and make everything watery. While the fruit dries, zest your lemon directly into a small bowl and set aside. Cut your fruit into uniform 1-inch bite-sized chunks and place them in a large serving bowl. This prep work ensures you're ready to quickly assemble the salad without delay.

In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, sugar, vanilla, and the lemon zest you prepared in Step 1. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy—this is important because any lumps of cream cheese will be unpleasant in the final dish. I always use Nielsen-Massey vanilla because its superior quality elevates the entire salad, and good vanilla makes a noticeable difference in something this simple.

Pour the creamy yogurt mixture from Step 2 over the fruit in your serving bowl and gently fold everything together until all the fruit is evenly coated. Add the fresh mint chiffonade and give it one final, gentle toss to distribute the mint throughout. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving—this chilling time allows the flavors to meld and the dressing to become silkier.