Looking for ways to jazz up your basic fruit salad this summer? Consider giving it a hit from the savory side of the food world.

It’s not something we often think of, but ingredients we generally consider savory or spicy can provide a delicious contrast when added to a sweet and juicy fruit salad. Where to start? Something as simple as thinly sliced fresh basil adds a peppery bite to a salad of strawberries, watermelon and grapes.

For even more bite, consider adding very thinly sliced jalapeno peppers. The best way to do this is to slice a fresh pepper in half, scrape out the seeds and ribs, then use a mandoline to slice the chili paper-thin. Mix into the salad for a great sweet-and-heat blend.

And no matter what savory element you add, make sure to also add a pinch of salt. It won’t make the salad salty, but it will highlight the natural sweetness of the fruit.

Black Pepper Honey Fruit Salad

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 10

1 quart strawberries, halved

1 pint blueberries

1 mango (about 1 pound), peeled, pitted and diced

20-ounce jar grapefruit segments, drained

2 nectarines, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 plums, cut into 1-inch pieces

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons honey

In a large bowl, gently mix together the strawberries, blueberries, mango, grapefruit segments, nectarines and plums.

In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, lime juice and honey. Drizzle the dressing over the fruit and stir gently to coat.

Nutrition information per serving: 110 calories; 5 calories from fat (5 percent of total calories); 0 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 22 g sugar; 2 g protein; 30 mg sodium.