Vanilla Pudding Fruit Salad is a quick and easy sweet treat you can serve as a side dish beside the main meal or save it for a light dessert at the end of dinner.
Made in one bowl using only canned and fresh fruit, a tub of whipped cream, a packet of dry pudding mix, plus marshmallows, this simple recipe is the perfect way to combine sweet fresh fruit with a rich and creamy pudding sauce.
Vanilla Pudding Fruit Salad With Marshmallows
Pudding Fruit Salad is an easy, no-cook classic recipe that quickly combines a creamy base with an abundance of fresh fruit and mini marshmallows in only 10 minutes.
Call it a fruit cocktail salad, Ambrosia Salad or 5 Cup Salad, this could be the most straightforward way to mix them all into one treat and make it my latest rendition of an easy fruit salad with Cool Whip recipe!
The best part of this no-bake, “dump and go” fruit salad dessert is that you can make your own rainbow recipe by using your favorite fresh seasonal fruits and berries or tossing in canned fruits to give it a bit more bulk.
The fluffy vanilla-flavored sauce or “dressing” is nothing more than pudding powder mixed with cool whip; it’s tossed with all the other ingredients, chilled, and placed on the picnic table.
No-bake desserts pair perfectly with warm weather so the oven won’t heat up your house. For more cold fruit salad recipes, try my Cherry Fluff and Strawberry Fluff Salad.
Why We Love This Fruit Salad with Vanilla Pudding Recipe
- Quick and easy to make in minutes–no fancy equipment needed.
- Uses simple ingredients that you can customize.
- Healthy, naturally gluten-free recipe that’s full of vitamins and essential nutrients.
- Sweet, creamy, comforting, and colorful.
- Tasty twist on a traditional fruit salad.
- Fun to make with kids and a great way to get them to help in the kitchen.
- Perfect to eat alongside other savory sides at picnics, backyard barbecues, warm weather parties, and potlucks.
Ingredients
- Whipped topping: For a lighter version, you can use a sugar free or fat-free whipped topping.
- Instant vanilla pudding
- Seedless green grapes
- Fresh strawberries
- Mini marshmallows: I used plain white mini marshmallows, but you can use the multicolored ones for some extra color and flavor.
- Can pineapple tidbits: Feel free to use drained crushed pineapple instead of the pineapple tidbits.
- Can mandarin oranges
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
Substitutions and Additions
- Get Other Grapes: You can substitute black or red seedless grapes for the green seedless grapes in this salad.
- Add-Ins: Add chopped nuts (like walnuts, almonds, and pecans), raisins, craisins, or coconut flakes for extra texture and flavor.
- Favorite Fruit: Make this salad your own by adding your favorite fruits. Some ideas include sliced peaches, bananas, apples, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or drained halved maraschino cherries.
- Pick Your Pudding: Feel free to use your favorite flavor of pudding mix for a fun flavor swap. I love the taste of vanilla, but pistachio, lemon, cheesecake, or even white chocolate would taste delicious.
Recommended Tools
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
How to Make Pudding Fruit Salad
This vanilla pudding fruit salad is an easy old-fashioned favorite that takes mere minutes to make simply by mixing your ingredients in one bowl and then refrigerating until you’re ready to eat! So deliciously sweet, it tastes like a creamy dessert that you can serve as a side salad.
- Prepare The Pudding Mixture: Sprinkle the dry instant pudding over the whipped topping and whisk to combine.
NOTE: You are not making the pudding, do not follow the directions on the box! We are just using the dry pudding mix. - Combine All Contents: Add the fruit and marshmallows to the “dressing” mixture and stir until completely coated. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!
Tips
- This dish can also be doubled or tripled if you need to feed a crowd.
- You can serve this salad as a side dish at a holiday brunch or as a topping for a slice of pound cake as a delicious dessert.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: This salad should not be frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make a dairy-free version of this salad. Use coconut whipped cream or your favorite plant-based whipping cream alternative.
This fruit salad recipe can be served right after making, but it is so much better if it has time to chill and let the flavors come together. I recommend allowing it to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
No, this salad should not be frozen! If you freeze this salad, you will end up with a melted, watery mess when it thaws.
You can absolutely make a homemade whipped cream for your fruit salad. A simple way to may your own is by beating cold heavy cream with powdered sugar for 2-3 minutes. See my easy homemade whipped cream recipe!
More favorites from princess pinky girl
Pudding Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounce container whipped topping thawed
- 3½ tablespoons (½ of a 3.4 ounce box) instant vanilla pudding
- 2 cups seedless green grapes
- 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries washed and capped
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 20 ounce can pineapple tidbits drained
- 22 ounce (2 11-ounce) can mandarin oranges drained
Instructions
- Add the thawed whipped topping to a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the 3 ½ tablespoons of instant vanilla pudding over the whipped topping. Whisk until the pudding and whipped topping are completely combined.
- Add the grapes, sliced strawberries, mini marshmallows, pineapple and mandarin oranges. Stir until the fruit and marshmallows are completely coated. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: This salad should not be frozen.
- This dish can also be doubled or tripled if you need to feed a crowd.
- You can serve this salad as a side dish at a holiday brunch or as a topping for a slice of pound cake as a delicious dessert.
I had bananas, grapes, strawberry, blueberries, tangerines and pecans. wow.. amazing!!
can you make this the night before?
I love love love this recipe!!! It has been a hit for work potlucks and just to make at home for the fam bam!! I make the x 30 servings each time and nothing is left over! Thank you so much for this recipe! It is the bomb.com!!
Can you use sugar free instant vanilla pudding instead of reg pudding in this recipe?
I haven’t tried using sugar free instant vanilla pudding before, but I imagine it will work just fine! Enjoy!
Looking forward to more recipes,thank you for sharing.
What if I can’t find the instant pudding can I use the regular putting
It was very easy and good. It disappeared real fast.
I simply enjoy / love every recipe here! They are easy, delicious and they make a beautiful colorful dish.
Thank you so much. Making fruit salad tomorrow once I get my grapes!
Oh my goodness this is just pure deliciousness!! Taking this dish to a bunco party!! Canโt wait!
If I were to make this for family functions or church functions how can I make enough for it? I really love fruit salad and I’m really interested in make this recipe.