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This Easy Fruit Salad with Cool Whip is the perfect side for a picnic, party, or just a busy weeknight supper. Add any fruit you have on hand for a deliciously refreshing dish!
A Creamy, Dreamy Fruit Salad
Are you searching for the perfect side dish that’s refreshing, versatile, and easy ? Look no further—I’ve got just the thing! This delicious, creamy Fruit Salad with Cool Whip is always a hit.
Whether I’m planning a summer picnic, hosting a party, heading to a potluck, or just need a quick and tasty side dish, this easy fruit salad recipe is my go-to crowd-pleaser. I love how I can customize it with whatever fruit I have on hand—it’s a great way to use up those extra fruits and berries before they go bad. The creamy Cool Whip dressing gives it a dessert-like touch that everyone, kids and adults alike, can’t resist!
Fruit Salad Ingredients
This salad is ideal because you can literally throw in any fruit you have on hand. It’s really up to you what ingredients you want to add or take out (see more options below), but for reference here’s what we typically add to our fruit salad:
- Crushed pineapple – Pineapple tidbits will work too. Just don’t drain the juices because it adds a ton of flavor to the dressing.
- Sliced strawberries – Fresh works best, but you can use thawed frozen berries too.
- Bananas, sliced – I use extra bananas sometimes because they’re my kids’ favorite, and I love that they’re getting some added potassium.
- Grapes – Red grapes or green grapes work great. I like to keep these whole but you can slice them in halves.
- Mandarin oranges – You can peel and use fresh orange segments too for added Vitamin C. But the mandarin oranges are so easy to use in this great recipe.
- Berries – Blackberries, raspberries, and/or blueberries.
Make It Your Own
When it comes to creating a delicious fruit salad, the options are endless! While personal preferences and seasonal availability can play a role in your fruit choices, here are some of the best fruits that pair well in a fruit salad:
Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries add vibrant colors and a burst of sweetness.
Citrus Fruits: Oranges, mandarins, grapefruits, and tangerines bring a refreshing tanginess to the salad.
Tropical Fruits: Pineapple chunks, mango, kiwi, and papaya lend a tropical twist and juicy flavors.
Stone Fruits: Peaches, nectarines, plums, and apricots provide a luscious texture and sweet juiciness.
Melons: Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon add a cool and refreshing element to the salad.
Grapes: Green, red, or black grapes offer a delightful burst of sweetness and a juicy texture.
Apples and Pears: Crisp apple slices and juicy pear chunks add a pleasant crunch and mild sweetness.
Bananas: Sliced bananas bring a creamy texture and natural sweetness to the salad.
Remember, the beauty of fruit salad is its versatility, so feel free to mix and match your favorite fruits or use what you have on hand. Be sure to choose fruits that are ripe, fresh, and at their peak for the best flavor and texture in your fruit salad.
Fruit Salad Dressing
Now for the best part, the delicious dressing! The key ingredient here is instant pistachio or vanilla pudding mix. Mixed with the crushed pineapple and juices, along with a tub of regular Cool Whip. The pudding gives this dressing a rich, creamy texture, and a beautiful whipped topping consistency. Here’s how to get just the right texture:
- Mix the dry instant pudding mix into a bowl with the crushed pineapple and juices.
- Next, gently fold in the Cool Whip.
- Pour over the sliced fruit and fold it all together.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge until serving. It doesn’t keep as well the next day, especially if you add bananas or other fruit that can brown or get soggy.
Tips and Variations for Fruit Salad with Cool Whip
Cool Whip or Homemade Whipped Cream: We use a regular tub of Cool Whip, but you can use the sugar free or fat free version too, and it tastes delicious! You can also use heavy whipping cream. Whip it up before adding the pudding and sliced fruit.
Make it Crunchy: Add pecans, nuts, raisins, craisins, or coconut flakes for extra texture and flavor.
Make it Fluffy: Stir in 1 cup mini marshmallows to make it more of a Watergate salad or Ambrosia fluff salad – kids love these!
Pudding Flavors: Feel free to use any flavor of the pudding mix to change up the flavor. We’re partial to pistachio, but vanilla, lemon or any other flavor would taste terrific!
Thicken the Dressing: For an extra thick sauce or dressing, mix in a few spoonfuls of plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, room-temperature cream cheese, or sour cream. Cottage cheese would add a nice flavor and texture too and will give you an extra boost of calcium. You can also add a dash of lemon juice to the dressing for an extra zing. It’s practically a healthy food!
Save Money: Blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries can be quite pricey, especially when they’re not in season, so use a few of each of these, then use apples, pears, bananas, grapes and other cheaper fruits to give this salad a bit more bulk. You can also used canned fruit or canned fruit cocktail to replace some of the fresh fruit. Drain the fruit well before using it in the salad.
More Delicious Fruit Salad and Jello Recipes
Try some of these delightfully simple and scrumptious salad recipes and watch your kids devour all that healthy goodness.
How to Make Fruit Salad
Easy Fruit Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 3.4 ounces instant pistachio pudding mix you can use vanilla if you’d like
- 15 ounces crushed pineapple don’t drain
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
- 2 pounds strawberries sliced
- 3 bananas sliced
- 1 pound grapes
- 16 ounces mandarin oranges
- 12 ounces blackberries or raspberries
More options:
- sliced peaches
- blueberries
- huckleberries
Instructions
- Mix pudding mix and crushed pineapple in a large bowl.
- Add Cool Whip and mix well.
- Fold in the fruit.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
how do you make it pink???
You could add juice from the strawberries or some pink food coloring!
Can it be frozen
We haven’t tried freezing it before so I can’t say how that would affect the taste or texture.
Can I add jello
Sure!
can you use fruit cocktail?
I haven’t tried this recipe with fruit cocktail, but it would probably work!
Yes you can use Fruit cocktail . Also use ready made pudding .
Done it 2x’s for picnic’s. Add mini marshmallows !
How long will this last in the frig?
It will taste best if you eat it within a day or two. Thanks for asking!
2 day’s in fridge not longer , cool whip plus gets watery
Super yummy, easy to perpare, this is one that the whole family will enjoy.
I love fruit salad with pudding! 😉 Thanks for sharing a family favorite!
This salad is so good and kids approved. They promise to eat their salad if it’s this one. 😀
Do you the mandarin oranges?Leilah
What a great use of blackberries. This looks delicious!
I love blackberries. This looks really good I am going to make this.
I know this is a salad but I could totally eat this for breakfast! So fresh and so filling!
Do you have to add in the pudding?
It thickens up the salad and gives it a good flavor– I have never made it without. It wouldn’t taste the same without it :/
Is it just the pudding powder or do u prepare the pudding as on the box
You just add the pudding powder!
This is called Ambrosia, is it not?
Nope, you don't make it up first. You just throw everything in together
Just throw the powder pudding mix in?
Yep!
Question…do you make the pudding first (like with the milk and mix) then add the cool whip and pineapple?
Oooo this looks great! An awesome recipe for Summer picnics/BBQ!
Thanks for sharing!
Do you drain the mandarin oranges
Yes, drain the oranges before adding them to the salad.
Sounds yummy!