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This refreshing fruit salad is perfect as a side dish or a healthy dessert…and it has a secret ingredient that might surprise you! Perfect for summer, this fruit salad will win your backyard barbecues and picnics.
It’s summertime, and that means an abundance of fresh fruit just waiting to be turned into an amazing fruit salad! It’s the perfect summer side dish for backyard BBQs, picnics, and potlucks because it requires no cooking, just some cutting up and mixing in a bowl. Pair it with some of our other summertime favorites like BLT Turkey Wraps, Classic Macaroni Salad, and Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad.
This refreshing summer fruit salad recipe has tons of your favorite fresh fruit and a secret ingredient – Vanilla Pudding Mix! The dry mix is sprinkled on top of the fruit and combines with the juices to create a delicious sauce the covers each bite. Everyone loves it and is surprised when I tell them how to make it. I almost feel guilty because it’s so easy!
How to Make Fruit Salad
So to make this fresh fruit salad, you need lots of fresh fruit! There is just something about fresh fruit that is so beautiful, isn’t there?
You can totally use the fruits that I did, or you can choose your favorites and just use those. There is no right or wrong way to make this easy fruit salad!
Some of my favorite fruits to include in fruit salad are:
- Strawberries
- Kiwi
- Grapes
- Blueberries
- Pineapple
- Melon
- Mandarin oranges
The key is to pick juicy fruits because to make that luscious fruit salad dressing, you’re going to sprinkle on some vanilla pudding mix. When it hits those fruits the juices come out even more and they combine with the dry pudding mix to form a delicious fruit salad dressing that will surprise you by just how delicious it actually is!
I also like to take into account the color and pick a variety of colors the represent the rainbow.
How do you keep fruit salad fresh?
Fruit salad will stay at its optimum freshness for at most a day or two. To help it stay fresher longer, cut the fruit into larger chunks. The fruit will get mushy quicker if it’s in smaller pieces. Also, make sure there is no water on the fruit that could add unwanted liquid to the dish.
Prolong Freshness with Lemon Juice
To keep your cut fruit fresher longer, try tossing it with a little bit of lemon juice. The citric acid will help prevent oxidization and keep your salad fresh for up to three days. A little lime juice and lime zest works too.
How long will this fruit salad last?
Store your fruit salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir it up each time you serve to redistribute the dressing and you’re ready to serve.
Do I have to use pudding mix?
The pudding mix is what creates the dressing that coats the fruit salad. You can also just chop up your fruit and mix it in a large bowl and call it good!
More Fresh Fruit Salad Recipes
- Sour Cream Salad
- Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
- Creamy Grape Salad
- Tropical Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
Summer Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh fruit cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoon dry Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
Instructions
- Place fruit in a medium sized bowl.
- Sprinkle dry pudding mix on top and stir gently to coat each piece.
- Refrigerate for at least two hours, or up to overnight.
Notes
Nutrition
Can you use cook and serve pudding?
To be honest I haven’t tried that, but you could try it. The quick mix is really inexpensive so it’s my go-to.
Is it instant pudding mis or cook kind?
Instant pudding
You are a genius! The instant pudding mix gives that little bit of extra sweetness without a lot of liquid!
Glad you liked it Julie! Thanks for stopping by.
I want to prepare this fruit for a couple of days will it get soggy after I add the dry pudding mix
Do you mean a couple of days ahead of time? Fruit releases liquid the longer it sits so yes it will get soggy after a while.
can i use oranges and apples and grapes and strawberries and blueberries for this???
You can any fruit you like!
Made this fruit salad for the first time. My husband took it to his job for a small party. They LOVED it!!! I wondered about the vanilla pudding but it made the fruit even more tasty. Now the nurses require it at every get together.
That’s so awesome Sandy! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience.
Really good.
can yyou use honey & orange juice for the dressing
Sure, that would be delicious!
Very very good !!!
Great recipe. I don’t like grapes. Can I use gooseberries instead?
Hi Dan, you can use any fruit you like.