Vanilla Pudding Fruit Salad is a simple and sweet twist on a traditional fruit salad recipe. This easy dessert has a beautiful rainbow of fruit in an easy vanilla sauce making it the perfect dessert or ice cream topping!
I love summer; green grass, fresh flowers, sunny afternoons and a bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables! I try to incorporate fresh summer produce into every meal from Mango Berry Overnight Oats for breakfast to beautiful salads for lunch and grilled veggies for dinner… and of course fresh fruits and berries for dessert. The perfectly sweet way to end a beautiful summer meal!
I usually end up making pies or fruit crisps but sometimes it’s nice to have something that’s really easy, no baking required and totally no fuss while still enjoying the summer bounty.
This dessert contains all of the colors of the rainbow in one delicious bowl. I use canned peaches, mandarins and pineapple to make this dessert quick and easy. If you happen to have fresh on hand you can certainly use those as well! I would suggest peeling your peaches (it takes just seconds using this tomato peeling method here) and tossing them with a little bit of lemon/lime juice right away so they don’t brown.
You will combine a little bit of pudding mix with the juice from one of the cans of peaches and drain all of the remaining fruit. This creates a sweet vanilla sauce for the fruit turning it into a simple summer dessert that is full of color and flavor. (We love Vanilla with Fruit Salad)!
This Fruit Salad with Vanilla Pudding is perfect served as is or topped with Cool Whip. If you’re looking for something extra special, we love to spoon it over ice cream, Greek yogurt or angel food cake! You can create extra sauce if desired by reserving some of the fruit juices from the cans and stirring in pudding mix. It can get quite sweet so I’d suggest making any extra sauce on the side instead of adding it right into the fruit salad.
I add in fresh lime zest for a burst of citrus flavor, if you don’t have lime you can substitute lemon zest or even add both if you’d like! If you’re looking for a dessert to feed a crowd, this vanilla pudding fruit salad fits the bill perfectly.
Vanilla Pudding Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 30.5 ounces sliced peaches 2 cans
- 11 ounces mandarin orange segments 1 can
- 15 ounces pineapple chunks 1 can
- 2 bananas sliced
- 1 green apple cored & diced
- 1 ½ cups blueberries
- 1 ½ cups purple grapes
- 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
Instructions
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Zest the lime.
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Drain one of the cans of peaches into a large bowl. Stir 2 tablespoons pudding mix into the juice.
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Drain remaining can of peaches, mandarin oranges and pineapple chunks. (Juice is not needed for this recipe).
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Add all fruit and lime zest to the pudding mixture. Gently stir to combine.
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Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
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How far ahead of time can this be made?
We recommend chilling this recipe for at least 30 mins before serving but it can be prepped a few hours in advance. If prepping too far in advance the apples can get soggy.
Do you use peaches in syrup or juice?
We use peaches in juice for this recipe but either one would work!
Tried this recipe on company for the 4th of July, 2023. I don’t remember having so many people going crazy over one of my dishes. Of course I was totally blown away by it also. Such a simple little thing turned fruit into a celebration. Guess I will be sending your recipe to everyone I know now. Thank you.
Your reciepe(×2) calls for 4 of Tbsp vanilla pudding mix but when reading the instructions it calls for 2. Am I supposed to add the other 2 later?
If using the X2, it will update the ingredients only, not the written instructions. You will use all of the pudding mix (4TBS if doubling the recipe) in the same step.
Delicious
how many ozs of fruit jice
You will use the juices from one of the cans of peaches.
Can I use fresh fruit for everything except the pineapple?
If you happen to have fresh on hand you can certainly use those as well! I would suggest peeling your peaches (it takes just seconds using this tomato peeling method here) and tossing them with a little bit of lemon/lime juice right away so they don’t brown.
Silly question, but do you make the actual pudding to add to the peach juice or add dry pudding mix?
Great question Cec, in step 2, we add the dry pudding mix to the juice. We do not make the pudding. Enjoy the fruit salad!
I’m sorry if this is a stupid question,but do we slice the grapes in half?
Hi Rach, You can leave them whole if you prefer but we like to cut them in half.
For diabetics or if you are simply watching your weight, you can use the sugar free pudding. No one will ever know the difference. Enjoy.
Thanks for the tip Polly!
Are you supposed to add the lime juice too? Seems like a waste of a lime to just use the zest.
We use only the zest in this recipe Kim. The lime should definitely be used for another recipe!
thanks a whole lot this excellent website is actually conventional plus simple
I would like to try this recipe but I’m allergic to peaches what can what can I substitute and place of the peaches
Hi Danielle, canned mangoes would be a delicious substitution, but you can use whatever fruit you prefer. You will just need to make sure you get one canned with juice to mix the vanilla pudding into!
How long will this last in the fridge? My kids take lunch to school & this would be a nice change.
This never lasts more than a couple days in my house, but I would think it could last 3-5 days depending on how fresh your fruit is.
A popular dish for my family and friends, so I always make extra and it is good for about a week. Just slice the fresh bananas seperate and add right before serving
I haven’t tried fruit salad with vanilla pudding. I will have to try this Vanilla Pudding. Thank you!
I love the sound of the vanilla sauce! How have I never had this in my life??
I do this with the vanilla pudding! Such a great way to add flavor and keep things easy. Beautiful fruit salad!