Fruit co*cktail Salad - Recipe Diaries (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Jenna · This post may contain affiliate links · 20 Comments

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This fruit co*cktail salad is a dessert salad that takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and the pastel mini marshmallows make this the perfect salad for Easter. Only 3 Ingredients are required!

Fruit co*cktail Salad - Recipe Diaries (1)

Do you like other salad dessert recipes like this? Check out my recipe for Oreo Fluff or Fudge Stiped Cookie Fruit Salad.

Jump to:
  • Why You Will Love This Recipe
  • How to Make Fruit co*cktail Salad
  • Variations to Try
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Other Dessert Salad Recipes
  • Fruit co*cktail Salad

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Midwesterners like to serve these types of dessert salads during Holiday gatherings and this type of salad is probably something you'd see at a church potluck.

It’s not your typical healthy salad with lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes that is for sure. 😉

It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and you can make it the day ahead. Just keep it wrapped up tightly in a fridge with saran wrap.

Ingredients Needed

Fruit co*cktail Salad - Recipe Diaries (2)

Fruit co*cktail packed in water - A mixture of sweet and tart fruits like cherries, peaches, and pears. This comes in cans or small cups.

Cool Whip - I like to use this for a shortcut but you can always make your own whipped topping using heavy whipping cream

Pastel mini marshmallows or regular white colored marshmallows, I love the colors of these. You find these all year long in the grocery store.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make Fruit co*cktail Salad

Step 1: Drain the juice out of the canned fruit co*cktail. Reserve ½ of the fruit co*cktail for the top.

Fruit co*cktail Salad - Recipe Diaries (3)

Step 2: Add fruit co*cktail, mini marshmallows, and cool whip to a medium to large sized bowl.

Fruit co*cktail Salad - Recipe Diaries (4)

Step 3: Stir or fold the cool whip together with the fruit and marshmallows until well combined.

Fruit co*cktail Salad - Recipe Diaries (5)

Step 4: Serve the salad in a clear glass bowl and flatten the top out with a spatula. Add some extra marshmallows and the reserved fruit co*cktail to the top of the salad. This lets people know what is in the salad.

Makes a total of 10 servings and I used a ½ cup for each serving.

Variations to Try

Usually, these type of dessert salads contain Cool Whip or Whipped Topping, canned fruit, and instant pudding mix. The ingredients are very interchangeable.

My favorite is Fudge Striped Cookie fruit salad because of the fudge striped cookies on top.

This co*cktail salad is easy to make just like my Oreo Fluff recipe.

In the Fall you can make Pumpkin Fluff or Cranberry Fluff Salad.

Around Christmas time try Peppermint Oreo Fluff.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make my own heavy cream?

You do not need to use a container of Cool Whip for this. When I worked at the hotel we would always make our own whipped cream for these dessert salads in a huge stand mixer.

What other ingredients can I add?

Try adding some toasted coconut flakes, a can of pineapple, or mandarin oranges if you like.

Can I make this the day ahead?

Yes, just mix the salad a day ahead and store it in an airtight container or place saran wrap tightly over the bowl. It will last up to 3-5 days.

Why is there juice in the bowl?

Sometimes there will be water on the bottom of the salad. This is from the juice from the fruit co*cktail. Just stir it back up again with the other ingredients.

Other Dessert Salad Recipes

  • Pumpkin Fluff Dip Recipe
  • Cranberry Fluff Salad
  • Easy Oreo Fluff Recipe
  • Peppermint Oreo Fluff

If you tried this Fruit co*cktail Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries

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Fruit co*cktail Salad - Recipe Diaries (10)

Fruit co*cktail Salad

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

4.8 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Jenna
  • Total Time: 10min
  • Yield: 10 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Fruit co*cktail salad takes less than 5 minutes to prep and only has 3 ingredients!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 15 oz cans of canned fruit co*cktail packed in water
  • 1 8 oz container of Cool Whip lite
  • 1 cup of pastel mini marshmallows

Instructions

  1. Drain the juice out of the canned fruit co*cktail. Reserve ¼ of the fruit co*cktail for the top.
  2. Add fruit co*cktail, mini marshmallows, and cool whip to a medium to large sized bowl.
  3. Stir or fold the cool whip together with the fruit and marshmallows until well combined.
  4. Serve the salad in a clear glass bowl and flatten the top out with a spatula. Add some extra marshmallows and the reserved fruit co*cktail to the top of the salad. This lets people know what is in the salad.
  5. Makes a total of 10 servings and I used a ½ cup for each serving.

Notes

Instead of using Cool Whip make your own whipped topping with heavy whipping cream.

If there's any liquid at the bottom of the bowl just fold it in again with the other ingredients.

  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stir
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 95
  • Sugar: 10g
  • Sodium: 7mg
  • Fat: 3g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Carbohydrates: 18g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 0g

More Soups and Salads

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  • Creamy White Chicken Chili
  • Ree Drummond Perfect Potato Soup
  • Easy Lasagna Soup

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Connie Dingus says

    I have made a version of this salad for 50+ years. I use a bag of miniature marshmallows, a large can of fruit co*cktail in syrup (do not drain) and a small container of heavy whipping cream. I put the marshmallows Cover mallows in a nice large clear bowl and pour the fruit co*cktail over the marshmallows; cover tightly and store in the refrigerator over night. When I’m ready to prepare my salad I drain the marshmallows and fruit co*cktail in a colander. I whip my cream and fold the marshmallows and fruit co*cktail into it. I usually like to refrigerate it a little bit before serving.

  2. Jenna says

    Thanks Linda!

  3. Linda says

    Very good, I have made this for many years.

  4. Jenna says

    yes just make sure to keep it covered

  5. terri says

    can I make this the day before serving it.

  6. Sandy says

    We make this in Florida using a pint of sour cream rather than the chemically phoney Cool Whip. The marshmallows sweeten up the sour cream and we add canned peaches, pears, canned pineapple and maraschino cherries.

  7. Miranda says

    Thank you for this it really helped me

  8. Jenna says

    Thanks Jerri!

  9. Jerri jones says

    Easiest to make and was great the first time I made it

  10. Jenna says

    That's cause I didn't use it.

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Fruit co*cktail Salad - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between fruit salad and fruit co*cktail? ›

Fruit co*cktail is made with various kinds of fruit served in a liquid of fruit juices or syrup. Canned fruit co*cktail contains diced fruit as opposed to canned fruit salad which has larger chunks.

What is a creamy fruit salad made of? ›

Beat cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Mix in whipped topping on high speed until incorporated. Fold in pineapple, fruit co*cktail, bananas, apple, coconut, pecans, raisins, and cherries. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover, and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

What are the fruits in a fruit co*cktail? ›

A tasty combo of preservative- and fat-free peaches, pears, grapes, pineapple, and cherries, packed fresh in 100% real fruit juice from concentrate.

How do you keep fruit salad from getting soggy? ›

It's best to store fruit salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These containers create the perfect level of moisture and humidity for cut fruit, helping the pieces stay fresher for longer. We also love using these reusable silicone bags to create individual portions that are easy to grab and go for lunch.

Why do people put sugar on fruit salad? ›

By adding white granulated sugar to unripened fruits, you can speed up that process and make the fruit taste more ripe. This is also a great way to make a bad batch of fruits — like flavorless watermelon or cantaloupe — taste juicy and delicious.

What is fruit salad dressing made of? ›

Try a simplified version, leaving out the flour and simply stirring together honey, fruit juice, lemon and sugar. Add zest: Stir the zest of a lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit into the dressing to add a lively, fresh flavor.

What is a fancy name for a fruit salad? ›

A fruit salad is sometimes known as a fruit co*cktail (often connoting a canned product), or fruit cup (when served in a small container). There are many types of fruit salad, ranging from the basic (no nuts, marshmallows, or dressing) to the moderately sweet (Waldorf salad) to the sweet (ambrosia salad).

What is Greek salad made of? ›

A traditional Greek salad consists of sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, green bell pepper, red onion, olives, and feta cheese. This classic combination is delicious, so I stick to it, just adding a handful of mint leaves for a fresh finishing touch. My olives of choice are Kalamata olives.

What is the difference between ambrosia and watergate? ›

Watergate has a nutty, sweet flavor from the pistachio flavoring while ambrosia features a prominent coconut flavor. Another dead giveaway is the signature minty green color of a Watergate salad that comes courtesy of the pistachio pudding blend while ambrosia salad has a white color.

Is canned fruit co*cktail healthy? ›

It's best to avoid canned fruits in heavy syrup or with added sugars. That being said, fruit is only beneficial to your health if it's actually eaten. So if a small amount of syrup is what makes the fruit enjoyable for you, then it's perfectly fine to choose that option on occasion.

What is in Dole fruit co*cktail? ›

Storage Instructions: After opening. refrigerate contents in glass or plastic container. Ingredients: Pineapple, Water, Papaya, Sugar, Nata De Coco (Coconut Gel), Glace Cherries (With Colour (E127)), Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid), Sweetener (Sucralose).

What constitutes a fruit salad? ›

Fruit salad is a dish consisting of various kinds of fruit, sometimes served in a liquid, either their juices or a syrup. In different forms, fruit salad can be served as an appetizer or a side as a salad.

What is the fancy name for fruit salad? ›

fruit salad
  • mixed greens.
  • tossed salad.
  • Waldorf salad.

What's the difference between a fruit salad and a fruit plate? ›

A fruit plate is generally presented in the same manner as crudité, as finger food with some sort of dip which may or may not be used. A fruit salad is usually prepared to be eaten with a fork and will generally be dressed in some way.

Is fruit co*cktail healthy for you? ›

It's best to avoid canned fruits in heavy syrup or with added sugars. That being said, fruit is only beneficial to your health if it's actually eaten. So if a small amount of syrup is what makes the fruit enjoyable for you, then it's perfectly fine to choose that option on occasion.

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