Easy Fruit Salad with Vanilla Pudding

5 from 1 vote

A simple fresh fruit salad that's tossed with a vanilla pudding and lime juice dressing!

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword easy fruit salad, fresh fruit salad, fruit salad, fruit salad with vanilla pudding

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings people

Calories 100kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

8 cups chopped fresh fruit or berries (such as a combination of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and peaches)
Zest from 1 lime
2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
¼ cup lime juice

In a large bowl, stir together fruit and lime zest.
In a small bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and lime juice until smooth and thick (the dressing will have a soft pudding-like consistency, but will thin as it sits in the bowl and mixes with the juices from the fruit).
Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss to coat.
Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

If using bananas in your salad, wait to add them just before serving. The bananas tend to brown faster than other fruit.

The acid and sugar in the dressing will macerate or break down the fruit as it sits, so do not add the dressing more than about 1-2 hours before serving.

If using peaches, pears, or apples, it's not necessary to peel them before adding them to the dish.

When zesting the lime, be careful that you do not include any of the bitter white pith. Just scrape off the thin outer layer of the peel, which contains all of the essential oils (and flavor!).

Garnish the salad with fresh lime, additional lime zest, fresh mint, or other fresh herbs like basil or thyme. For a crunchy garnish, add some chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds.