Secret Ingredient Fruit Salad – Easy to Make Recipe

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This “Secret Ingredient” Fruit Salad is fresh and tasty. Filled with a variety of textures and fruit in each bite! This fresh fruit salad is wonderful during the hot days of summer …. think backyard BBQ, pool party, picnic or Fourth of July celebration! It is beautiful on a holiday table alongside Easter lunch or brunch!

I came across this secret fruit salad recipe years ago while in search for a salad to make for a friend’s baby shower. It was a hit! Since then, I have made it many times for various gatherings.

I cannot find the original website anymore to which I found this particular recipe. I have also cut the portions in half from the original as it was 30 servings. Here, I have it down to 15 servings. 

When I found this recipe, I was intrigued by the “secret” ingredient! It is simply a box of instant pudding mix! I had to try it! It adds a somewhat creamy vanilla flavor that complements the fruit so well. To me it tastes like the fruit has a touch of cotton candy flavor. 

How To Make “Secret Ingredient” Fruit Salad

The ingredient list includes a variety of fruit: canned pineapple, canned peaches, fresh strawberries, blueberries, and grapes. You can swap out some of these fruits for your favorite fruits as well, just make sure to keep the volume of fruit and liquid content similar.

Ripe fruit that is fresh (preferably from your garden or local farmers market) will make this homemade fruit salad taste even better! I have not tried frozen fruit before, I worry the fruit may end up being too mushy and add extra liquid to the sauce. If you try frozen fruit please let me know!

Wash the blueberries, grapes and strawberries. From the strawberries, remove the stem and slice them into fourths. Set the berries and grapes aside to dry. Peel and slice the banana.

Open the canned fruit but DO NOT DRAIN the juice. In a large bowl gently combine the canned fruit with the vanilla pudding mix. If a few small lumps remain they will dissolve as the salad chills.

Stir in the sugar/sweetener and fresh fruit: strawberries, banana, grapes, and blueberries. Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours.

This salad is best eaten the day it is made but can last 2 to 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the refregerator. You can add a few splashes of additional acidic juice … which slows the browning process on the bananas. Acidic fruit juices may include: Lemon juice, Lime juice, Orange juice, or fresh pineapple juice. Vinegar can also slow the browning process but too much would alter the taste …. so that would be a risky option. 

HELPFUL TIP – If you have leftovers that are starting to go mushy. Consider freezing the fruit salad in a covered ice cube tray and using for smoothies.

Substitutions

The fruit can easily be swapped out with another fruit of choice. You could do mandarin oranges, blackberries, or raspberries for example. You can use any color of grape you prefer. I used green and purple grapes for more color variety. I served this at a baby shower in a large clear bowl. It looked beautiful with all of the colorful fruit on display.

The recipe calls for 1 to 2 tablespoons of added sugar. The sugar could be substituted with any preferred sweetener. Make sure to check a conversion table depending on what sweetener you use.

Some people prefer to add orange juice or honey as a sweetener as well. Add sweeteners gradually and taste test the sweetness level as you add. Also, I would taste the salad before adding sweetener or sugar. You may find the sweetness from the fruit itself and the pudding mix alone to be sweet enough. It also may depend what kind of canned fruit you buy and if it has a sugary syrup or not. 

Additional Serving Ideas for Fruit Salad:

Although, this fruit salad is delicious as is, here are a few additional ideas for serving and eating….. This fruit salad would be delicious served over a slice of angel food cake, shortcake or pound cake. Just like a strawberry shortcake!

Enjoy on a scoop of vanilla ice cream! The fruit juice and the pudding mix would make for a yummy fruit syrup. If these ideas are appealing to you, I would swap in more berries but you certainly don’t have to. 

You could serve the fruit salad individually in small cups or bowls topped with a dollap of whip cream and a few shavings of lemon zests on top. Or consider adding a mint leaf as well! Fancy Fancy! 

More Party Appetizers and Sides …..

Best Cream Cheese Shrimp Dip (with cocktail sauce)

Easy Smoked Tuna Dip (10 min or less)

The Best Smoked Tuna Dip (made with cream cheese)

“You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.”

– C.S. Lewis