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A close-up shot of a white bowl of creamy fruit salad, topped with a large swirl of whipped cream and a fresh strawberry.

Refreshing Fruit Salad with Cool Whip

A delightful and easy-to-make fruit salad featuring a vibrant mix of fresh, colorful fruits folded into a sweet and creamy Cool Whip dressing. It's the perfect light dessert or side dish for any occasion.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 180
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Fruit Salad
  • 1 lb Strawberries hulled and sliced
  • 1 cup Blueberries fresh, rinsed
  • 2 cups Green Grapes halved
  • 1 fresh Pineapple peeled, cored, and cubed (or 20 oz can, drained)
  • 1 (15 oz) can Mandarin Oranges drained, or 4 fresh, peeled and segmented
  • 2 medium Bananas sliced (add just before serving)
For the Cool Whip Dressing
  • 1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip thawed
  • 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Spatula
  • Cutting Board
  • Sharp Knife

Method
 

Prepare the Fruits
  1. Wash and prepare all fresh fruits. Hull and slice the strawberries. Rinse blueberries thoroughly. Halve the green grapes. Peel, core, and cube the fresh pineapple (or drain canned pineapple well). Drain the mandarin oranges (or peel and segment fresh ones). Set aside.
Make the Cool Whip Dressing
  1. In a large mixing bowl, gently fold together the thawed Cool Whip, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until they are well combined and the mixture is smooth.
Combine and Chill
  1. Add the prepared strawberries, blueberries, grapes, pineapple, and mandarin oranges to the Cool Whip mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until all the fruit is evenly coated in the dressing.
  2. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill thoroughly. This step is crucial for the best taste.
Serve
  1. Just before serving, slice the bananas and gently fold them into the fruit salad. This prevents the bananas from browning too quickly. Serve chilled.

Notes

For the freshest taste, prepare the fruit salad (excluding bananas) a few hours in advance and chill thoroughly. You can customize this salad with other favorite fruits like kiwi, cantaloupe, honeydew, or even apples (toss apples in a little lemon juice to prevent browning if adding early). Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days, though fresh is always best!