Fruit Salad with Vanilla Pudding

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Refrigerate: 60 mins

Total: 70 mins

Servings: 10 servings

This fruit salad recipe is topped with a creamy vanilla pudding mixture, and it makes a refreshing dessert or even a side dish for a brunch. I like to serve this fruit salad for parties, holidays and potlucks. But sometimes I make this fruit salad just for us — the kids will eat it as a snack or even breakfast!

The fruit listed in the ingredient list are just suggestions — you can use any kind of soft fruit you like, such as raspberries, blackberries, diced peaches, nectarines, plums, or apricots, and if you have access to fresh pineapple, do use that as well.  I often make this with sweet canned mandarin oranges, but you could use fresh oranges, clementines, or tangerines instead.  Some thinly sliced apples are also nice.

Ingredients

• 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice

• 1 cup regular or low-fat sour cream

• 1 (3- to 4-ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix

• 2 1/2 cups sliced red seedless grapes

• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

• 1 cup fresh blueberries

• 1 (10-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained

Steps to Make It

1. Drain the pineapple chunks, reserving the juice in a 1-cup measuring cup. You will need 3/4 cup of the pineapple juice; discard (or drink!) any extra. If you don't have enough pineapple juice, add enough water to the juice to make 3/4 cup.

2. Mix the pineapple juice, sour cream and instant vanilla pudding in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, also refrigerate the pineapple chunks.

4. Toss the grapes, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges and pineapple chunks together. Place the fruit salad in a tall glass, crystal serving bowl or glass serving dishes.

5. Spoon the chilled pudding mixture over the fruit salad — if you like your topping a bit fluffier, you can beat it with an electric hand mixer for a minute before spooning it over the fruit.