Tropical Fruit Fluff Salad

Packed full of island flavours, our easy tropical fruit fluff salad recipe is a perfect dessert or side dish for any occasion!

Ready for a tropical escape? Even if you can’t jet off to your favorite beach destination, this Tropical Fruit Fluff Salad recipe is sure to make you feel like you’re on an island vacay!

This easy-to-make dessert salad starts with a box of instant lemon pudding mix but the real flavour comes from sweet pineapple tidbits, mandarin oranges, kiwis, strawberries, and blueberries. The addition of Cool Whip lightens the texture while shredded coconut adds crunch and mini marshmallows bring plenty of sweetness.

Read on to learn how to make a colourful dish that’s perfect for any summer gathering or even when you want something special for weeknight dinner.

Why You Will LOVE This Tropical Fluff Salad

• Fun twist on the classic ambrosia salad
• No melting!
• No bake dessert
• Quick and easy to make
• Creamy, sweet, tangy, and delicious
• Perfect for potlucks, parties, cookouts, and family get-togethers

Tropical Fluff Salad Variations

Change up your fruit fillings and nuts. This salad is easily customisable.

• Swap out some of the fresh fruit for fruit cocktail.
• Add other tropical fruit like fresh sliced bananas (should be added just prior to serving to avoid browning.)
• Change up the pudding flavour – banana or coconut would work great.

What are Fluff Salads?

Fluff Salads are a light dessert salad made with mostly fruit mixed with marshmallows. They can be served as a side dish or as a dessert.

The marshmallows add sweetness and texture to the dish. Common ingredients include fresh fruit, canned pineapple, walnuts and mini marshmallows. Fluff salads are usually dressed with cool whip and yogurt or pudding for an extra creamy texture.

This type of salad is very popular at potlucks and family gatherings because it is easy to make and requires no cooking time.

What To Serve With Tropical Fruit Dessert Salad?

Eat it with a spoon or serve with dippers. If you want some great choices for dippers, here are some favourites:

• Pretzels
• Cookies
• Nilla Wafers
• Graham crackers
• Animal crackers
• Oreos
• Sugar cookies
• Waffle or sugar cone pieces
• Pie crust “chips”

Tips for Making the BEST Fluff Salad

• Carefully fold together the dressing and the fruit so you don’t break apart the fruit pieces.
• Make sure to give it some time to chill before serving. It’s worth the wait. The marshmallows will soften and soak in all the flavors and fruit juices.
• Drain the fruit as much as possible so that the cream does not get too watery as it sits.
• BUT do not drain the pineapple juice unless substituting with milk etc…

How to Store Leftover Tropical Ambrosia Salad

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Ambrosia is best served the day of but leftovers will be perfect for the next few days. If stored any longer the marshmallows will become unpleasantly soggy and mushy from sitting in the cream and fruit juices.

I do not recommend freezing Ambrosia salad.

About the Ingredients for Tropical Fluff Salad

Pudding mix – You can also use the sugar free and fat free version instant lemon pudding. Just make sure it is the instant variety and not the cook and serve. If you can’t find instant lemon pudding, you can use vanilla, cheesecake, or even coconut cream flavours instead.

Crushed pineapple – There is no need to drain the canned pineapple in this recipe as the juice helps dissolve the powder and thicken the pudding mix. Using the pineapple juice makes it that much more flavourful. If you don’t want a strong pineapple flavour, you can drain the canned pineapple juice and instead use 1 cup of milk, sour cream, or yogurt to mix with the instant pudding powder. You can also drain half of the juice and use the remaining if you want the salad to be a little thicker and creamier. Do not use fresh pineapple.

Cool whip – You can use a light/low fat frozen whipped topping instead or make a homemade stabilised whipped cream.

Oranges – You can also use fresh orange, mandarin or clementine sections, but canned mandarins are just so good and easy.

Fruit – Use only fresh and ripe kiwis, strawberries and blueberries, or substitute with other fresh fruit like mango or papaya.

Coconut – If you aren’t into coconut you can omit. Use sweetened or unsweetened coconut according to your own preference.

Marshmallows – Only mini marshmallows will do, skip the regular sized marshmallows. Regular or the fruit flavoured ones will work, although regular will taste better in this mix.

Looking for More Fluff Salad Recipes?

Check out more of my favourite dessert salads!

A classic ambrosia salad recipe that is sure to impress – this vintage salad features fruit tossed in a creamy dressing with marshmallows!

Whip up this banana split fluff salad for a fun and delicious summer treat that’s perfect for potlucks, barbecues, or just because.

With just 6 simple ingredients you can make this creamy, fluffy, and tasty Oreo Fluff Salad recipe. Perfect for parties or special occasions!

How to Make Tropical Fruit Fluff Salad

Yields: 9 cups | Prep time: 10 minutes | Chill time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 3.4 ounce box instant lemon pudding mix
• 20 ounce can pineapple tidbits (or chunks) with juice
• 8 ounce tub Cool Whip
• 15 ounce can mandarin oranges, drained well
• 3 kiwis, peeled and diced
• 1 ½ cup fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 ½ cup shredded coconut
• 4 cups mini marshmallows

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, pour in the juice from the canned pineapple tidbits. Set the pineapple aside to add in later.

Pour the lemon pudding powder in with the pineapple juice.

Mix until the pudding thickens.

Fold in the Cool Whip with a rubber spatula.

Do not whisk it or overmix it because you want it to stay fluffy.

Add in the pineapple pieces, mandarin oranges, kiwi, mango, strawberries, blueberries, coconut shreds, and mini marshmallows.

Mix it all together until fully coated in the pudding and cream mixture.

Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to chill. This will allow the cream to thicken and the flavors to intensify.

When ready to serve, give it another mix and then scoop into bowls. Enjoy!