Vanilla Orange Fruit Salad is a simple fruit salad that makes the perfect side dish for any meal! This delicious fruit salad recipe is full of pineapple, oranges, strawberries and bananas coated with a vanilla pudding and yogurt glaze.
Vanilla Orange Fruit Salad is a family favorite and is one of those fruit salad recipes that I’ve made over and over again. We eat this pretty frequently and it has become a traditional Easter dinner favorite. I have been making a version of this salad for years but have recently decided to tweak it a little bit and I’m loving the results!
The original version of this fruit salad recipe is very similar but calls for Cool Whip instead of vanilla Greek yogurt. The taste is very similar but the consistency is a little bit different – so if you would prefer to use Cool Whip, you can find the original version of the recipe here.
What is Vanilla Orange Fruit Salad?
This fruit salad with vanilla pudding is made with orange juice concentrate to add an intense and refreshing orange flavor. Use vanilla Greek yogurt to mix with the orange flavor and provide an amazing creaminess to the dressing. This fruit salad with pudding is generally made with mandarin oranges, bananas, pineapple and strawberries, but you can add any fruit you’d like!
Why should I try this fruit salad recipe?
I know, I know, there are SO many delicious fruit salad recipes out there to choose from, but this one really is one of the best! Here are a few reasons why:
- The dressing is so unique! It tastes a little like an Orange Creamsicle! The dressing is made with orange juice concentrate, vanilla yogurt and vanilla pudding mix and the orange/vanilla flavor combination is absolutely amazing!
- Fast and easy to make! The whole salad only takes about 5 minutes to make and you can serve it immediately, which means you can have a side dish ready super fast if needed!
- Delicious and versatile! I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t love this salad and I have some pretty picky eaters at my house. It is very easy to swap out some of the fruit or add other fruit that you love.
Fruit Salad Variations
This salad can easily be made with different flavors. If you want to try something different or you just aren’t a huge fan of orange, you can tweak the recipe a little bit. Swap out the orange juice concentrate with any type of frozen juice concentrate flavor- I think it would be amazing with lemonade or even fruit punch. Limeade might work well too, or some type of strawberry fruit juice – the possibilities are endless!
You can also use a different flavor of yogurt – I love the vanilla flavor especially with the orange flavor, but you could use another flavor of yogurt to add a slightly different taste -strawberry, raspberry, lemon, peach – so many flavors to choose from!
What types of fruit are in this Creamy Orange Fruit Salad?
This fruit salad recipe calls for canned pineapple and mandarin oranges, along with fresh strawberries and bananas. I love fruit salads that have some canned fruit in them because then you don’t have to worry about finding (and paying for!) fruit that isn’t in season when you want to prepare a fruit salad to go with dinner.
You can add other types of fruit also – I’ve added grapes, kiwi, and raspberries and they all taste absolutely delicious with the orange dressing. My kids love it when I add mini marshmallows but then it definitely becomes a little bit more like a dessert at that point than a side dish.
Ingredients in Vanilla Orange Fruit Salad recipe
Vanilla pudding mix – You will need one (3.5 oz) package of instant vanilla pudding mix. You could use lemon pudding or banana pudding if you want to change up the flavor a little bit – just make sure to use instant pudding.
Milk – The milk is needed to mix with the pudding. You can use any type of milk that you have on hand.
Orange juice concentrate – The orange juice concentrate is what gives this fruit salad such a strong orange flavor. Make sure to thaw the concentrate for about 10-15 minutes before adding to the recipe so that it will mix well.
Vanilla Greek yogurt – You can swap this out with Cool Whip, but I love the flavor and creaminess of the yogurt, and I love that it adds a little bit of protein too!
Pineapple tidbits – You will need a 20 ounce can of pineapple tidbits. Make sure to drain them well before adding to the salad. You can use fresh pineapple if you’d like.
Mandarin oranges – Use an 11 ounce can of mandarin oranges and make sure they are well drained.
Strawberries – I love adding sliced strawberries to the fruit salad, but any type of berry would be delicious.
Bananas – Sliced bananas go perfectly in the fruit salad, but don’t add them until just before serving so they don’t soften or turn brown.
How to make Vanilla Orange Fruit Salad
The first step is to combine the pudding mix with the milk and orange juice concentrate. Mix with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes.
Next, stir in the yogurt and then add the pineapple, mandarin oranges and strawberries. If serving immediately, add the bananas, but if you will be serving the salad later, store in the refrigerator and add the bananas just before serving. That’s it!
VANILLA ORANGE FRUIT SALAD
Ingredients
- 1 3.5 oz pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate thawed
- 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 20 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained
- 1 11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 cup strawberries sliced
- 2 bananas sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the pudding mix with the milk and orange juice concentrate. Mix with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the yogurt and then add the pineapple, mandarin oranges and strawberries.
- If serving immediately, add the bananas, but if you will be serving the salad later, store in the refrigerator and add the bananas just before serving.
Video
Nutrition
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Is this fruit salad recipe healthy?
Anytime you add a glaze to fruit, you are adding a bit of sugar and some extra calories, but the Greek yogurt in the recipe does add a little bit of protein which is a nice little boost and hard to find in a fruit salad! You can find a low-sugar Greek yogurt (or even plain Greek yogurt) to use in the recipe and you can use skim milk if you are trying to cut calories a little bit.
Another way to make this fruit salad recipe a little bit healthier is to add more fruit, but keep the amount of orange glaze the same. Double the amount of fruit in the salad and the orange glaze will more lightly coat the fruit to give you that amazing creamy orange flavor with less sugar and calories.
Can you make fruit salad in advance?
This recipe only takes a few minutes to whip up and then it can be dished up immediately, or it can be kept in the fridge for 1-2 days before serving. Just make sure to leave out the bananas if you are making the salad in advance and then just add them right before serving.
Another way to prepare this fruit salad recipe in advance is to make the orange glaze 3-4 days in advance and store it separately and then just add all of the fruit right before serving.
You may also enjoy the following fruit salad recipes:
- Raspberry Vanilla Jello Salad
- Tropical Jello Pretzel Salad
- Fancy Fruit Salad
- Berries and Cream Salad
- Peaches and Cream Fruit Salad Dip
- Easy Mango Fruit Salad
- Fancy Fruit Salad
- Orange Cream Fruit Salad
- Creamy Pomegranate Fruit Salad
- Marshmallow Fruit Salad with Marshmallows
Vanilla Orange Fruit Salad is a simple fruit salad that makes the perfect side dish! This delicious fruit salad recipe is full of pineapple, oranges, strawberries and bananas coated with a vanilla pudding and yogurt glaze.
Jerry Gregory says
Can’t you use 1/3 cup of liquid orange juice? I can find only real large cans of concentrate.
Nellie says
You could probably use orange juice but the flavor won’t be as strong as using the concentrate. I usually just scoop out what I need from a can of concentrate and then put the lid back on and save the remaining concentrate in the freezer until the next time I need it!
Barb Griffith says
Do you have nutrition facts?
Nellie says
Nope, I don’t have the nutrition facts-it probably wouldn’t be too hard to figure out though depending on what type of yogurt and fruit you end up using.
Ct. says
Could you substitute lemon pudding for the vanilla pudding and substitute lemonade concentrate for the orange ooncentrate?
Nellie says
Absolutely! I think that would be delicious – great idea!
MikeE says
I’m allergic to strawberries; would work well as a replacement?
Jessica says
How about grapes?
Fran says
i love the recipe just as it is. But the addition of blue berries would be good too. It has already become my go to fruit salad.
Jessica says
So glad you love it Fran!! You’re right- blueberries would be wonderful in this!
Chrissie says
Does melon work in this combination?
Jessica says
I think it’d be great in it Chrissie!
Chrissie says
Oh good. Thanks! I’ll let you know how it is.
Dena says
Can you prep this the day before and add bananas when serving?
shiela says
thats a question i was just wondering about
Nellie says
I just replied to Dena, but yes, a lot of times I make the salad the day before and then add the bananas right before serving! Enjoy!
Dolores Flanders says
Thanks. I was wondering about making it the day before.
Nellie says
Yes! In fact that’s what I usually do – make the salad the day before and then add the bananas right before serving.
Jan says
If cantaloupe or muskmelon is used it will over power the other fruits flavor. Many people do not care for that. (Yes I know many don’t care, but my family hate when that happens).
Blueberries are great, as well as grapes.
Jim says
This sounds great, but was wondering if you could add chopped walnuts to this recipe.
Jessica says
Walnuts or pecans would be a wonderful addition!
Kathy B says
I do this same salad with sour cream – never tried it with yogurt. The fruits I use are the ones mentioned in this recipe plus canned peach chunks and one or two red delicious apples (peeled and chunked). Really versatile and so, so easy and good.
Chelsey Wiemelt says
Can I take the pineapple out? My husband despises pineapple but it’s nearly impossible to find a fruit salad recipe with no pineapple. What could I use instead?
Jessica says
Of course! Why don’t you replace it with diced apples instead? Or grapes?
Jennifer Shugart says
This looks so delicious!
Shiho says
ohhhh Looks divine 😀 Mandarins are in season now in Australia. Can I use fresh one?
Taryn says
Delicious recipe and SO refreshing on a hot day! Thank you 🙂
Jessica says
You’re most welcome Taryn!
Katherine says
What a tasty way to serve fruit salad! And so easy too.
Judy says
I used the white chocolate pudding, it was a great quick recipe that goes with a lot of different meals. I open my OJ dip out what I want and put back in the freezer in a zip lock bag, it’s good for several makings of this dish. Definitely a keeper.