Creamy Fruit Salad Remix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Drained canned fruit tossed with mini marshmallows and Greek yogurt, chilled till cold. A sweet, tangy, and soft-textured dessert or side that brightens up any gathering. Uses pineapple chunks swapped for mandarin oranges for extra zing. Prep is quick; chilling time lets flavors meld and marshmallows soften, yielding a luscious bite. Key step is draining fruit meticulously—excess liquid ruins texture and makes it soggy. Simple, forgiving. Great for last-minute potlucks or summer days. Balances sugar and freshness. Marshmallows add chew,. yogurt smooths acidity. A chill longer than usual intensifies meld. Keep cold but not icy. Resist temptation to stir obsessively after chilling; it dulls fluff. Fruit salad, but creamy, a comfier cousin, not boring. Plays with textures and sweetness with ease.
Prep:
6 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
Servings:
6 servings
#no cook dessert
#fruit salad
#easy chilled salad
#Greek yogurt recipes
#marshmallow recipes
Dropped canned fruit, drowned in syrup—ugh, no. The worst mistake beginners make is ignoring the juice that pools like a swamp ruining texture and crisp bite. Learned hard way after watery mush disaster. Now, squeeze and strain like a surgeon. I swapped pineapple chunks with mandarin oranges once, added zing; citrus note brightens each spoon. Marshmallows suspend in creamy vanilla Greek yogurt—don’t swap this for sour cream or plain yogurt; vanilla brings sweetness without extra sugar. Chill tight for hours, let mellow, marshmallows soften but stay mostly intact, bounce back when you bite. Stirring too much after chilling? Avoid it. You want the light fluff, small marshmallow pillows with fruit goodness. Improvise it with nuts or a dust of cinnamon. No cook time, all chill and fold delivery. Total hands on under 10 minutes, but patience counts here—cold meld makes it come alive.
Ingredients
- 1 can (20 oz) mixed fruit, drained extremely well (pineapple chunks replaced by mandarin oranges)
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 1/4 cups vanilla Greek yogurt
About the ingredients
The star of this salad is really the fruit and how dry it is. Canned mixed fruit varies hugely in its syrup content. Prefer no added sugar fruit, but if not, pouring off, pressing with paper towels is mandatory. Mandarin oranges work better than pineapple here; sweeter, tangier, less fibrous, prevents clunky mouthfeel that pineapple sometimes shoots in. Swapped vanilla yogurt for Greek versions because they coat better, don’t separate or thin out. If you have neither, add a teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of sugar to plain thick yogurt—test it with marshmallows; they dissolve less fast. Marshmallows—mini sized only. If large, cut smaller chunks to distribute texture. Forget fat-free yogurt; it’s too runny usually and kills texture balance. If worried about sugar, use low sugar fruit and plain yogurt plus a teaspoon of honey to control sweetness for personal taste. Keep simple, keep balanced.
Method
- Thoroughly drain canned fruit in a fine mesh strainer, press gently with back of spoon or paper towel to squeeze out as much juice as possible. This avoids watery salad later. If fruit still soggy, line strainer with cheesecloth and let sit 10 more minutes for extra dryness.
- In a large bowl, dump drained fruit. Sprinkle mini marshmallows evenly over fruit, then add vanilla Greek yogurt. Fold gently but thoroughly until all marshmallows and fruit coated in creamy yogurt. Avoid overmixing; marshmallows shouldn’t dissolve, keep shape and bounce.
- Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 5 hours. Longer chilling mellows tartness, softens marshmallows till pillowy. Check texture visually; marshmallows should fluff up, yogurt thickens slightly.
- Before serving, stir lightly once to reincorporate any settled liquid at bottom but avoid breaking marshmallows. Serve chilled, garnish optional with chopped toasted pecans or a sprinkle of cinnamon if wanting a nutty twist.
Cooking tips
Drain fruit like you’re removing guilt from a bad dinner. Have patience; the difference between soggy and fabulous texture is draining hard and even a little pressing. Use a fine mesh strainer, press gently. Don’t stir marshmallow and fruit harshly or long; fold gently to keep marshmallow chew intact. The yogurt, see it visually coating fruit and marshmallow like a custard blanket but not drowning. Plastic wrap seals fridge smells, prevents crust forming at the surface during long chill. Chill minimum 3 hours, the salad thickens, the marshmallows swell softly—gives that light bounce. Too short and the marshmallows just float like balloons. Excess stirring after chilling breaks marshmallow fluffiness to slimy goo—trust me on that. Instead, light fold once before serving. Garnishes optional but add texture contrast; I swear by pecans toasted in butter for warm nutty crunch. Refrigerate leftovers tightly sealed; best eat within 24 hours, marshmallows degrade and salad weeps beyond that.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Drain fruit like a pain-point. Press hard gently. Use fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. No pools of juice hiding. Avoid soggy mush. Texture breaks fast if syrup clings. Mandarin oranges better than pineapple no fibrous bits. Draining is step zero before marshmallow meets yogurt. Crushing with spoon back or paper towel adds dryness. More dryness means less watery mash. Keep fruit chunks whole-ish. Chunk size matters for chew contrast.
- 💡 Fold marshmallows into yogurt-fruit mix with care. Not a stir. Swirl, fold, slow but thorough. Marshmallows should hold shape, bounce back. Overmix and marshmallows dissolve, gummy mess follows. Take visual cues: see fluffy pillow shapes coating with yogurt. Do not mash down or pulse fold can ruin light texture. Marshmallow chew provides textural contrast to soft fruit. Keep mixing short, snap it off early. Coating looks creamy yet airy on sight.
- 💡 Chilling waits patiently. 3 hours minimum. Longer mellow tartness, marshmallows soften, plump up. Too short and marshmallows are rubbery, floating. Fridge smells blocked by plastic wrap keeps clean flavor. After chilling, light stir only. Break crust if left long. Reincorporate liquid gently but keep marshmallow bounce intact. Temperature matters: cold, not icy. Cold eating keeps texture coherent. Carry out garnishes last minute; toasted pecans crisp, cinnamon dust adds aroma.
- 💡 Substitutions workable only with caution. Vanilla Greek yogurt key. Plain or sour cream changes texture, separation risk. Add teaspoon vanilla and pinch sugar if using plain yogurt to mimic sweetness. Mini marshmallows only; large ones cut smaller or risk uneven chew and texture imbalance. Fruit variety shifts flavor drastically; mandarin oranges sweeter, less fibrous than pineapple. Fat-free yogurts tend to thin out salad, kill body. Low sugar fruit helps control sweetness; add honey gradually after folding if needed.
- 💡 Storage matters. Seal airtight tightly - plastic wrap or container lid. Eat within 24 hours tops. Marshmallows break down, salad sweats liquid overtime, turns runny. Refrigerate promptly after serving. Leftovers chance salad collapse fast; chew lost first. Do not freeze - marshmallows and yogurt separate, texture off. Last day eat at room temp for flavor boost but watch texture softening. Quick snack or potluck option, patience needed during chilling for best mouthfeel.
Common questions
How to avoid watery fruit salad?
Drain well. Press with spoon or paper towel. Use fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Let sit long for extra drip out. Frequent cause of soggy salad is syrup or juice leftover. Check fruit chunk dryness before mixing.
What if marshmallows dissolve?
Overfolding usually. Fold gently. Stop as soon as marshmallows coat with yogurt. Large marshmallows cause uneven chew; cut smaller pieces to avoid. Use mini marshmallows only. Otherwise gummy texture ruins dessert feel.
How long should it chill?
3 to 5 hours. Less means marshmallows rubbery, floating, not soft pillowy. Longer chilling mellows tartness. Keep bowl wrapped airtight to avoid fridge odors. After chilling stir lightly once, too much brew breaks fluff.
Can I use sour cream or plain yogurt?
Plain yogurt okay if add vanilla and pinch sugar. Sour cream tends to separate, thinner texture, risky. Fat free yogurts usually watery, lose creaminess. Greek yogurt best for thick coating and holds marshmallow in suspension better.
