Strawberry Fluff Salad with Jell-o
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. When you click on a link and/or make a purchase, I may be paid a small commission at no additional cost to you. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my Disclosure page for more information.
Our strawberry fluff salad is a delicious dessert with a luscious creamy texture, perfect for family gatherings and special occasions. Each bite is bursting with strawberry flavor and miniature marshmallows.
This fluffy pink salad gets it’s massive strawberry flavor from the fresh berries and strawberry flavored Jell-o. And the velvety vanilla pudding and whipped topping bring it all together for a luscious side dish or dessert.
And the best part? The recipe calls for simple ingredients. Second best? You can make this easy dish in advance, which is great when you’re hosting a summer party.
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
While I love a good sweet treat, you guys know my obsession with vintage salads. Fluff recipes like this one can pass as a side dish or as a quick tasty dessert.
One of the first vintage recipes I published was my Mom’s strawberry and cream salad and it’s still a potluck favorite.
If you’ve never tasted strawberry fluff before, it will remind you of Watergate salad or pistachio fluff salad. It’s light and creamy, but still has a sweet dessert flavor.
Ingredients
- strawberry Jell-o – the store brands work just fine with this recipe.
- water – you’ll need hot and cold so the strawberry gelatin sets correctly.
- vanilla pudding mix – double check that it’s the instant kind.
- Cool Whip – allow time for it to thaw before adding it to the fluff salad.
- fresh strawberries – juicy strawberries add fresh flavor and it’s a great way to use them while they are in season.
- crushed pineapple – be sure to drain the pineapple well.
- marshmallows – the mini size works best here.
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Easy Strawberry Fluff
Rinse and pat dry the fresh berries. Remove the tops, cut each berry in half, then slice. Set aside.
Combine the strawberry jell-o and the hot water in a large bowl. Stir until dissolved. Pour in the cold water, stir, and chill in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and stir in the instant pudding mix. Chill for another 15-20 minutes.
Fold in the Cool Whip until it’s fully incorporated.
Then gently fold in the chopped berries, drained crushed pineapple, and marshmallows, being careful not to break up the fruit.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Tips for Making
- We don’t recommend using frozen strawberries because they contain excess liquid that will change the fluff texture.
- The pineapple should be drained very well.
- Chilling the salad for at least 2 hours gives it time to thicken and allows the mallows to soften – don’t skip this step.
- The longer the salad sits it will become watery from the fresh strawberries releasing juices. If this happens, simply stir or drain off the excess liquid before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sugar-free – to lower the calories and lighten this strawberry fluff recipe, use sugar free Jell-o and pudding mixes.
- Whipped topping – feel free to substitute with a store brand.
- Light or sugar-free Cool Whip can be used, but we like the creaminess of the regular kind.
- Fresh whipped cream will break down sooner than Cool Whip, but can be used if preferred. This is a good option if you won’t have leftovers.
- Bananas – add sliced bananas just before serving.
- Coconut – fold in shredded sweetened coconut or top with toasted coconut.
- Nuts – chopped pecans or walnuts go great in fluff salad recipes.
- Strawberry cheesecake – swap the vanilla pudding for cheesecake flavor pudding mix.
- Pineapple chunks – we like using crushed, but you can use chunks as well. Just remember to drain them first.
What to Serve With
Fluff fruit salads like this go great with traditional holiday main dishes such as ham, turkey, or roast. When it comes to barbecues and potlucks we like pulled pork, potato salad, and grilled chicken.
How to Store
Keep leftover strawberry fluff salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
It can be eaten a day or two beyond this, but the ingredients begin to separate and the marshmallows get overly soft.
This simple and delicious strawberry fluff salad recipe is perfect for any occasion. The combination of fresh strawberries, creamy pudding and whipped topping makes a light dessert that’s perfect for all your summer gatherings.
More Easy No Bake Dessert Recipes:
- Ambrosia Salad with Cool Whip
- Mom’s Creamy New York Fruit Salad
- Easy Creamy Grape Salad Recipe
- Mandarin Orange Jello Salad
**Save the Strawberry Fluff Salad Recipe for Later**
Strawberry Fluff Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 ounce box strawberry Jell-o
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ cup cold water
- 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
- 8 ounce tub Cool Whip whipped topping
- 24 ounces fresh strawberries
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well
- 10 ounce bag mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Prepare the strawberries by rinsing and patting dry with paper towels. Hull the berries, cut in half and then slice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the strawberry jell-o and hot water until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Add the cold water and stir. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove bowl from the frig, then add the instant vanilla pudding mix to the gelatin and whisk to combine. Return the bowl to the refrigerator and chill for another 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the refrigerator. Using a spatula, fold in the whipped topping until it’s fully incorporated and there are no more streaks of white.
- Gently fold in the fresh strawberries, crushed pineapple, and marshmallows, taking care not to break up the fruit.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 more hours.
Notes
- We don’t recommend using frozen strawberries for this recipe.
- Light or sugar-free Cool Whip can be substituted but we think the creaminess of regular whipped topping is best in this recipe.
- Freshly whipped cream can be used but will start to break down sooner than the whipped topping.
- Use sugar free jell-o or pudding mix for a lighter option.
- Because this recipe uses fresh strawberries it may get watery the longer it sits. If this happens, just stir the salad before serving.
- See the blog post for more tips and substitutions.
- Store leftover fluff salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. While the salad will taste OK for another day or two longer, it will begin to break down and separate and the marshmallows become too soft.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
