Creamy Overnight Fruit Salad Recipe

Creamy Overnight Fruit Salad

4.8

(5)

5 Reviews

With the convenience of canned fruit and a whipped dressing, this creamy fruit salad is the make-ahead side you've been looking for.

Abigail Wilt

Updated on April 1, 2024

Creamy Overnight Fruit Salad — Photo: Abigail Wilt

Hands On Time:

30 mins

Refrigerate Time:

6 hrs

Total Time:

6 hrs 30 mins

Servings:

Fruit salad is a fresh addition to any Saturday brunch; there's something about a crystal bowl filled with bright, colorful fruit that perfectly complements any Southern cook's menu plans. One downfall to a fresh fruit salad, however, is that it's hard to keep your bananas, apples, or other cut fruit from turning brown without a hefty squeeze of sour lemon juice when you're prepping in advance. This creamy overnight fruit salad is a nostalgic recipe that solves all these issues, and tastes wonderful doing it. With a base of canned fruit for convenience and a creamy, whipped "dressing" reminiscent of the flavors of lemon curd, this recipe is a hidden weapon in any church hosts' arsenal. It only takes 30 minutes to prep your dressing and ingredients, and it's an easy make-ahead dish when you know you'll be pressed for time on the day of your event. The "overnight" part is key, as well – the flavors of the pineapple, grapes, bananas, cherries, and oranges start to blend with and sweeten the dressing once your salad has been in the fridge long enough. If you need any other reason to make this fluffy, sweet fruit salad – the recipe makes enough to serve a crowd and is easily modified based on your tastes. It's a must-try for any Easter brunch menu or ladies' luncheon; guests can't get enough!

Ingredients

3 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 (20-oz.) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained
1 (13.5-oz.) jar pitted dark cherries in heavy syrup, drained (stems removed)
1 (11-oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
2 firm bananas, sliced
1 cup green grapes, halved
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions

Whisk together eggs, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, and stir in butter. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
Beat whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Fold cooled egg mixture into whipped cream, and set aside.
Stir together pineapple chunks, cherries, orange segments, bananas, and grapes in a large bowl. Add marshmallows, and stir until incorporated. Add whipped cream mixture to fruit, and stir until fruit is evenly and completely coated.
Cover with plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours. Serve cold.

Creamy Overnight Fruit Salad

Ingredients

Directions

Related Articles