Condensed Milk Fruit Salad

Condensed milk fruit salad is made with delicious mouthwatering fruit and tossed in a creamy condensed milk dressing. It’s filled with a blend of your favorite fresh fruit and berries and mixed in a luscious sauce. This creamy fruit salad recipe will be a hit at your next potluck!

Creamy fruit salad with condensed milk

A refreshing fruit salad with a variety of flavors and a rainbow of colors is so delicious. And topping it with a smooth, sweet, and creamy condensed milk dressing makes it even better!

Summer offers an abundance of super fresh, in-season fruit. Making a quick fruit salad is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this abundance. You can use almost any fruit you wish and serve the dish for breakfast, brunch, a snack, a side dish, and dessert.

And since I’m a fan of condensed milk, I mix it together with vanilla extract and fresh lemon juice for a creamy fruit salad dressing that turns a simple fruit salad into something special!

Sweetened condensed milk fruit salad is perfect for bringing to any potluck, barbecue, or summer picnic. Still, it’s also nice to have a big bowl in the fridge just for yourself to snack on.

Strawberry banana cheesecake salad, lemon curd parfaits, and cherry crumble are a few more of my other summer favorites. And if you love fresh fruit and condensed milk, try our condensed milk fruit dip!

What is condensed milk fruit salad?

The dish is a creamy variety of fruit salad. My recipe contains condensed milk, strawberries, pineapple, mango, kiwi, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. The combination of juicy, tangy fruits and a thick, creamy dressing is absolutely heavenly to me.

But the great thing about this dish is that you can put any fruit you want in it, which is why everyone loves creamy fruit salad with condensed milk. So try adding different fruits and nuts because you’ll be making this again and again. I know that your family will love it!

Ingredients

The ingredients of this condensed milk fruit salad are so fresh and delicious. And when you combine everything, it’s just mouthwatering! See the printable recipe card at the end of the post for exact quantities, and then get mixing!

Dressing

The fruit salad dressing consists of 3 simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Condensed milk is the base for the creamy fruit salad dressing. I usually use regular sweetened condensed milk, but fat-reduced condensed milk is fine, too.
• Lemon juice helps to thicken the condensed milk and balance out the sweetness. It’s best to use fresh lemon juice.
• Vanilla extract adds depth and rounds out the other flavors.

Fruit

As I mentioned, you can use all of your favorite fruit with this creamy fruit salad recipe. These are the fruit I chose for the salad you see in the photos:

• Strawberries: Cut your strawberries into slices.
• Pineapple: Chop your pineapple into bite-sized chunks. While you could use canned, drained pineapple, fresh is always best. 
• Mango: I used fresh mango, and this video from Clean & Delicious explains how to cut mangos like a pro.
• Red grapes: Cut your grapes in half.
• Kiwi: Cut 2 peeled kiwis into wedges. Green grapes are a great substitute in case you can’t find kiwi.
• Berries: I used a mix of fresh raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. You can leave them whole. Since raspberries are very delicate, I gently fold them in after the salad has been tossed.

How to make condensed fruit milk salad

Fruit lovers, this condensed milk fruit salad recipe is just for you! Prepare to be amazed because the fresh fruit and creamy dressing will melt in your mouth with every bite. These are the steps for how to make fruit salad with condensed milk:

Step 1: Prepare fruit

• Carefully rinse fruits that aren’t peeled and gently tap dry with paper towels. You want to remove as much moisture as possible, so the excess water doesn’t thin out the dressing.
• Chop and slice your fruits into bite-sized pieces. Leave small fruits like blueberries whole.
• Then place your fruit in a large serving bowl.

Step 2: Mix dressing

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
• It’ll look like the lemon juice is splitting the milk, but just keep stirring vigorously. Eventually, the lemon juice thickens the condensed milk, and you’ll end up with a glossy, thick cream.

Step 3: Toss salad

• Add the condensed milk dressing to the fresh fruit in the serving bowl. Using 2 spoons, gently toss everything together until the fruit are well coated and everything is combined.
• If using raspberries, fold them in after the salad is tossed, so they don’t squish.
• You can use all of the creamy dressing or only half for a lighter fruit salad.

Step 4: Serve

• Enjoy right away or refrigerate until ready to serve. Optionally, garnish with extra fruit pieces and a few leaves of fresh mint.

Tips for success

I have a few easy tips and tricks to help you achieve success when making your best fruit salad with sweetened condensed milk!

• Stick to fruit you enjoy. If you don’t like the aroma or texture of a particular fruit, simply leave it out and pick fruits that you want to eat.
• Use equal amounts of each fruit for the best mix of textures and flavors. I usually go heavier on the strawberries and pineapple because we love them.
• Cut the fruit in the same size. Keep small berries whole, and chop or half the rest of the fruit in the same size. This makes the salad look harmonious and easier to eat.
• Skip bananas. I know that some love throwing them in, but I find that they make the whole salad taste like banana, and they go soft and mushy pretty fast.
• Reserve a few fruit pieces for garnishing. Before serving, I like to decorate my fruit salad with extra fruit and fresh mint leaves.

Variations

The beauty of condensed milk fruit salads is that they’re incredibly versatile. Here are a few ideas how you customize the recipe:

• Lime juice: Substitute lime juice for lemon juice and add 1/4 tsp almond extract for a creamy fruit salad dressing that tastes like key lime pie filling.
• Tropical: Prepare the salad with pineapple, mango, mandarin oranges, kiwi, and papaya.
• All berry: Use a mix of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. This red, white, and blue colored fruit salad is perfect for celebrating the 4th of July!
• Nuts: Add 1 cup chopped, roasted pecans or walnuts. Shredded coconut is also a delicious option.
• Marshmallows: Feel free to stir in 1 to 2 cups mini marshmallows.
• Vegan: You can easily make this fruit salad dairy-free by using vegan coconut condensed milk. The rest of the ingredients are already vegan.

FAQ

Can I make this with canned fruit?

Yes, you can make this with canned fruit. For an Ambrosia-style fruit salad, prepare the recipe with canned pineapple, canned mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries, mini marshmallows, and shredded coconut.

I don’t have any condensed milk, what can I use?

Instead of condensed milk, prepare this recipe with cool whip or Greek yogurt. The flavor and texture will be a bit different, but you still get a tasty fruit salad. Cool whip is sweetened, but you’ll want to add some honey for sweetness if using plain Greek yogurt. Vanilla yogurt is a good choice as well.

Is this recipe the same as Buko salad?

No, my recipe and buko salad, a Filipino fruit salad, are different. Buko is a type of fruit cocktail salad with condensed milk and fresh coconut that exclusively uses canned fruits, not fresh fruit. For an authentic Filipino recipe, try this delicious buko salad from Vanjo Merano of Panlasang Pinoy.

Making fruit salad ahead of time

Though condensed milk fruit salad holds up pretty well in the fridge for a day or two, it tastes best fresh. To save time and make your life easier, prep the different components ahead of time and assemble the salad as close to serving time as possible. Follow these steps:

• Dressing: Whip up the condensed milk salad dressing 2 to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge.
• Fruit: You can also store your fruit washed and chopped in the refrigerator. Then you’re ready to throw the salad together at a moment’s notice.
• Tip: Don’t add bananas as they won’t keep well.

Tips for transporting fruit salad

• Transport: If you need to transport your salad to a BBQ or potluck, pack the chopped fruits and dressing in separate containers and keep them well chilled during transport.
• Assemble: Dress the salad on site so the dressing doesn’t get watered down and everyone can enjoy perfectly fresh fruit salad.
• Tip: If you want the salad to keep for serval hours, use fruits like apples, pears, mango, grapes, and berries. Avoid very juicy and citrusy fruits such as pineapple, oranges, and kiwi. These fruits tend to release a lot of liquids and are best if you plan to serve the fruit salad right away.

Storage instructions

How to store condensed milk fruit salad

Store leftover fruit salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, the salad will last for 2 to 3 days in the fridge.

Can you freeze condensed milk fruit salad?

You could, though I don’t recommend it because the texture of the fresh fruit will change dramatically. For example, frozen, thawed strawberries become quite soft and watery.

However, you can freeze the condensed milk dressing to have it ready when those fruit salad cravings come calling. Just put the dressing in a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let defrost in the fridge overnight before using.