This Orange Fluff Salad is a retro light and creamy side filled with mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, and mini marshmallows! Enjoy it as a side dish or a dessert!
Check out my Banana Split Fluff Salad or my Watergate Salad for another sweet, chilled treat that also feeds a crowd!
Fluff Salad has been a holiday staple for centuries, and for good reason! This Mandarin orange version is no exception. You’ll want to take this Orange Fluff Salad to every potluck, party, get-together, and celebration after you taste it once!
What Is Fluff Salad?
Fluff Salad is a classic and refreshing dessert that is perfect for gatherings and potlucks! It typically consists of a mixture of canned fruit, such as pineapple or mandarin oranges, mini marshmallows, and whipped cream.
Some recipes also add in chopped nuts or maraschino cherries for an extra burst of flavor. This sweet and creamy salad is easy to make and is a crowd-pleaser for all ages. Its light and fluffy texture, combined with the sweetness of the fruit, make it a perfect ending to any meal!
Orange Fluff Salad Ingredients
- Orange jello Mix
- Water
- Instant vanilla pudding
- Cool Whip
- Mandarin oranges
- Crushed pineapple
- Mini marshmallows
About This Orange Fluff Salad
Taste: Orange creamsicle lovers- this one’s for you! Sweet mandarin oranges and orange jello combine with vanilla pudding to make this delightfully creamy treat. Crushed pineapple is mixed in to bring together a truly wonderful flavor combination that can’t be beat!
Texture: Tender fruit, squishy marshmallows, and Cool Whip come together to bring you a fluffy, light, and chilled delicacy!
Recipe Tips for Orange Fluff Salad
- Allow this salad to rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge- this allows the marshmallows to soften and the flavors to intensify!
- Drain your fruit thoroughly! If you skip this step, this recipe will be too watery from holding extra moisture from the canned fruit.
- Switch it up! Flavors can be swapped out as well as added! A great addition to this salad would be chopped nuts if you wanted some extra texture!
- Regular jello and pudding mix can be swapped for sugar-free versions, and the recipe will still work!
How Do I Make Orange Fluff Salad?
Step One: Combine jello with water and let rest in the fridge. Remove from fridge, and add vanilla pudding mix.
Step Two: Fold Cool Whip into jello mixture, then gently fold in the crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges, and mini marshmallows.
Step Three: Allow to rest in refrigerator before serving and enjoying!
Storage Instructions For Fluff Salad
Store this recipe in the fridge, and enjoy for up to 3 days. If you have any left over 3 days, you’ll find the marshmallows become too soft and the cream begins to thin out and “deflate”.
Orange Fluff Salad
EQUIPMENT
- large mixing bowl
INGREDIENTS
- 3 ounce orange Jell-O mix
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ cup cold water
- 3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding
- 8 ounce tub Cool Whip
- 2 15 ounce cans mandarin oranges drained well
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple drained well
- 10 ounce bag mini marshmallows
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl, combine the orange jell-o powder with hot water and whisk until the powder dissolves.
- Once dissolved, add the cold water and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the refrigerator and add the instant vanilla pudding powder to the bowl and whisk to combine, making sure to get the sides of the bowl so everything is evenly incorporated. Place the bowl back in the fridge and chill for another 15-20 minutes.
- After it has chilled a bit, remove from the refrigerator and add the Cool Whip. Fold together with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.
- Then add the drained mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, and mini marshmallows. Fold gently with a rubber spatula to combine. You want to be careful not to break apart the mandarin oranges.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. This allows the cream to thicken, the flavors to blend together, and the marshmallows to soften. Enjoy!
NOTES
- Make sure to let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours for the cream to thicken up. The flavors will also intensify and the marshmallows will soften and soak it all in.
- This recipe has extra fruit in it. Make sure to drain the canned fruit well otherwise the salad will be juicy/watery.
- Switch it up and add some other fresh fruits if you like. You can also add coconut shreds or even some nuts like walnuts.
- You can use a light/low fat Cool Whip or make your own whipped topping.
- Sugar free jell-o and pudding mix will still work in this recipe.
