Strawberry Jello Fluff Salad (2024)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Light and fluffy Strawberry Jello Fluff Salad is a sweet strawberry-flavored gelatin salad perfect for a backyard barbecue. With strawberry Jello and vanilla pudding mixed together with Cool Whip, hidden marshmallows, and fresh strawberries you’ll be in a state of summer bliss with every bite.

Why This Recipe Works

A southern backyard barbecue or potluck picnic is never complete without some version of a sweet congealed salad. Whether it’s classic ambrosia or a jello fluff salad mixed with fresh seasonal fruits it’s a decadent side dish and a must-have for any summer gathering.

Best made the night before, this salad requires very little prep. It does need to chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours before finishing it up, but there are only 4 simple steps to making this salad.

It’s the perfect side to heavier dishes such as ribs or burgers because it’s so light and the sweetness of the salad balances the often tart and tangy flavors associated with other barbecue and picnic-style dishes.

This strawberry jello fluff salad is the ultimate summer side that is bursting with fresh strawberries and marshmallows and tossed into a smooth and sweet fluffy pudding. No one will be able to resist grabbing seconds, so you might even want to consider a double batch.

If you love this jello fluff you might also want to try Pineapple Fluff or even this Mandarin Orange Jello Salad too. Another delicious and creamy option is Red White and Blue Cheesecake Salad.

What Goes Into This Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Strawberries: this salad will be best in the summer when you can use fresh strawberries, however, it will be just as delicious all year long. Don’t use frozen strawberries though because they tend to be mushy and leak water when thawed, which causes the salad to be runny.
Vanilla Pudding Mix: for this recipe, you will need the “cook & serve” vanilla pudding, not instant.
Strawberry Jello: regular or sugar-free strawberry jello will work for this recipe, however, I recommend the regular version.
Marshmallows: use the mini marshmallows for this recipe so they mix in well with the fluff.

Recipe Variations

Many fluff salad recipes have crushed pineapple, which you can easily add to this recipe. Mix it in when the strawberries are folded in.

Raspberry Jello Fluff Salad: keep the recipe the same, but swap out the strawberry jello for raspberry-flavored jello and use fresh raspberries instead of strawberries.
Orange Jello Fluff Salad: swap the strawberry jello for orange jello and use canned mandarin oranges. Just make sure to drain them.
Tropical Jello Fluff Salad: use pineapple jello instead of strawberry and add canned mandarin oranges (drained), sweetened coconut flakes, and canned pineapple chunks (drained) in place of the strawberries.

Equipment and Utensils Needed

A small saucepan.
Medium-sized whisk.
Large mixing bowl.
Plastic Wrap
A rubber spatula.
A chef’s knife.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This recipe comes together in minutes but does take a minimum of 4 hours to firm up in the fridge. You won’t be able to make it right before you plan on serving it, but that’s the beauty of this recipe. You can make it head!

Prepare the base. Whisk the vanilla pudding mix, strawberry jello mix, and water together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then remove and pour into a large mixing bowl.
Chill. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for 4 to 6 hours.

Fold in the final ingredients. Use a runner spatula to fold in the Cool Whip, marshmallows, and fresh strawberries.
Chill. Place the salad back into the fridge to chill for an hour before serving.

Recipe Notes and Expert Tips

Short on time? If you’re short on time you can put the mixture in the freezer to cut the chill time in half.
Don’t use instant pudding for this recipe. You want to get the cook and serve kind which is cooked with the jello in water and then brought to a soft boil. Instant pudding won’t work in this initial step.
Just before you plan on serving this fluff salad, give it a good stir to toss the ingredients together. Some liquid at the bottom after it firms is okay (this happens when the fresh strawberries are mixed in). Just stir it back together.
Don’t make this recipe too far in advance though. The day before you plan on serving it is best.

Strawberry Jello Fluff Salad: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip?

It will work, but the salad will not be set up and firm like it will if you use Cool Whip. The salad will also be a bit runny, which may not be as appealing.

Can this salad be made in advance?