Ok, I know you are just completely bogged down with 4th of July recipes by now, but I have one final dish for you to consider – Easiest Fruit Salad. Named as such because it is quite possibly the easiest, yet tastiest, fruit salad known to man, and would be a hit at a 4th of July picnic (or anytime this summer, really!)
Easiest Fruit Salad also goes by another name – Recital Fruit. Not Recital Fruit Salad, mind you – just Recital Fruit. The recipe is from my friend’s Mom who used to make the magical, easily transportable concoction of fresh strawberries, bananas, mandarin oranges, and marshmallows for us every year growing up when our dance studio put on its annual spring recital at the Civic Center.
Needing sustenance into the wee hours of the morning, which practices usually went until, she’d send a big tub with her daughter, my friend Laura, along with a plethora of plastic spoons so everyone could scoop up their fair share of this sweet, super-Midwestern fruit salad. I mean, marshmallows in a fruit salad? Brilliant!
They get kind of soft and mousse-like after soaking up the juices of the fruit and melt into the strawberry-banana flavor spiked with mandarin. I adore this combo and have yet to meet someone who doesn’t!
Like I said, the recipe couldn’t be easier and comes together lickity-split. Start by slicing 1lb strawberries.
Add the strawberries to a large bowl then add 1 can drained mandarin oranges. Ultra juicy.
In goes 2 sliced large bananas, or 3 small sliced bananas (if making ahead of time, add these just before serving.)
Followed by 1 cup mini marshmallows. Like I said – pure Midwest, purely delish. Easiest Fruit Salad MUST have mini marshmallows!
Toss to combine then stash in the fridge for about 30 minutes to give the marshmallows time to soften and soak up some of the yummy juices from the strawberries and mandarin oranges, then enjoy!
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Easiest Fruit Salad
Description
Easiest Fruit Salad takes mere minutes to toss together. A classic Midwestern fruit salad recipe!
Ingredients
- 1lb strawberries, sliced
- 15oz can mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 2 large bananas (or 3 small bananas,) sliced
Directions
- Combine strawberries, mandarin oranges, mini marshmallows, and bananas in a large bowl then chill and serve. Can make several hours ahead of time, but add sliced bananas just before serving.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Isn’t she pretty? This was a fun recipe to phototgraph. :)
Like my friend Laura says, the best way to eat this salad is to make sure you get one of everything in each bite. You can’t beat the classic strawberry-banana combo, and the burst of juicy citrus is Heaven with the creamy marshmallow. Hope you enjoy, and HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!
We made this weeekend for Easter Brunch and EVERYONE loved. Age 3-66! All were happy. Thanks for sharing.
Oh I’m SO glad to hear it, Kate! Thanks for the nice note to let me know! :)
[…] Get the recipe from iowagirleats.com. […]
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
This looks delicious and is so easy to put together. It is definitely going to be
added to our fourth of july cookout.
Thank you for providing.
[…] made this amazingly easy and delicious fruit salad from Iowa Girl Eats. Easiest Fruit Salad! ‘Nuff […]
I just finished making this super easy fruit salad to take to my church for a fundraiser. It is so pretty and looks delicious. Thanks for making my morning do easy!
[…] Recipe […]
It’s even better if you add peach pie filling, frozen sweetened strawberries and pineapple tidbits.
[…] Recipe […]
[…] The easiest fruit salad you'll ever make — Iowa Girl Eats […]
Yay!! I used to dance too!! But I never had a yummy fruit salad like this to munch on!!
[…] for froyo) and enjoying a cookout with some of our neighbors. I ended up making Kristin’s easiest fruit salad and Jessica’s funfetti cake dip which was a […]
[…] Easiest Fruit Salad: This is literally the easiest, but tastiest fruit salad known to man. Don’t forget the mini marshmallows – they’re sweet and so Midwestern! […]
Yum! You can never have enough marshmallow ;)
It’s interesting that is this day and age of food network, food blogging, newfangled recipes, that some of our best dishes are recipes from the generation before us. You should considered a recipe book of favorites from your mom and her friends!
Looks amazing!!!
I love fruit salad but sometimes the chopping, etc gets so tedious! Love this idea!
very nice, very easy! Love!
mmm i love fruit salad with marshmallows! your pictures are so pretty…