Fluffy Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

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Here’s my favorite strawberry cheesecake salad recipe, with a creamy, smooth cream cheese base, fresh strawberries, and sweet vanilla pudding mix, all tossed together into a perfect dessert salad.

This strawberry cheesecake salad is what my kids ask for at every summer gathering. I often make a double batch because it disappears so quickly at potlucks. Nothing better than a cool, creamy dessert on a warm day, right?

What Kind of Strawberries Should I Use?

For this creamy dessert salad, you’ll want to use fresh strawberries that are bright red and fully ripe – they’ll give you the best flavor and natural sweetness. Look for berries that are firm but not hard, with no white or green patches near the stem. If you can only find strawberries that aren’t quite ripe, let them sit at room temperature for a day or two to develop more sweetness. When prepping your berries, make sure they’re completely dry after washing them, as extra moisture can make your salad runny. While frozen strawberries might seem like a convenient option, they tend to become too soft when thawed and can make the salad watery, so stick with fresh ones for the best results.

Options for Substitutions

This sweet treat is pretty adaptable – here are some handy swaps you can try:

• Whipped topping: If you’re not a fan of store-bought whipped topping, you can make your own by whipping 2 cups of heavy cream with 1/4 cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Cheesecake pudding mix: You can use vanilla pudding mix instead, or if you want to skip the boxed mix, add an extra 4 ounces of cream cheese and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the mixture.
• Strawberry yogurt: Feel free to use vanilla yogurt or even Greek yogurt for more protein. If using plain yogurt, just add an extra 2-3 tablespoons of sugar to maintain sweetness.
• Fresh strawberries: While fresh is best, you can use thawed frozen strawberries in a pinch. Just drain them well to avoid extra liquid. Other berries like raspberries or mixed berries work too!
• Marshmallows: These are optional – you can leave them out or replace them with mini fruit-flavored marshmallows or even diced graham crackers for that cheesecake crust feel.
• Bananas: You can skip these if you’re not a banana fan, or swap them with diced apples or pears. Just toss the fruit in a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest challenge when making strawberry cheesecake salad is timing – preparing this dish too far in advance can lead to soggy marshmallows and brown bananas, so it’s best to add these ingredients just before serving.

Another common mistake is not properly softening the cream cheese, which can result in lumpy texture – let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and beat until completely smooth before combining with other ingredients.

When whipping the heavy cream, make sure it’s very cold and stop as soon as stiff peaks form – overbeating will give you a grainy, butter-like texture that won’t blend well with the other ingredients.

For the freshest presentation, toss your sliced strawberries with a small amount of sugar to prevent browning, and if you’re making this ahead, consider layering the ingredients rather than mixing them all at once – this helps maintain the ideal texture of each component.

What to Serve With Strawberry Cheesecake Salad?

This sweet and creamy strawberry cheesecake salad works great as part of a bigger spread at potlucks or summer barbecues! Since it’s already pretty rich and sweet, I like to serve it alongside some simple grilled meats like chicken or hamburgers to balance things out. For a brunch setup, it pairs really nicely with savory dishes like egg casseroles or breakfast sandwiches. You can also treat it more like a dessert and serve it after dinner with some extra fresh berries on the side and maybe a cup of coffee or tea to cut through the sweetness.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This strawberry cheesecake salad is best enjoyed within 24 hours of making it. Pop it in an airtight container in the fridge, where it’ll stay good for up to 2 days. Just keep in mind that the bananas might brown and the marshmallows will start to soften over time.

Make Ahead Tips: If you want to prep this ahead, mix the cream cheese mixture and store it separately from the fresh fruit. Slice the strawberries and bananas just before serving to keep them looking fresh. You can combine everything up to 4 hours before serving – this gives the flavors time to blend while keeping the fruit and marshmallows at their best.

Not Recommended: I don’t recommend freezing this salad since the texture of the fruit and cream mixture won’t hold up well. The fresh ingredients really shine when served right away or within the first day!

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	0 minutes
Total Time	60-80 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3000-3500
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 250-300 g
• Carbohydrates: 300-350 g

Ingredients

• 8 ounces thawed whipped topping
• 1 small packet of cheesecake pudding mix (3.4 ounces)
• 2 cups strawberry-flavored yogurt (approximately three 6-ounce containers)
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced
• 2 cups small marshmallows
• 3 bananas, sliced
• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream

Step 1: Prepare the Yogurt Mixture

In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt with the pudding powder until well combined.

Gently fold in the whipped topping.

Once combined, cover the bowl and refrigerate it to allow the mixture to set for about an hour.

This setting time will help the mixture firm up and develop its flavors.

Step 2: Add Fresh Ingredients Before Serving

Just before serving, add the sliced strawberries, marshmallows, and bananas to the yogurt-pudding mixture.

Mix gently to incorporate the ingredients evenly.

Keep the bowl refrigerated until ready to serve to maintain the freshness of the fruits and texture of the dessert.

Step 3: Prepare the Cream Cheese Mixture

In another large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and heavy whipping cream.

Beat the mixture until it becomes creamy and stiff peaks form, indicating that it is properly whipped.

This forms the rich base of your dessert.

Step 4: Combine the Ingredients

Fold the strawberry yogurt mixture, strawberries, marshmallows, and bananas into the cream cheese mixture.

Gently mix until all ingredients are well combined and evenly distributed throughout the creamy base.

This final step brings all the flavors together, creating a deliciously creamy fruit salad.