This Fruit Salad with Condensed Milk is the perfect creamy, sweet treat. The condensed milk forms a glossy syrup that enhances the natural sweetness of the fruit, while a touch of lime adds a balancing tang.
There’s something truly magical about fruit salad. It’s fresh, colorful, and the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth while still feeling good about what you’re eating. My Colombian husband introduced me to the version he grew up with: fruit salad with condensed milk, and I’ve never looked back.
Adding condensed milk to fruit salad adds a rich, creamy sweetness that glosses over each piece of fruit. It makes it taste just a little bit more like dessert, while still feeling pretty fresh and light. Lime is also added to balance out the sweetness and enhance the natural flavors, along with a splash of vanilla and a pinch of salt. These little additions really help bring the whole salad together and make all the flavors burst.
This condensed milk fruit salad is perfect year-round because it can be made with any seasonal fruit from summer through winter.
What Type of Fruit to Use
When choosing what fruit to include for a fruit salad, try to keep in mind:
- The flavor: choose a mix of traditionally sweet fruits and a few tart ones for a balanced and flavorful combination and make sure your fruit is ripe—tart, unripe fruit won’t magically transform with sweetened condensed milk, though it does help a little.
- The texture: choose a combination of firm and soft fruits to add a good contrast and ensure that each bite offers a different experience. I love adding apples to my fruit salad because they give it a nice crunch.
- The shelf-life and durability: some fruits hold up much better than others after being cut and mixed together. Consider how long you plan to keep the salad before serving when choosing fruit. My husband loves adding banana to fruit salad, but I know that is only a good idea if the fruit salad is to be served fresh!
Some other things to consider: fruit contains a lot of moisture. If you include high-moisture fruits like watermelon, they can water down the sweetened condensed milk sauce over time. This isn’t a problem as long as you taste and adjust the sauce with more condensed milk or lime to maintain the right balance of flavors before serving.
Kelli's Best Tips
This recipe isn't rocket science, but here are some tips to help ensure the best fruit salad possible:
- Consider how the fruit mix will be cut. It’s more enjoyable when the fruit pieces are similar in size, even if they’re not all the same shape. Keeping them consistent in size makes the salad easier to eat and ensures a balanced mix of flavors in every bite.
- While the fruit salad can be served right after it’s made, it actually tastes better if you give it some time to let the flavors mingle and marinate with the other fruits and the sauce. For the best results, try to make it and refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving.
- Feel free to experiment with additional add-ins like fresh mint, lemon balm, or a variety of spices and herbs such as cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, or rosemary. My family also enjoys this with sweetened condensed coconut milk in place of the regular condensed milk. It works just the same but with a lovely coconut flavor!
Storing Leftovers
How long leftovers last depends on the types of fruit in your salad. While added sugar and lime can help preserve the fruit for a day or two, it’s not foolproof. For the best flavor and texture, try to consume any leftovers within 48 hours. Keep in mind that the flavors will evolve as the fruit juices blend over time.
More Fruit Recipes
Making this Condensed Milk Fruit Salad? Be sure to leave a comment with a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!
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Fruit Salad with Condensed Milk
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
- Category: Salad
Description
This Fruit Salad with Condensed Milk is a creamy, sweet treat. The sweetened condensed milk forms a glossy syrup that enhances the natural sweetness of the fruit, while a touch of lime adds a balancing tang. Don't skip the salt, it really brings out all the flavors.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice, more to taste
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 6-8 cups diced ripe fruit (see notes for suggestions)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, vanilla extract and salt.
- Add in the fruit and gently stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir again. Taste and adjust for sweetness or acidity, adding more condensed milk or lime juice as needed.
- Serve, or refrigerate and serve within 24 hours.
Notes
Choose a mix of sweet and tart fruits, and of course, make sure they’re ripe for the best flavor. Combine firm and soft fruits for a good texture contrast. Consider the shelf-life of the fruits, as some hold up better after being cut. Here are some seasonal suggestions:
- Summer: Strawberries, blueberries, peaches, grapes, melon and blackberries
- Fall: Pears, apples, blackberries, grapes, plums
- Winter: Mango, pineapple, kiwi, grapes, banana
Recently I've been making this with sweetened condensed coconut milk and it's been such a hit with both my family and guests we've served it too. It works in just the same way as sweetened condensed milk, but with a lovely coconut taste.
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