Red White and Blue Dessert Salad for Easy Parties
A creamy, cheesecake-style red, white, and blue dessert salad folded with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and mini marshmallows—quick to mix, make-ahead friendly, and great for summer parties.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand mixer
- Silicone spatula
- Kitchen towel
- Serving bowl
Ingredients
- 225 g cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 120 g powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp fine salt
- 240 ml whipped topping (such as Cool Whip) thawed but still cold
- 300 g mini marshmallows about 4 cups
- 450 g fresh strawberries hulled and diced into bite-size pieces
- 175 g fresh blueberries rinsed and well dried
Instructions
- Prep the fruit so it doesn’t water down the salad. Rinse the strawberries and blueberries gently, spread on a clean kitchen towel, hull and dice the strawberries into bite-size pieces, and pat all fruit very dry.
- Soften and smooth the cream cheese. Place softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes until completely smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Build the cheesecake-style base. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; mix on low to start, then beat on medium until thick, glossy, and silky, about 1–2 minutes.
- Fold in the whipped topping. Mix in about one-third of the whipped topping on low to loosen the base, then use a silicone spatula to gently fold in the remaining whipped topping in two additions until smooth and fluffy.
- Stir in the marshmallows. Fold mini marshmallows into the creamy base until evenly coated.
- Fold in the blueberries. Add dried blueberries and fold just until dispersed.
- Add strawberries last. Scatter diced strawberries over the top and fold very gently until relatively even, keeping the fruit intact.
- Chill for flavor and structure. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 6–8 hours.
- Final stir and garnish before serving. Give the salad one gentle fold from the bottom to redistribute fruit; garnish with extra berries or marshmallows if desired and serve well-chilled.
Nutrition
Calories: 260kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 2gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 250IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 0.8mg
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