Finding a crowd-pleasing dessert that doesn’t require baking or hours of prep time can feel like an impossible task, especially during those busy summer months when you’re juggling barbecues, pool parties, and family gatherings. And let’s be honest, when temperatures are soaring, the last thing anyone wants to do is turn on the oven.
That’s where this fruit salad with peach pie filling comes in handy: it’s refreshing and naturally sweet, comes together in just minutes, and uses simple ingredients you can grab at any grocery store.
Why You’ll Love This Fruit Salad
- Ready in minutes – This fruit salad comes together in just 5-10 minutes, making it perfect for last-minute gatherings or when you need a quick dessert.
- No cooking required – Just slice, mix, and serve—no oven or stovetop needed, which is especially nice during hot summer days.
- Kid-approved – The sweet peach pie filling coats all the fresh fruit, making it a treat that kids actually want to eat.
- Minimal ingredients – With just four simple ingredients, you probably already have everything you need at home or can grab them quickly at any grocery store.
- Perfect for potlucks – This crowd-pleasing side dish travels well and always disappears fast at barbecues, picnics, and family get-togethers.
What Kind of Peach Pie Filling Should I Use?
Any brand of canned peach pie filling will work great for this fruit salad, so feel free to grab whatever’s on sale at your grocery store. Most peach pie fillings are pretty similar in terms of sweetness and texture, though some store brands might be a bit thinner or thicker than name brands. If you want to make it a little fancier, you could look for premium pie fillings that have larger peach chunks, but honestly the standard stuff works just fine. Just give the can a gentle shake before opening to make sure the filling is evenly mixed, and you’re ready to go.
Options for Substitutions
This simple fruit salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:
- Peach pie filling: You can swap this with cherry, apple, or blueberry pie filling for a different flavor profile. Each will give the salad a unique sweetness and color.
- Bananas: If your bananas are too ripe or you don’t have any, try using sliced peaches, mandarin oranges, or pineapple chunks instead. Keep in mind that bananas add a creamy texture, so the salad will be slightly different without them.
- Strawberries: Fresh or frozen berries work equally well here. Try blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries as alternatives. If using frozen, thaw and drain them first to avoid excess liquid.
- Grapes: Both red and green grapes work great. You can also substitute with fresh cherries (pitted and halved) or cubed melon for a different texture and taste.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making
The biggest mistake when making fruit salad with peach pie filling is adding the bananas too early, since they’ll turn brown and mushy within a few hours – slice and add them right before serving for the best appearance and texture.
Another common error is using overripe or soft bananas, which will break down and make your salad look unappetizing, so stick with firm bananas that hold their shape when mixed with the thick pie filling.
Don’t forget to drain any excess liquid from your strawberries if you’ve washed them, as extra moisture will water down the peach pie filling and make everything runny instead of nicely coated.
For the freshest taste, make this salad no more than 2-3 hours before serving and keep it chilled in the fridge, since the fruit will start releasing juices and the texture won’t be as good after sitting too long.
What to Serve With Fruit Salad?
This fruit salad is sweet and refreshing, so it pairs perfectly with breakfast foods like pancakes, waffles, or French toast. I love serving it alongside yogurt and granola for a light brunch, or you can spoon it over vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert. It also works great as a side dish at summer barbecues next to grilled chicken or burgers, giving everyone a cool, fruity option to balance out the heavier main dishes.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep your fruit salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The bananas will start to brown after that, so it’s best enjoyed fresh. If you want to prep ahead, you can mix everything except the bananas, then add those sliced bananas right before serving.
Make Ahead: This is a great recipe to partially prep the night before a gathering. Combine the peach pie filling, strawberries, and grapes in your serving bowl, cover it, and refrigerate overnight. Just slice and toss in the bananas about an hour before you’re ready to serve so they stay nice and fresh looking.
| Preparation Time | 5-10 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 0 minutes |
| Total Time | 5-10 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 7 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 900-1000
- Protein: 6-8 g
- Fat: 1-2 g
- Carbohydrates: 235-255 g
Ingredients
- 21 oz peach pie filling
- 2 1/2 bananas (sliced into 1/2-inch rounds)
- 2 1/2 cups strawberries (hulled and quartered into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 1/4 cups grapes
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint (finely chiffonade)
Step 1: Prepare the Fresh Fruits
- 2 1/2 bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 2 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/4 cups grapes
Start by prepping all your fresh fruits since they’ll oxidize quickly once cut.
Hull and quarter the strawberries into 1-inch pieces, then slice the bananas into 1/2-inch rounds.
Leave the grapes whole—they’re perfect as-is.
Arrange all prepped fruits in a large mixing bowl.
I like to prep the fruits just before final assembly to keep them as fresh and firm as possible, especially the bananas which brown quickly.
Step 2: Add the Peach Pie Filling and Citrus
- 21 oz peach pie filling
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- fresh fruits from Step 1
Pour the peach pie filling over the fresh fruits in the bowl.
Drizzle the fresh lemon juice evenly over everything.
The acidity from the lemon juice will help preserve the color of the bananas and strawberries while brightening all the flavors.
Gently fold everything together using a spatula or large spoon, being careful not to crush the berries.
Step 3: Finish with Fresh Mint and Serve
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chiffonade
- fruit salad from Step 2
Just before serving, scatter the fresh mint chiffonade over the top of the fruit salad and gently fold it through with one or two passes of the spatula.
I prefer to add the mint at the very last moment so it stays vibrant and aromatic rather than wilting into the fruit.
Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Quick Fruit Salad with Peach Pie Filling
Ingredients
Method
- Start by prepping all your fresh fruits since they'll oxidize quickly once cut. Hull and quarter the strawberries into 1-inch pieces, then slice the bananas into 1/2-inch rounds. Leave the grapes whole—they're perfect as-is. Arrange all prepped fruits in a large mixing bowl. I like to prep the fruits just before final assembly to keep them as fresh and firm as possible, especially the bananas which brown quickly.
- Pour the peach pie filling over the fresh fruits in the bowl. Drizzle the fresh lemon juice evenly over everything. The acidity from the lemon juice will help preserve the color of the bananas and strawberries while brightening all the flavors. Gently fold everything together using a spatula or large spoon, being careful not to crush the berries.
- Just before serving, scatter the fresh mint chiffonade over the top of the fruit salad and gently fold it through with one or two passes of the spatula. I prefer to add the mint at the very last moment so it stays vibrant and aromatic rather than wilting into the fruit. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.