Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Salad (Party Tub)

Strawberry banana cheesecake salad is a creamy, no-bake fluff made from cream cheese, cheesecake pudding, yogurt and whipped topping, loaded with a full pound of strawberries and four bananas. It is built for potlucks, cookouts and family gatherings, where one big clear tub on the table serves 10 people. Everything goes into that single container, so there is no slicing or plating to do before you head out the door.

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You need a mixer, a large bowl, a spatula and about 20 minutes of hands-on time. The fridge does the rest in an hour.

What goes into the tub

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 box (3.4 oz) cheesecake flavor instant pudding mix
• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 8 oz whipped topping, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows (optional)
• 1 lb strawberries, sliced
• 4 bananas, sliced
• A spoonful of lemon juice for the bananas (from the recipe tip)

Two things that keep strawberry banana cheesecake salad creamy

Start with truly soft cream cheese

The most common complaint with fluff salads is little white lumps scattered through the cream. That happens when the cream cheese goes into the bowl cold. Once the pudding and milk hit it, the lumps never fully break down, no matter how long you beat.

Let the block sit out until it gives easily when you press it, then beat it on its own first, before anything else goes in. You want it smooth and a little glossy. Give this step your full attention, because every ingredient that follows gets mixed into whatever texture the cream cheese has at this point, and lumps left now stay in the finished tub.

Keep the bananas pale

Sliced bananas start turning brown fast, and in a clear container every gray slice shows. The recipe has a simple fix: toss the banana slices in a spoonful of lemon juice before they go into the cream. The acid slows the browning, so the tub still looks fresh when you set it out. Slice the bananas last, right before folding, so they spend as little time on the cutting board as possible.

Another no-bake party bowl worth a look is our Black Forest cherry fluff salad , made with chocolate pudding, cherries and brownies.

For a version with pound cake folded in, try our strawberry shortcake cheesecake salad , which tastes like shortcake in a bowl.

For another fruit-filled dessert to spoon from a serving dish, try Hawaiian cheesecake salad with graham crumble .

Making it, step by step

• Beat the cream cheese until smooth.
• Beat in the pudding mix, milk and yogurt until thick and creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Fold in the whipped topping.
• Fold in the marshmallows, most of the strawberries and the bananas.
• Spoon into a large clear container, top with the rest of the strawberries and a few banana slices, cover and chill 1 hour.

A few notes on why each step matters. In step 2, the milk needs to be cold. Instant pudding thickens as it hydrates, and cold milk lets it set into a thick base instead of staying soupy. The 2 minutes of beating is what gives you that cheesecake body, so don’t cut it short. When it is ready, the mixture should hold soft ridges from the beaters.

From step 3 on, put the mixer away and use a spatula. Whipped topping is mostly air, and beating it would knock that air out and leave you with a dense, heavy cream. Fold by cutting down through the middle, sweeping along the bottom and turning the mixture over. Stop as soon as no white streaks remain.

The same gentle hand goes for the fruit in step 4. Strawberries and bananas bruise and release juice if you stir hard, and that juice is what thins the fluff out. Hold back a handful of the nicest strawberry slices and a few banana rounds for the top. They make the tub look as good as it tastes.

The hour in the fridge is not optional. It lets the pudding finish setting and the flavors come together, so the salad scoops cleanly instead of sliding off the spoon.

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Serving it at a party

The clear container is part of the appeal. Guests can see the layers of pink strawberry and pale banana through the side, and the fruit on top tells them what they are getting before they lift the lid. Set it out with a big serving spoon and small bowls or cups, and keep it cold until people are ready to eat.

It sits on the table alongside burgers, pulled pork or a pasta salad, and it also works as the dessert itself when you don’t want to bake. Keep the leftovers, if you have any, covered in the fridge. Bananas soften and darken the longer they sit, so this one is at its best on the day you make it.

If your crowd likes this kind of creamy fruit bowl, try our lemon blueberry fluff salad , the tropical Hawaiian cheesecake salad or the quick pineapple cheesecake fluff salad . For something handheld with the same strawberry and cheesecake pairing, there are our strawberry crunch cheesecake tacos .

Questions about this fluff salad

Do I have to use the marshmallows?

No. The recipe lists the mini marshmallows as optional. Leave them out and you get a softer, more cheesecake-like salad with the fruit front and center. Add them and you get extra chew and sweetness, the classic potluck fluff style.

Why did my salad turn runny?

Usually one of three things. The milk was not cold, the pudding mixture was not beaten for the full 2 minutes, or the fruit was stirred too hard and released its juice. Washed strawberries that are still wet can also add water, so pat them dry before slicing.

How many people does one tub feed?

The recipe makes 10 servings, all spooned into one large clear container and topped with the reserved strawberries and banana slices. Plan on about 20 minutes of mixing plus the 1 hour of chilling, so start well before the party.

Can I serve it right after mixing?

You can taste it, but give it the full hour of chilling before serving. The pudding keeps firming up in the fridge, and the salad holds its shape much better on the spoon once it has set.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us