This Italian Fruit Salad is a light and creamy fruit custard with tiny Acini de Pepe pasta, fruit, and Cool Whip. Some even refer to this light and airy salad as Acini de Pepe fruit salad. It makes enough for a crowd and stays great in the fridge for several days. This fruit salad is perfect for your next get-together, because it is definitely a crowd pleaser!

Macedonia di Frutta in a clear glass dishes with a cherry on top

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How I found the Acini di Pepe Salad

The mother of one of my dearest friends, that I have known since kindergarten, shared this recipe with me many years ago. She made it when I was visiting them in Arizona, and I just had to have the recipe.

I have no idea where the recipe originated, but this Italian fruit custard recipe has turned out to be one I make year-after-year. It’s especially perfect for large get-togethers, because it makes a lot.

Italian fruit salad in a clear bowl with cherries on top and flowers behind the bowl.

Why you will love this Fruit Custard

Italian Fruit Salad has a custard base with Cool Whip, Acini de Pepe pasta, marshmallows, and fruit. It is the perfect dish for a crowd, because it makes a large quantity. It can be served as a side dish or a dessert, and is loved by people of all ages.

This dish can be made ahead of time, and honestly tastes better after a day in the fridge. You do have to plan ahead, because the custard has to sit overnight before adding in the other ingredients.

little bowls of Macedonia di Frutta with cherries on top

If you love dishes that make enough for a crowd and can be made ahead, check out these recipes:

What is in Italian Fruit Salad

ingredients laying on the counter for the acini de pepe fruit salad

Although you have to plan ahead for this recipe, it really is quite simple to make. It’s light and refreshing, and works well as a side dish or even a dessert. The ingredients found in Italian Fruit Salad include:

acini de pepe pasta
eggs
sugar
flour
salt
Cool Whip
canned fruit
marshmallows

The eggs, sugar, flour, and fruit juice (from the canned fruit), are used to make a custard that needs to be chilled overnight. The custard is what makes this Italian Fruit Salad so delicious. Then, everything is mixed together the next day.

draining a can of fruit cocktail in a strainer

pouring fruit custard into cooked acini de pepe pasta

Substituting of modifying the ingredients

You can also use fresh fruit, but I find that the fruit holds up better if you use canned fruit—especially if you want to make this dish ahead of time. Also, many fruits will discolor such as apples and bananas. This dish is so pretty when served, brown bananas just wouldn’t do it justice.

cooked acini de pepe pasta, marshmallows, fruit custard, and cool whip before getting mixed togehter

You can also use homemade heavy whipping cream. However, Cool Whip will hold up longer in this dish. The homemade whipped cream will break down and turn watery much quicker than Cool Whip.

How to serve your Acini de Pepe Fruit Custard

This delicious fruit custard is wonderful as a side dish or can be served as a dessert. It makes a really large amount, and is perfect to take to a pot luck, or to have when hosting a dinner party. Also, it’s the perfect dish for a family holiday dinner. It’s beautiful on the table and tastes amazing.

little glass dishes with little bowls of Macedonia di Frutta with cherries on top

I have made this dish many times for friends that just had a baby. It stays well in the fridge for several days, and the entire family enjoys being able to scoop up a bowl at any time.