diff --git a/changelog/48609.changed b/changelog/48609.changed
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..92f1dc00f8e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/48609.changed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+More intelligent diffing in changes of file.serialize state.
diff --git a/salt/states/file.py b/salt/states/file.py
index 838d8805c9f5..ece620799ac9 100644
--- a/salt/states/file.py
+++ b/salt/states/file.py
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ def run():
 import salt.payload
 import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.dateutils
+import salt.utils.dictdiffer
 import salt.utils.dictupdate
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.hashutils
@@ -8024,6 +8025,7 @@ def serialize(
             salt.utils.data.repack_dictlist(deserializer_opts)
         )
 
+    existing_data = None
     if merge_if_exists:
         if os.path.isfile(name):
             if deserializer_name not in __serializers__:
@@ -8114,27 +8116,33 @@ def serialize(
         else:
             ret["result"] = True
             ret["comment"] = "The file {} is in the correct state".format(name)
-        return ret
+    else:
+        ret = __salt__["file.manage_file"](
+            name=name,
+            sfn="",
+            ret=ret,
+            source=None,
+            source_sum={},
+            user=user,
+            group=group,
+            mode=mode,
+            attrs=None,
+            saltenv=__env__,
+            backup=backup,
+            makedirs=makedirs,
+            template=None,
+            show_changes=show_changes,
+            encoding=encoding,
+            encoding_errors=encoding_errors,
+            contents=contents,
+        )
 
-    return __salt__["file.manage_file"](
-        name=name,
-        sfn="",
-        ret=ret,
-        source=None,
-        source_sum={},
-        user=user,
-        group=group,
-        mode=mode,
-        attrs=None,
-        saltenv=__env__,
-        backup=backup,
-        makedirs=makedirs,
-        template=None,
-        show_changes=show_changes,
-        encoding=encoding,
-        encoding_errors=encoding_errors,
-        contents=contents,
-    )
+    if isinstance(existing_data, dict) and isinstance(merged_data, dict):
+        ret["changes"]["diff"] = salt.utils.dictdiffer.recursive_diff(
+            existing_data, merged_data
+        ).diffs
+
+    return ret
 
 
 def mknod(name, ntype, major=0, minor=0, user=None, group=None, mode="0600"):
diff --git a/tests/integration/states/test_file.py b/tests/integration/states/test_file.py
index fb56a9c4045c..542537f151e6 100644
--- a/tests/integration/states/test_file.py
+++ b/tests/integration/states/test_file.py
@@ -2052,6 +2052,12 @@ def test_serializer_deserializer_opts(self, name):
         )
         ret = ret[next(iter(ret))]
         assert ret["result"], ret
+        assert "changes" in ret
+        assert "diff" in ret["changes"]
+        assert "foo" in ret["changes"]["diff"]
+        assert "abc" in ret["changes"]["diff"]["foo"]
+        assert "new" in ret["changes"]["diff"]["foo"]["abc"]
+        assert ret["changes"]["diff"]["foo"]["abc"]["new"], 123
 
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(name) as fp_:
             serialized_data = salt.serializers.configparser.deserialize(fp_)
@@ -2098,6 +2104,12 @@ def test_serializer_plist_binary_file_open(self, name):
         )
         ret = ret[next(iter(ret))]
         assert ret["result"], ret
+        assert "changes" in ret
+        assert "diff" in ret["changes"]
+        assert "foo" in ret["changes"]["diff"]
+        assert "abc" in ret["changes"]["diff"]["foo"]
+        assert "new" in ret["changes"]["diff"]["foo"]["abc"]
+        assert ret["changes"]["diff"]["foo"]["abc"]["new"], 123
 
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(name, "rb") as fp_:
             serialized_data = salt.serializers.plist.deserialize(fp_)
@@ -2134,6 +2146,12 @@ def test_serializer_plist_file_open(self, name):
         )
         ret = ret[next(iter(ret))]
         assert ret["result"], ret
+        assert "changes" in ret
+        assert "diff" in ret["changes"]
+        assert "foo" in ret["changes"]["diff"]
+        assert "abc" in ret["changes"]["diff"]["foo"]
+        assert "new" in ret["changes"]["diff"]["foo"]["abc"]
+        assert ret["changes"]["diff"]["foo"]["abc"]["new"], 123
 
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(name, "rb") as fp_:
             serialized_data = salt.serializers.plist.deserialize(fp_)