Easy 5-Cup Salad Recipe (Ambrosia)

Made with fresh yogurt or sour cream, this 5 cup salad recipe is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. It’s cool and refreshing, and a perfect easy side dish any time of year!

I remember trying ambrosia fruit salad for the first time at a church potluck when I was just a kid. I loved it then, and I still love it now!

Of course as a kid, my favorite part was the sweet mini marshmallows, but now I love the texture and the tropical flavor. I’m a fan of just about anything with coconut or pineapple!

You can use just about anything for the creamy coating. The classic recipe calls for sour cream, but I like Greek yogurt, either plain or vanilla.

This is a great recipe for holiday meals because not only is it easy, it can be made a day or two ahead of time.

Is 5 cup salad the same as ambrosia salad?

While both ambrosia and five cup salad are usually used to refer to the same creamy fruit salad, but there are slight differences.

Both typically start with pineapple, coconut, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, and sour cream or whipped cream. But ambrosia salad often contains additional ingredients such as chopped pecans and maraschino cherries.

True old fashioned five-cup salad called for sour cream, but now it is often replaced with healthier yogurt. Ambrosia salad often calls for Cool Whip or sweetened whipped cream, making it much sweeter.

People seem to love it no matter what the title is, so call it whatever you like!

How to make 5-cup salad

1. SOFTEN MARSHMALLOWS – (This step is optional, but I think it greatly improves the flavor and texture of the salad.) Combine the yogurt, marshmallows, and pineapple. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and chill for 2-3 hours. I like to chill it overnight so the marshmallows are at least halfway dissolved.
2. COMBINE – Add the drained oranges and the coconut and stir gently.
3. CHILL – Cover and chill the salad, or serve it immediately.
4. GARNISH – I like to add a maraschino cherry to the top of each serving, but you could sprinkle additional coconut (or toasted coconut) on top.

PRO TIPS:

• I don’t recommend using unsweetened coconut flakes for this salad; you need the sweetness to balance out the tang of the yogurt/sour cream.
• Allowing the marshmallows to soften for a few hours before adding the coconut helps the coconut keep its crunchy texture.
• After adding the mandarin oranges, stir very gently or they will break apart.

5 CUP SALAD RECIPE VARIATIONS:

• If you prefer, you can stir all of the ingredients together and chill for 2-3 hours.
• This salad is also tasty with chopped toasted pecans or walnuts.
• Instead of just garnishing with a maraschino cherry, you can add 1/3-1/2 cup of chopped maraschino cherries to the salad.
• A can of drained fruit cocktail can be added.
• For a sweeter dessert salad, replace half or all of the yogurt/sour cream with Cool Whip or sweetened whipped cream. Or use sweetened vanilla yogurt. All are delicious!

MORE FRUIT SALAD RECIPES:

• Sour Cream Fruit Salad
• Cream Cheese Fruit Salad
• Grape Salad Recipe with Cream Cheese
• Creamy Apple Salad
• Cranberry Fluff Salad
• Honey Lime Fruit Salad Dressing
• Homemade Fruit Cocktail

5 Cup Fruit Salad (Ambrosia)

Kara

This 5-cup fruit salad uses canned fruits, so it is ridiculously easy to make! Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or holiday dinners!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Additional Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Salads

Cuisine American

Servings 5 servings

Calories 200 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1 cup mini marshmallows packed tightly
• 1 cup pineapple tidbits drained (or pineapple chunks)
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 10.5 ounce can mandarin oranges drained

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, marshmallows, and drained pineapple tidbits. Cover and chill for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. (Place the can of mandarin oranges in the fridge at the same time.)
• After the marshmallows have started to soften and dissolve, stir in the mandarin oranges and coconut.
• Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Notes

• Traditional 5 cup salad calls for sour cream, but I prefer using lower fat plain yogurt. For a sweeter salad, you can use half sour cream and half Cool Whip or sweetened whipped cream.
• Feel free to add chopped nuts and/or maraschino cherries.
• I like using regular marshmallows, but you can use the fruit flavored variety.
• I prefer the texture and flavor of the salad when the marshmallows are very soft because they sweeten the yogurt. But you can just chill the fruit, stir everything together, and serve it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 200kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 73mgPotassium: 265mgFiber: 2gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 881IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 1mg

Keyword 5 cup salad recipe

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You just need five simple ingredients to make this easy fruit salad recipe. The vintage recipe calls for sour cream, but this version uses Greek yogurt, so you get the same flavor with less fat.