This tasty andcreamy 6-cup ambrosia fruit saladis the simplest thing to make and is forever a hit for kiddos and adults alike at any gathering!

This fruit salad is a classic party dish that the whole gang’s going to love and eat up!Ambrosia fruit salad has been around forever and ever, and I pray it doesn’t go anywhere anytime soon! The tart flavors of pineapple and orange with a little nutty coconut, tangy sour cream, and a sweet bite of marshmallow ispure HEAVEN in a bowl.

The best part about this salad is it comes together in almost NO time.All you do it throw your stuff in a bowl, mix it up, and call it a day.I do like refrigerating mine for a couple hours to let the flavors meld and the sour cream sweeten, but that’s not a necessary step. Plus, kids love this stuff… adults love this stuff…and that’s how you can tell an incredible party dish, don’t you agree?And it’s a terrific sidekick to other classics likePistachio SaladandFrog Eye Salad.

oranges and marshmallows in a "6 cup salad" in a glass dish

Why You’ll Love This Salad

Simplicity: Recipes don’t get much more simple than this one – 6 cups of 5 ingredients, stir, and you’re done.
Make-Ahead Convenience: You can make it hours ahead of time and pull it out of the refrigerator when you’re ready to eat.
Crowd-Pleaser: It’s a familiar classic that everyone loves.

Ingredients

Canned Pineapple Tidbits
Canned Mandarin Oranges
Shredded Sweetened Coconut
Sour Cream
Mini Marshmallows

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities

6 cup salad with oranges marshmallows and a cream fruit salad mix in a glass mixing bowl

Variations for 6-Cup Ambrosia Fruit Salad

There are lots of variations that our readers have shared about how they make this salad. Here are some of their ideas below:

add diced apples (if you don’t like coconut, apples are a great alternative because of the crunch)
add grapes (red or green) that have been halved
add diced bananas
add in chopped walnuts or pecans for an added crunch
to make it sweeter, stir in a little powdered sugar – it will also offset the tartness from the sour cream
add in a small jar of maraschino cherries
stir in 2 tablespoons of instant lemon pudding powder for a lemon taste
use pina colada flavored yogurt in place of the sour cream

How to Make 6-cup Ambrosia Fruit Salad

Step #1.In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, mandarin oranges, and coconut.

Step #3.Stir in the mini marshmallows.

Step #2.Add the sour cream and fold to combine.

Step #4.Refrigerate 2-3 hours then serve.

Recipe FAQs

What’s in ambrosia fruit salad?

I love keeping this fruit salad super simple with only 5 ingredients, but there are so many ways to customize and add to it! All I use is canned pineapple and mandarin oranges (both drained), shredded coconut, sour cream, and mini marshmallows, and it’s just delicious.

How long does ambrosia fruit salad last?

This salad is definitely perfect for a big gathering because it won’t last terribly long, and it makes a pretty large batch! So, you’ll want to make it when you have a sizable group to serve. I’d say it’ll last about 2, maybe 3, days in the refrigerator — just be sure to drain any excess liquid that gathers at the bottom before serving.

Can you make ambrosia salad ahead of time?

Ambrosia salad is fine to make the night ahead of a get-together! I like to let it sit a few hours, anyway, so the flavors can all marinate and mix together well. I wouldn’t make it more than a day ahead of time, though, or else you might be dealing with a soggy salad. (And there’s nothing sadder than a soggy salad.)

Expert Tips

If you have the time,put the pineapple tidbits and mandarin oranges into a colanderand let them hang out for a while before making the salad to help drain extra liquid.
Mandarin oranges don’t handle a lot of stirring without falling apart so take care to fold the salad together gently.It will still taste good but it won’t be quite as pretty if the oranges fall to pieces.
It’s a classic touch togarnish it with some maraschino cherry halvesbefore serving.
If canned fruit isn’t quite your style,you can substitute the same amount of fresh pineapple and orange pieces.