• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Bless this Mess
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Sides
  • Desserts
  • Snacks
  • Holidays
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start Here
  • All Recipes
  • Recipe Filter
  • Cookbooks!
  • Our Story
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start Here
    • All Recipes
    • Recipe Filter
    • Cookbooks!
    • Our Story
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Bless This Mess > Recipes > Sides Dishes and Salads

    Creamy 6-Cup Ambrosia Fruit Salad

    Published: Aug 29, 2019 · Modified: Aug 13, 2022 by Melissa · 2 Comments

    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Mail
    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

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

    Plus, if you're a funky salad lover like I am, you need to check out my Very Veggie Asian Pasta Salad and Berry Spinach Salad with Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing recipes! They're all fun twists on traditional salads that you know and love, and I'm sure you'll devour each and every one of them.

    This tasty and creamy 6-cup ambrosia fruit salad is the simplest thing to make and is forever a hit for kiddos and adults alike at any gathering! #ambrosiafruitsalad #fruitsalad #fruit #fruitrecipes #salad #southerndishes #fruitsaladrecipe

    Creamy 6-Cup Ambrosia Fruit Salad

    This fruit salad is a prime suspect for classic party dishes 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 is pure HEAVEN in a bowl.

    As long as this salad's been around the block, I always love to see the different ways others like making it. I know some people like using Cool Whip in place of sour cream, which you're more than welcome to do. That makes it EXTRA sweet, and to me, just a tad less tart and creamy, but it's up to your personal preference! This is just how I've always made it and think it tastes seriously addicting (but I may be biased!). For other variations on the salad that readers have shared with me, scroll down!

    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?

    This tasty and creamy 6-cup ambrosia fruit salad is the simplest thing to make and is forever a hit for kiddos and adults alike at any gathering! #ambrosiafruitsalad #fruitsalad #fruit #fruitrecipes #salad #southerndishes #fruitsaladrecipe

    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

    This tasty and creamy 6-cup ambrosia fruit salad is the simplest thing to make and is forever a hit for kiddos and adults alike at any gathering! #ambrosiafruitsalad #fruitsalad #fruit #fruitrecipes #salad #southerndishes #fruitsaladrecipe

    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. You can also add other fruit, like diced apple, halved grapes, diced banana, or maraschino cherries, as well as chopped pecans or walnuts, some powdered sugar, or in place of sour cream, flavored yogurt or Cool Whip.

    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.)

    This tasty and creamy 6-cup ambrosia fruit salad is the simplest thing to make and is forever a hit for kiddos and adults alike at any gathering! #ambrosiafruitsalad #fruitsalad #fruit #fruitrecipes #salad #southerndishes #fruitsaladrecipe

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    oranges and marshmallows in a "6 cup salad" in a glass dish

    Creamy 6-Cup Ambrosia Fruit Salad


    • Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess
    • Total Time: 2 hours 5 min
    • Yield: 6 servings 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

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


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained
    • 1 cup canned mandarin oranges, drained
    • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 2 cups mini marshmallows

    Instructions

    1. In a large bowl, add the pineapple, orange, and coconut.
    2. Add the sour cream, and fold to combine.
    3. Add the mini marshmallows, and fold to combine.
    4. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

    Notes

    • You can eat this right away, but I like to let it sit a minute. The sour cream has time to get sweet that way, and I like the softer texture of the marshmallows.
    • Prep Time: 5 min
    • Category: side
    • Method: no bake
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: 6 cup salad, ambrosia, fruit salad, easy, summer

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @blessthismessblog on Instagram and hashtag it #blessthismess

    Other summer salad favorites:

    • Deli-Style Broccoli Salad
    • Classic Potato Salad Recipe
    • Cornbread Salad
    • Classic Tuna Pasta Salad
    • Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe

    This recipe was originally published in 2012, and has been updated and rephotographed in August 2019.

    Creamy 6-cup ambrosia fruit salad is a simple party or group staple dish that everyone loves and that only needs 5 ingredients to whip up!

    « Sign up for Weekly OR Daily Emails from Bless this Mess
    Green Beans with Butter and Bacon »
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Mail
    Craving More

    Take the hassle out of meal planning with: Dinner Made Easy, a FREE 1 week meal plan with full shopping list, easy dinners, nutrition information, serving suggestions for each meal, and more!

    Subscribe Now
    about me

    About Melissa

    Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, "What's for Dinner?!" with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. deb c

      August 30, 2019 at 3:33 pm

      My Gram made this for Christmas Eve dinner every year....there was always a big glob of ""whipped cream" on top.....every year we eagerly dove into it.....and every year it was made with and, including the glob of white stuff on top....mayonaisse.....we never learned. It sends shivers up my spine remembering all of us kids gagging! I like your recipe better!

      Reply
      • Melissa

        September 01, 2019 at 11:02 am

        Eeeeeee, that's the funniest story ever. I can't imagine a blob of mayo with all that fruit....

    Primary Sidebar

    I’M MELISSA, AND I WANT TO HELP YOU FEED YOUR FAMILY WHOLESOME FOOD.

    As a hobby farmer and mom of five, I’m all about keeping it simple in the kitchen. I want healthy meals that feed my family well, and then I want to get back to my (messy) life. Let’s work together to find something yummy for your dinner table.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Chocolate Babka
    • 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken Legs
    • Easy German Pancake Recipe
    • Mexican Hot Chocolate
    Dinner Made Easy

    Get Recipes & More for Free!

    Get my FREE Dinner Made Easy meal plan, exclusive recipes, giveaways, and behind-the-scenes updates! Get my newsletter or a new recipe every day! Unsubscribe if you aren’t into it.

    Subscribe Now

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    SEEN ON

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Tools.
    • Terms Of Service.
    • Accessibility.
    • Bylaws.

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About Us
    • Cookbook FAQ
    • Find A Recipe!

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 blessthismessplease.com. All rights reserved.

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter