Five Cup Fruit Salad is a simple vintage recipe that’s a great make ahead and is perfect for any occasion. As the name suggests, it only contains five ingredients.
Chances are great you’ve heard of this recipe. It’s been around forever and a day. So, for many of you, this will just be a reminder. With only one perishable ingredient, sour cream, this little recipe is helpful and can add an easy side dish to most any meal. I recommend that the salad chill overnight, but that’s not entirely necessary. You certainly can serve it sooner.
My mother was a fruit cocktail lover so, for her, I would substitute two cups of fruit cocktail for mandarin oranges and pineapple. Experiment with a variety of canned fruits. A whole bunch of combinations are possible.
This little fruit salad stands up well all on its own. I think serving it in pretty teacups makes it especially nice. However, I’ve been known to stand at the refrigerator and scoop it right out of the bowl and eat it while standing up. The salad doesn’t mind how you serve it. It’s very friendly that way.
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Five Cup Fruit Salad
Chill at least a couple of hours before serving, overnight is best. Whether you use canned fruits in heavy syrup or fruit juice is a matter of taste preference.
1 cup canned mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup sour cream
Mix all ingredients well. Chill before serving.
FiveCup Fruit Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
Diana says
Thank you! Is this a kind of ambrosia? I use to make something like this, I don’t remember the name of it or mini marshmallows being in it, (but I don’t remember some things anymore!). I’m sure my granddaughters will love it, I know I will. Enjoy your posts!
Jackie Garvin says
Diana,
Some folks to refer to this as ambrosia which has become a generic term for fruit salad. Traditional ambrosia is simply orange segments and coconut.
Lorri byrnes says
We make 7 cup adding marchino cherries and cool whip 1cup each of course, thanksgiving
Staple.
Jackie Garvin says
Great idea, Lorri!
Georgia says
I love stuff like this!
Jackie Garvin says
So do I, Georgia! It’s always good to have simple recipes like this at your beckon. They can add a nice side dish quickly and easily.
Lori Tindall says
This is an oldie, but a goodie! It’s a staple on my menu for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinner!
Jackie Garvin says
Lori,
I’m of the opinion that simple dishes are more likely to stand the test of time. 🙂
Lorry says
In my home, this is known as Grandma Dorothy’s Fruit Salad, as she would make it for our holiday gatherings.
Jackie Garvin says
Lorry,
God love Grandma Dorothy’s angel heart. I just know this is a cherished family favorite.
Bonnie Agner says
I use to make it years ago but lost the recipe. We called it Tomorrows Salad and it is wonderful and so easy!
Jackie Garvin says
I love that name, Bonnie! Tomorrow’s Salad. Never heard it called that. 🙂
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
We had the traditional mini marshmallows and fruit and cream with a few walnuts tossed in for good measure when I was a kid. Sour cream hits my hot button.
Jackie Garvin says
I’m becoming more and more partial to sour cream as I get older. Bolder flavors appeal to me.
Deborah turek says
How any servings is this?
Jackie Garvin says
4 to 6 as a side.
Vicky Busby says
A big part of our Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations growing up.
Jackie Garvin says
Vicky,
Do you still make it?
Susan says
We called it 24 Hour Salad. Through the years I’ve added Royal Anne cherries and replaced the coconut with pecans. Not a soul in my family will touch it, so I get it all to myself and it lasts and lasts! Thanks for the memories.
Jackie Garvin says
Susan,
Does your family have any idea what they’re missing?
Darlene says
LOVE this stuff….always have it for my holiday dinners. The only difference is that I use Eagle Brand milk instead of sour cream and I add Maraschino cherries. That makes it more of a dessert, though. 😉
Jackie Garvin says
Darlene ,
Eagle Brand would be such a nice substitution in this recipe. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says
I love classic recipes like this 🙂 My kiddos love this kind of “salad” too! Thanks so much for joining us for Freedom Fridays this week …. I’m pinning this!
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you so much, Jamie!
Donna Brown says
Is the coconut really necessary? Could I used toasted coconut instead? My husband loves the taste, but not the texture of the sweetened coconut. Thanks for posting this…I never knew that it was sour cream that held it together.
Jackie Garvin says
Donna,
The coconut is only necessary if you want it to me necessary. I’ve never tried toasted coconut but that sounds like a marvelous idea! Another option is chopped nuts. If you replace coconut with nuts, you might need to add some addition sweetening, like honey or sugar. It just depends on your taste.
Wendy says
My family makes 7 cup salad, but it’s actually 8 cups.
Mandarin Oranges
Crushed Pineapple
Cherries
Coconut
Walnuts or Pecans
Mini Marshmellows
Sour Cream
Cool Whip
Drain all of the fruits, obviously.
Jackie Garvin says
Love all your additions, Wendy. The best recipes are the ones you customized. 🙂
Ellen Apple says
I make this but add a small container of cottage cheese and pecans – My husband can eat a bowl by himself. I will “hide” it in the fridge so he cannot get to it before it has time for the flavors to meld together well.
Jackie Garvin says
God bless him. He does love it!
Loretta says
I have been making this for all my married life-51 years. I usually add a can of drained fruit cocktail. My granddaughter loves it when I use the extra cherries fruit cocktail. My aunt made this when I was growing up.
Jackie Garvin says
I’ve always thought cherries were the best part of fruit cocktail. ❤️
Maggie says
We rarely had sour cream, so Mama used Dukes Mayo. She usually added diced apples and halved grapes as well.
Jackie Garvin says
❤️❤️❤️
Melissa says
If I omit the marshmallows, should I decrease the amount of sour cream?
Jackie Garvin says
You can add more fruit and coconut to sub in for marshmallows to keep the ratio with sour cream the same. You might need a tad bit of sugar to compensate for the sugar in the marshmallows.