Easy 5 Cup Salad Recipe: A Sweet Family Gathering Favorite

Mixing unexpected ingredients creates a delightful 5 cup salad that surprises taste buds with every spoonful.

Creamy textures blend seamlessly with sweet and tangy flavors.

Childhood memories often center around simple, comforting dishes like this classic dessert.

Grandmothers across kitchens have perfected this no-fuss recipe that requires minimal effort.

Each ingredient brings its own personality to the mix, creating a harmonious dance of flavors.

Minimal preparation means you can whip up this crowd-pleaser in mere minutes.

Dive into this nostalgic treat that promises to delight everyone at the table.

Fresh and Colorful 5 Cup Salad

• Quick Prep Delight: This 5 Cup Salad comes together in minutes with simple mixing and no complicated cooking techniques, making it perfect for busy home cooks.
• Crowd-Pleasing Dessert: Packed with sweet fruits, marshmallows, and creamy sour cream, this dish appeals to both kids and adults, ensuring everyone at the gathering will love it.
• Stress-Free Entertaining: Prepare this recipe ahead of time and refrigerate, allowing you to focus on other party details while having a delicious dessert ready to serve chilled.
• Versatile Occasion Treat: Ideal for potlucks, family reunions, summer picnics, and holiday gatherings, this salad brings a touch of sweetness that complements any menu.

Ingredients for 5 Cup Salad

• Sour Cream: A creamy foundation that provides smooth texture and tangy flavor for the salad.

• Pineapple, Mandarin Oranges, Cherries: Sweet and tropical fruits that add vibrant colors, juicy bursts, and refreshing taste to the salad.

• Miniature Marshmallows: Soft, pillowy additions that bring a delightful sweetness and playful texture to the dessert salad.

How to Toss the Perfect 5 Cup Salad

Step 1: Prepare Creamy Base

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the sour cream until smooth and free of any lumpy texture. The goal is to create a silky, even foundation for your delightful salad.

Step 2: Combine Fruity Goodness

• Pineapple chunks
• Mandarin orange segments
• Maraschino cherries
• Miniature marshmallows

Mix everything carefully to ensure each ingredient is evenly distributed without breaking the delicate fruit pieces.

Step 3: Chill and Develop Flavors

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

Let the salad rest and allow the flavors to meld together for 2 hours. This resting time helps the ingredients blend and creates a more harmonious taste experience.

Step 4: Serve and Enjoy

Remove the salad from the refrigerator just before serving. Scoop into individual dessert bowls or a serving dish.

The 5 Cup Salad is best enjoyed cold, offering a refreshing and sweet treat perfect for gatherings, potlucks, or a quick dessert after a meal.

Pro Tips for Crisp and Flavorful 5 Cup Salad

• Drain canned fruits thoroughly to prevent excess liquid from making the salad watery.
• Use full-fat sour cream for a richer, creamier texture that binds ingredients smoothly.
• Gently fold ingredients to maintain the delicate texture of marshmallows and fruits.
• For a lighter version, substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream and reduce marshmallow quantity.
• Add a sprinkle of shredded coconut for extra tropical flavor and crunch just before serving.

Variations on 5 Cup Salad to Try

• Tropical Coconut Remix: Replace sour cream with coconut cream for a dairy-free, tropical-inspired version that adds rich, creamy texture.
• Low-Sugar Wellness Bowl: Swap marshmallows with chopped nuts and use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream to create a protein-packed, lower-sugar alternative.
• Vegan Fruit Fusion: Use coconut yogurt, swap marshmallows with vegan marshmallows, and add extra fresh fruits like kiwi or passion fruit for a plant-based adaptation.
• Gluten-Free Citrus Delight: Ensure all ingredients are certified gluten-free and add a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes for extra crunch and flavor.

Pairing Ideas for 5 Cup Salad

• Harmonize Sweet Fruit Flavors: Pair this creamy 5 Cup Salad with a crisp sparkling white wine like Moscato, which complements the dessert's fruity sweetness and light texture.
• Create Refreshing Contrast: Serve alongside a chilled herbal tea like chamomile or mint, which provides a cool, subtle counterpoint to the rich marshmallow and fruit combination.
• Elevate Dessert Experience: Match with a light vanilla bean shortbread cookie, offering a delicate crunch and buttery undertone that enhances the salad's creamy smoothness.
• Balance Texture and Taste: Add a small scoop of coconut sorbet to provide a tropical, refreshing element that echoes the pineapple and mandarin orange notes in the salad.

Storage Tips for 5 Cup Salad

Store the 5 Cup Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Keep it tightly sealed to prevent absorbing other food odors.

Not recommended due to the creamy sour cream and soft fruit texture, which will break down and separate when thawed.

Remove from the refrigerator about 10-15 minutes before serving to allow slight tempering and enhance flavor blending.

Never keep this salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours to prevent bacterial growth and potential foodborne illness.

FAQs

• What are the key ingredients in 5 Cup Salad?

The key ingredients are sour cream, pineapple, mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries, and miniature marshmallows, creating a sweet and creamy dessert salad.

• Is this a healthy dessert option?

While delicious, 5 Cup Salad is more of an indulgent treat due to its high sugar content from marshmallows and canned fruits, so it’s best enjoyed in moderation.

• Can I make 5 Cup Salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare this salad up to 24 hours in advance and keep it refrigerated, which actually allows the flavors to meld together nicely.

5 Cup Salad Recipe

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4.7 from 16 reviews

• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Creamy 5 cup salad brings together sweet marshmallows, tangy pineapple, and coconut in a dreamy dessert blend. Chilled and delightful, this classic potluck treat promises to charm guests with its simple yet irresistible combination of textures and flavors.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Fruits:

• 1 cup pineapple chunks, roughly chopped, drained
• 1 cup mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 cup maraschino cherries, drained and halved, no stems

Dairy and Sweet Components:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows

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Instructions

1. Whisk sour cream in a medium bowl until smooth and free of lumps, creating a creamy base for the salad.
2. Gently incorporate diced pineapple, segmented mandarin oranges, chopped maraschino cherries, and fluffy miniature marshmallows into the sour cream mixture, ensuring even distribution without overmixing.
3. Carefully transfer the combined salad to a sealed container, pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent air exposure.
4. Refrigerate for 120 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and ingredients to chill thoroughly.
5. Remove from refrigerator, give a gentle stir to redistribute ingredients, and serve immediately in chilled dessert bowls for a refreshing and sweet treat.

Notes

• Check marshmallow freshness to ensure soft, fluffy texture without hardness or staleness.
• Use full-fat sour cream for richer, creamier consistency that binds ingredients smoothly.
• Drain canned fruits completely to prevent excess liquid from making salad watery.
• Can substitute low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt for lighter, healthier version with similar tangy flavor.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 201
• Sugar: 32 g
• Sodium: 49 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 35 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 20 mg