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Home » Ambrosia Salad

Ambrosia Salad

By Samantha Merritt · Published: July 23, 2018 · Last Updated: September 16, 2019

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Ambrosia Salad is a staple side dish that’s been around for years! This recipe is super simple to make, and always a crowd-pleaser!

ambrosia salad in a serving bow with a large spoon

With its silky sweet, whipped-cream-based “dressing”, plenty of soft mini marshmallows, and an abundance of juicy, colorful fruit, Ambrosia Salad may be a bit different than some of the other salads you’re used to seeing around potlucks and parties, like this Frog Eye Salad, but I promise you that it’s every bit as good… if not better! This classic salad has been a staple for decades (maybe your grandmother has made it for you?) and the version that I’m sharing today is made with a simple from-scratch dressing and takes only 10 minutes to assemble!

AMBROSIA SALAD
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Ambrosia Salad never appealed to me growing up. It was always too… colorful, for me to take it seriously as a dessert, my grandmother often served it on Thanksgiving and while I piled my plate high with plenty of her Strawberry Cheesecake, Angel Food Cake or Apple Pie, I always steered away from the Ambrosia Salad.

What is ambrosia

  • Ambrosia, or Ambrosia Salad, is a variation on a traditional fruit salad that’s become a classic Southern recipe that’s usually served at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

As an adult with a new-found love for ambrosia fruit salad, I wish I’d caught on to this heavenly salad (aptly named “ambrosia”, meaning “food of the gods”) sooner. I had no idea what I was missing out on, and if you’ve never tried Ambrosia Salad yourself, you’re in for a real treat.

While there are many recipes for Ambrosia with Cool Whip to form their base “dressing”, I prefer to make mine completely from scratch. If for some reason you do have a strong desire to use pre-made Cool Whip instead of homemade whipped cream (you’re really missing out, seriously!) you can and you would substitute 3 cups of Cool Whip for the whipped cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract that is called for (no need to beat the Cool Whip either, just stir in your sour cream and you’re ready to go!).

Making it yourself is so simple (and is part of the technique that I use to make my popular No-Bake Cheesecake) and will take less time than thawing a container of Cool Whip, so I really hope you’ll try it out.

ingredients to make ambrosia salad ready to be mixed together

What is ambrosia made of

  • Other than the whipped cream that we’ve already covered, ambrosia salad is made with mini marshmallows and a number of fruits. For my version, I stuck with the classics: pineapple, maraschino cherries, coconut, and mandarin oranges.

For the marshmallows, you can use either standard mini marshmallows or the mini, fruit-flavored, pastel ones. Either will work perfectly in this salad, but if I had to choose a favorite I’d reach for the fruity marshmallows every time.

All of the fruits that I used came from cans or jars where they were stored in their own fruit juices (which I recommend, because even though you’ll drain the fruit the residual juice really adds to the flavor of the salad!), but fresh diced pineapple could be substituted instead.

Many people also like to add nuts (usually pecans or walnuts) to their ambrosia salad, and while you certainly can (I would add up to 1 cup of your preferred chopped nuts) I left them out of mine. Or you could go completely nutty and make Watergate Salad. It’s like an ambrosia recipe that uses pistachio pudding. Yum!

Can you make ambrosia salad a day ahead

  • You sure can! It’s best to let this salad sit for at least a couple of hours before serving, but you could make it in the morning or even the day before serving.

How long can you keep ambrosia salad in the fridge

  • Ambrosia can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. That is if there are any leftovers.

close up of ambrosia in a serving bowl

Want more easy fruit salad recipes?

  • Berry Cheesecake Fruit Salad
  • Grape Salad
  • The Best Fruit Salad Recipe
  • Boozy Tropical Fruit Salad
  • More side dish recipes…

ambrosia fruit salad in individual dessert cups

Tools used to make this Ambrosia Salad recipe

Hand Mixer: While I love my stand mixer, this handheld mixer is perfect for smaller recipes and when I need just a quick mix.

Mixing Bowl: These mixing bowls get used just about every day at my house. The grip handle makes them easy to hold and the pour spout makes them perfect for batters!

Rubber Spatula: Rubber spatulas are one of those kitchen tools you don’t realize how much you use until they’re all dirty. This set of three spatulas in various sizes and shapes will make cooking everything from dinner to dessert a breeze.

Serving Bowl: This large glass serving bowl is one of my favorite dishes. It’s perfect for everything from salads to pastas. Simple, classic, and a must have!

Ambrosia Salad is a staple side dish that's been around for years! This recipe is super simple to make, and always a crowd-pleaser!

Ambrosia Salad

Ambrosia salad is a staple side dish that's been around for years! This recipe is super simple to make, and always a crowd-pleaser!
Print Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 231kcal
Author: Samantha Merritt

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup heavy cream chilled
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 4 cups mini marshmallows either regular or fruit-flavored ones (rainbow colors)
  • 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
  • 11 ounces mandarin oranges (1 can) well drained
  • ¾ cup maraschino cherries stems removed
  • 1 cup pineapple tidbits well-drained

Instructions

  • In a clean, medium-sized bowl, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
  • Use an electric mixer to beat on high speed until stiff peaks have formed (mixture should reach a Cool Whip consistency).
  • Add sour cream and stir until well-combined.
  • In a separate, large bowl, combine mini marshmallows, coconut, oranges, maraschino cherries, and pineapple. Stir to combine.
  • Pour whipped cream/sour cream mixture over ingredients and stir until everything is evenly combined and all ingredients are covered in the cream mixture.
  • Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Notes

Be sure to drain the fruit really well if you're making this salad more than on hour ahead of time. You can put all the fruit in a colander and let it sit to drain and dry for about an hour (if you want to wait that long). This will keep the salad from getting soupy while it sits.  

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 164mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 480IU | Vitamin C: 11.6mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @aubrey_realhousemoms or tag #RHFood!

square image of ambrosia salad with text

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Samantha Merritt

I'm the self-taught baker, photographer, and lifelong chocolate chip cookie aficionado behind Sugar Spun Run. I believe the best desserts are always sweet, simple, and made from scratch!

Comments

  1. Rosemary Valdez says

    December 8, 2018 at 10:17 pm

    3 stars
    I don’t remember using Heavy Cream? Cool Whip, Mixed Fruit, Pineapple chunks/tidbits, sour cream, Cheeries, nd something else??
    Do you know of this recipe?
    Please HELP!!!

    Reply
    • Aubrey Cota says

      December 11, 2018 at 7:02 pm

      You can refer to the ingredients list of this recipe to find out all that should be included.

      Reply
    • Miranda says

      December 11, 2018 at 9:24 pm

      5 stars
      The heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla combined are the ingredients to make a homemade version of Cool Whip. If you’re using a tub of Cool Whip, you would simply leave out the first two steps of mixing those three ingredients and just start at the part after it says to mix until you get a Cool Whip consistency!!

      Reply
    • Beverly L says

      March 30, 2019 at 2:46 pm

      I use chopped pecans like my grandmother did

      Reply
  2. Miranda says

    December 11, 2018 at 9:17 pm

    5 stars
    I made this at Thanksgiving; it was so delicious and easy to make! Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Aubrey Cota says

      December 12, 2018 at 8:51 am

      Thank you, Miranda! I’m so glad to see it was a hit.

      Reply
  3. Pattie Hayward says

    January 20, 2019 at 7:55 am

    5 stars
    I have never made this with whipping cream. Made this for my granddaughters first birthday party, and what a hit it was. Thank you for your advice of the homemade whipping cream, so much better.

    Reply
    • Aubrey Cota says

      February 6, 2019 at 11:49 am

      Pattie, I’m so glad to hear it turned out so well for you! Thank you.

      Reply
  4. IFortuna says

    April 1, 2019 at 8:28 pm

    5 stars
    Hubby wants me to make this salad. You can buy fresh California Mandarin oranges at the grocers these days. The are juicy and not tart or acidic or too sweet. They are great for this salad, coleslaw and most fruit salads. Thanks for this recipe!

    Reply
    • Aubrey Cota says

      May 8, 2019 at 8:25 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  5. Jerry says

    April 25, 2019 at 10:16 pm

    5 stars
    Great and easy recipe to follow, this is a real nice cool desert and not all filling after dinner desert.

    Reply
    • Aubrey Cota says

      May 7, 2019 at 7:19 pm

      Thank you, Jerry!

      Reply

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