Ambrosia Salad

Ambrosia salad is an easy dessert recipe you can whip up in just a few minutes to please a crowd. It’s light, creamy, and full of tropical flavor from pineapple and sweet shredded coconut.

This creamy fruit salad is often served as a side dish as well as a dessert, so feel free to serve it how you like! It’s also so easy to change up depending on your preferences. You can use different fruits, substitute the whipped topping for homemade whipped cream, and add nuts for more crunch! For more no-bake dessert recipes, try my Watergate salad, no-bake cheesecake, and no-bake cookies.

What is Ambrosia Salad?

Ambrosia salad is a fruit-based salad named after the term in Greek mythology for “food of the gods.” It’s a classic southern dessert and side dish that gained popularity in the 1800s and is still a crowd-pleaser at potlucks and holiday gatherings today.

Made by combining Cool Whip or whipped cream, sour cream, a variety of canned or fresh fruits, nuts, shredded coconut, and mini marshmallows, ambrosia salad is essentially a dressed-up, creamy fruit salad.

Ingredients

Whipped topping — thaw an 8-ounce container of Cool Whip according to the package directions before starting this recipe. This will form the fluffy base of this easy dessert salad.

Sour cream — sour cream adds extra creaminess and a subtle tang that pairs well with all the fruity flavors. Feel free to use greek yogurt instead, if desired.

Mandarin oranges — I use canned mandarin oranges for a burst of citrusy brightness. I prefer ones packed in juice, but segments in light syrup also work.

Pineapple — grab a can of pineapple tidbits and drain it well. You can use chopped fresh pineapple instead if desired.

Maraschino cherries — remember to drain the jar of cherries, remove the stems, and pat them dry.

Marshmallows — mini marshmallows add sweetness and extra fluffiness.

Coconut — shredded sweetened coconut adds even more tropical flavor and a delightful texture in every bite.

How To Make Ambrosia Salad

1. Drain the jar of Maraschino cherries, remove the stems, and cut the cherries in half.

2. Fold together the thawed whipped topping and sour cream in a large bowl.

3. Stir in the mandarin oranges and pineapple tidbits.

4. Add the cherries and mini marshmallows.

5. Drop in the shredded sweetened coconut.

6. Gently fold everything together. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. When serving, you can garnish the creamy fruit salad with additional cherries and coconut.

Recipe Substitutions

• Fruit: If you like, you can use fresh fruit instead of canned fruit. You can also add other fruits like berries, grapes, kiwi, and mango.
• Whipped Cream: For a fresher spin, swap the Cool Whip for homemade whipped cream by beating 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Since whipped cream is less stable than a whipped topping, I recommend serving it the day you make it if you go with homemade.
• Add Nuts: Pecans, walnuts, and slivered almonds are great options. Add 1 cup for crunchy texture in the salad.
• Toasted coconut: For extra flavor, toast the shredded coconut by spreading it on a baking sheet and placing it in a 325°F oven, stirring every few minutes, until golden and nutty smelling. Check out my recipe for how to toast coconut for more details.

How to Serve

This classic ambrosia salad recipe works equally well as a sweet side dish or refreshing dessert at potlucks, a summer BBQ, or holiday gatherings. Serve it in a large bowl, or pre-portion it into individual servings. To take it to the next level as a dessert, spoon a generous amount onto sour cream pound cake or angel food cake.

How to Make Ahead

You can combine all the ingredients (excluding the miniature marshmallows) and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Adding the marshmallows will cause them to become mushy and too soft while the salad chills. Instead, stir them in when you’re ready to serve. Also, note that this ambrosia salad recipe with Cool Whip is a bit more stable and can be made further in advance than if it is made with fresh whipped cream.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

• Drain the fruit. Drain the mandarin oranges, pineapple, and cherries well. This will keep the ambrosia salad fluffy and creamy instead of watery and soggy.
• Fold in the fruits very gently so they don’t get smashed.
• Use colorful, fruity marshmallows. The mini fruit-flavored marshmallows add a hint of pastel color to the ambrosia salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve tried this ambrosia salad recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!