Ambrosia is a fruit-based salad named after the “food of the Greek gods” and popularized in the southern US in the 1800s. The ingredients were difficult to find and considered luxurious and exotic, so ambrosia salad was for special occasions such as Thanksgiving. Now, the ingredients are much more common, making the fruit salad perfect for BBQs, potlucks, and picnics instead of just holiday gatherings.
Perfect for a crowd, this ambrosia salad is a no-bake, quick dessert. Want another no-bake dessert? Try my No Bake Cheesecake or No Bake Cookies. Both recipes are also crowdpleasers that you can serve alongside the ambrosia.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Whipped topping — storebought cool whip is perfect for this ambrosia, but you can also use homemade whipped cream.
Sour cream — this adds a delicious tang to the salad dressing and off-sets some of the sweetness from the fruits. If you don’t have any sour cream, you can make homemade sour cream.
Fruit — I use canned pineapple tidbits, canned mandarin, and maraschino cherries. Make sure to drain all the fruits before adding them to the salad.
Shredded sweetened coconut — the coconut adds some texture to the dessert, but you can skip it if you’re not a fan of coconut.
HOW TO MAKE AMBROSIA SALAD
1. Remove the stems of the cherries and cut them in half.
2. In a large bowl, fold together whipped topping and sour cream.
3. Stir in the oranges and pineapple.
4. Stir in the cherries and marshmallows.
5. Add in the coconut and stir to combine with the whipped topping mixture.
6. Refrigerate the ambrosia salad for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Garnish with additional cherries and coconut, if desired.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Replace the cool whip with fresh whipped cream for a fresher spin. You can also replace the canned fruit with fresh fruit!
- For extra flavor, toast the shredded coconut by spreading it on a baking sheet and baking for 5 to 10 minutes in a 325F oven, stirring every few minutes, until golden and nutty smelling.
- The mini fruit-flavored marshmallows add a pop of color to the ambrosia salad, but you can also use regular mini marshmallows.
- Fold the fruit in very gently as not to break them apart in the dressing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can this be prepared ahead of time?
Yes, it’s best to let this salad sit for a couple of hours so the flavors can meld together. You can also make ambrosia a day in advance, but the cherries may bleed into the whipped topping. Ambrosia can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. I would not recommend freezing this recipe.
Do I have to use sour cream?
If you don’t have sour cream, you can substitute it for Greek yogurt. Just be sure to buy the plain and not flavored yogurt.
What else can I add?
Try adding pecans or crushed nuts to the ambrosia salad for an additional crunch. You can also add bananas, strawberries, grapes, and more.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Ambrosia Salad recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Ambrosia Salad
Equipment
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 can mandarin oranges drained (15-ounce)
- 1 can pineapple tidbits in juice drained (20-ounce)
- 1 jar maraschino cherries drained, stemmed, and patted dry (12-ounce)
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- ⅔ cup shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
- In a large bowl, fold together whipped topping and sour cream. Stir in the oranges, pineapple, cherries, marshmallows, and coconut.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Salad can be made a day in advance (cherries may bleed some).
- Garnish with additional cherries and coconut, if desired.
Notes
- Replace the cool whip with fresh whipped cream for a fresher spin by beating 1 cup heavy whipping cream until soft peaks. You can also replace the canned fruit with fresh fruit!
- For extra flavor, toast the shredded coconut by spreading it on a baking sheet and baking for 5 to 10 minutes in a 325F oven, stirring every few minutes, until golden and nutty smelling.
- The mini fruit-flavored marshmallows add a pop of color to the ambrosia salad, but you can also use regular mini marshmallows.
- Fold the fruit in very gently as not to break them apart in the dressing.
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