Ambrosia Salad is a classic American dessert Salad made with mandarin oranges, pineapple, maraschino cherries, marshmallows, coconut flakes, nuts, and Cool Whip. It's creamy, sweet, addictive, and always a crowd favorite!
Looking for more easy dessert salads? Try my Watergate Salad next!
About This Recipe
Ambrosia Salad is a classic Dessert salad from the Southern United States that's colorful, creamy, and sweet. It's made with Frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip is the usual choice), mini marshmallows, and a mix of canned fruits like pineapple, oranges, and cherries. Coconut flakes and nuts often make an appearance too, adding a little crunch and texture.
When I was a kid, I used to mix canned fruits with Cool Whip and devour them by myself- not even realizing I was essentially eating Ambrosia Salad. I've always loved how light and fluffy it is. It's perfect for holidays and potlucks, though I've learned that not everyone is a fan (clearly, I need new friends), which always surprises me because it's one of my favorite things ever.
The most classic version includes pineapple, oranges, and maraschino cherries, but you can easily swap these with your favorite fruits. Sometimes, I use canned Tropical fruit salad or throw in freshly sliced strawberries and cantaloupe for a fresher flavor.
If you're planning to serve this later, I recommend waiting to add the marshmallows until about 30 minutes before serving to prevent them from getting overly soft.
Key Ingredients
Canned fruits: I used mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, and maraschino cherries. The important thing is to let them drain thoroughly so that they do not make the salad runny. I let them sit in a colander and then pat them dry with paper towels.
Marshmallows: You can either use fruit-flavored marshmallows or regular. I prefer fruit.
Coconut flakes + pecans: I love the addition of these for extra texture. You can substitute the pecans with whatever nuts you'd like.
Sour cream: For extra richness (you can also use Greek yogurt).
Cool Whip: If you haven't already, make sure to defrost this in the fridge for at least 4 hours; otherwise, you're not going to be able to fold it in!
Instructions
STEP 1: To a large bowl, add the drained fruits, marshmallows, coconut, sour cream, and pecans. Mix until combined.
STEP 2: Fold in the Cool Whip. Chill until ready to serve.
๐ Recipe
Ambrosia Salad
Ingredients
- 1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges (drained)
- 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple tidbits (drained)
- 1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries (drained and halved)
- 2 cups mini marshmallows (fruit flavored or regular)
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- ยฝ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- ยฝ cup chopped pecans optional
- 2 cups Cool Whip (thawed)
Instructions
- Drain the canned fruits thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.
- To a large bowl, add the drained fruits, marshmallows, coconut, sour cream, and pecans. Mix until combined.
- Fold in the Cool Whip. Chill until ready to serve.
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