Ambrosia Fruit Salad Recipe

Ambrosia Salad is a sweet and creamy fruit salad made with pineapple, mandarin oranges, cool whip, coconut and mini marshmallows.

It’s perfect for potlucks, holidays, and family get-together’s. Best of all, this recipe can be whipped up in 15 minutes or less.

What is Ambrosia Salad?

Ambrosia salad is also known as the food of the gods, not because it gives whoever takes a bite immortal life, but because it tastes unbelievably divine.

Easy to make – Ambrosia salad comes together quickly and easily using just 7 simple ingredients.

Holiday favorite – Serve this sweet fluff salad as a side dish or dessert. It’s a family favorite at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Make-Ahead – Prep this salad up to 1 day ahead of time for the best results. The flavors meld together overnight for a sweet and creamy treat.

Delightful and Refreshing – Ambrosia salad is a delightful and refreshing dessert that combines a variety of sweet and tangy flavors.

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients in the traditional Southern Ambrosia Fruit Salad. But of course, feel free to add in your favorites as well.

• Canned drained pineapple tidbits. Crushed pineapples work well, too! And fresh pineapples are very much welcome as well.
• Canned mandarin oranges. Drain the oranges well, otherwise, you’ll end up with a soupy salad.
• Shredded coconut. Toast the coconut shreds to bring out their natural flavors. Plus, it gives the salad a hint of crunch, complementing the softness of the pineapples and oranges.  
• Cool Whip. This is what makes this fruit salad irresistibly sweet and creamy. Of course, you’re also welcome to make your own whipped topping. All you need is heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
• Sour cream. If you’re used to eating Ambrosia salad with whipped cream, you’ll be surprised to know that fruit slices taste spectacular with sour cream. If you find it odd pairing a tangy dressing with fruit salad, don’t worry! You don’t really taste the sour cream. It just cuts down the sweetness of the fruit.
• Mini-marshmallows. These tiny pillowy sweets add an interesting texture to your fruit salad. Plus, it pairs well with sour cream – the two create a wonderful balance of flavors.

How to Make Ambrosia Salad

With this simple ambrosia fruit salad recipe, you’ll have a fool-proof dessert ready to go in less than 15 minutes. Perfect for your next potluck or get-together.

1. Mix the ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges, Cool Whip, sour cream, marshmallows, and shredded coconut. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
2. Chill. Refrigerate the salad for at least two hours to give the fruit flavors ample time to blend. If you can, let the salad sit in the fridge overnight: this will allow the marshmallows to soak up any excess liquid.

It’s as simple and easy as that! Who knew something so delightful could be such a breeze to make?

Tips For Ambrosia Salad

• Fresh is best. Fresh fruits equal a more refreshing salad!
• Spice it up with nutmeg and cinnamon.
• Don’t overmix. Toss the ingredients gently so they stay whole and crunchy.
• Make-Ahead. Make this salad ahead of time for best results. The flavors will meld together and soften the marshmallows.
• No sour cream? There’s always Greek yogurt! It tastes just as good, and it’s a healthy alternative, to boot.
• Top with toasted nuts. Add some crunch with pecans, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, or almonds. Toast them first to bring out more of their wonderful flavor.
• Marshmallows: The MVP of fruit salads. Use colored mini-mallows to get the kids excited about eating fruit.
• Mix in the maraschino cherries last. If you’re adding cherries, do so only right before serving the salad, unless you’re okay with the cream turning red.

How Long Does the Salad Last in the Refrigerator?

Ambrosia salad will last for as long as 3 days when stored in the fridge in an air-tight container. So, feel free to make it in advance. 

Do not leave the salad on the counter for over two hours, or the dressing will start to melt. It’s best served chilled, so be sure to place it back in the fridge should there be any leftovers.

Make Ahead Instructions

This classic ambrosia salad is best when you make it ahead of time. Allow the fruit salad to chill in the fridge for several hours or overnight. This allows the flavors to meld together for a delicious sweet and creamy treat.

More Fruit Salad Recipes

• Watergate Salad
• Fruit Salad With Peach Pie Filling
• Easy Strawberry Pretzel Salad
• Creamy Grape Salad
• Mandarin Orange Jello Salad