Ambrosia Salad

Ambrosia Salad is a classic fruit salad recipe that uses Cool Whip, yogurt or sour cream, canned fruits like mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, and maraschino cherries with sweetened coconut flakes and fruit-flavored mini marshmallows mixed in. It’s a creamy tropical salad that is perfect for holidays and summer potlucks.

Ambrosia Fruit Salad Recipe

This vintage recipe is one your grandma likely has her own variation to. What started out as sliced oranges, grated coconut, and sugar has transformed over the years to include fresh or canned fruits, sour cream or yogurt, Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream, mini marshmallows and sometimes even nuts, like pecans.

This tropical ambrosia fruit salad became a popular southern Christmas tradition in the early 20th century. Florida orange season began in the late fall, so in December fresh oranges were readily available for consumers to make this luxurious treat.

The biggest question – Is it a dessert or salad? Basically it’s a side dish that also works as dessert – or dessert salad. It’s quick and easy to make and a crowd-pleasing treat!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Ambrosia salad is a nostalgic, sweet, and creamy fruit salad that’s perfect for various occasions like Easter, Mother’s Day, summer potlucks, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Here are some great reasons to make it:

• Easy Fruit Salad – Ambrosia requires minimal ingredients and no cooking, making it a quick dessert or side dish.
• Simple Ingredients – The convenience of using canned fruits and prepared whipped topping makes this easy ambrosia salad super quick to whip up.
• Great for Gatherings – A classic at potlucks, BBQs, and holiday meals.
• Customizable – You can tweak it with different fruits and nuts for a unique twist.
• Sweet & Refreshing – The combination of fruit, marshmallows, and creamy dressing makes it a light yet satisfying treat.
• Crowd-Pleaser – Loved by both kids and adults.
• Make-Ahead – While you can serve this ambrosia salad right away, it tastes best chilled, which also gives it time for the flavors to marry together. Making this a great make-ahead side dish.

Ambrosia Salad Ingredients and Substitutions

• Whipped Topping: aka Cool Whip. You can also make your own stabilized whipped cream if you prefer. Stabilizing the whipped cream keeps the creamy dressing from breaking down into a runny, watery mess.
• Greek Yogurt: Plain, or vanilla for added sweetness. Your grandma’s recipe probably used sour cream. This ingredient simply adds some tanginess to the sweet fruit salad. Sour cream or Greek yogurt also has less liquid whey compared to regular yogurt, which helps prevent the dressing from going liquidy.
• Canned Fruits: The most commonly used canned fruits are mandarin oranges, pineapple, and maraschino cherries, or fruit cocktail. Feel free to use fresh fruits like mango and banana, or other canned varieties like peaches and pears.
• Sweetened Coconut Flakes: For a tropical flair and chewy texture. You may substitute with unsweetened coconut flakes too.
• Mini Marshmallows: We like to use the fruit-flavored ones because the pastel colors make it so pretty and extra fruity. However, plain mini-marshmallows work too.

How to Make Ambrosia Salad

1. Drain the canned fruits well. Removing as much liquid as possible helps keep the dressing thick and creamy.
2. Make the dressing. In a large bowl, stir together the whipped topping and yogurt.
3. Add the drained fruits and coconut. Carefully fold into the creamy dressing.
4. Add the mini marshmallows and fold into the ambrosia salad gently. Cover and chill for a minimum of 1-2 hours or overnight before serving.

NOTE: The marshmallows will absorb some of the moisture and soften, creating a fluffy texture. If you prefer them as-is, add them just before serving.