This ambrosia salad is a favorite family holiday side made with a mixture of tropical fruit, nuts, and marshmallows, all bathed in a sweet and tangy dressing that’s made with both whipped cream and sour cream. It’s sweet enough to be served as dessert, but savory enough to work as a side dish!
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“This is the best ambrosia salad ever!! I love ambrosia and have been wanting to make it the past year for my family but everyone always turns their nose up but FINALLY I made it and everyone has gone crazy for it!! I’ve made it twice in one week :D the only thing I did was swap raspberries for the cherries (I don’t like them) but this is my favorite recipe ever!!!” -Lindsey, FoodieCrush reader
I Make This Nostalgic Side Dish Every Thanksgiving!
My Grandma made this classic ambrosia salad recipe every Thanksgiving and I’ve kept the tradition alive. Ambrosia salad was a common potluck dish in the 50s and 60s, during peak marshmallow popularity. It’s fruity, fun, and nostalgic.
And like my classic Waldorf salad and my cranberry sauce, having something sweet and fruity on the Thanksgiving table adds some levity to your plate.
Canned tropical fruit and marshmallows are bathed in a creamy mixture of whipped cream and sour cream. Coconut and pecans add an irresistible crunchy texture. What’s not to love here?
You won’t find any Cool Whip here, and you won’t miss it either. It’s the perfect marriage of flavors and textures.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Drain your fruit.Be sure to drain the canned fruit, really, really well so it doesn’t create a puddle of watery cream. Also, also want to be sure to rinse your cherries well or you’ll have red streaks through your salad.
Skip the Cool Whip and use sweetened sour cream instead. You need a little tanginess to balance out all the sweetness this marshmallow fruit salad has got going on.
Fold your whipped cream and sour cream together in 3 stages. This will prevent the heavier sour cream from flattening the fluffy whip of the cream.
Here’s What You’ll Need
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Canned pineapple tidbits and mandarin oranges— Make sure you drain your canned fruits well!
- Maraschino cherries — These add a fun pop of color and sweetness to the ambrosia salad.
- Heavy whipping cream — Real whipped cream is a game changer here, especially when spiked with sour cream for a refreshing tanginess
- Granulated sugar — To sweeten our whipped cream mixture.
- Vanilla extract — For flavor.
- Light sour cream — For some tang.
- Sweetened shredded coconut — For some texture, sweetness, and tropical flavor.
- Chopped pecans — For crunch (pistachios or walnuts are other great options).
- Mini marshmallows — For sweetness (they’re a staple ingredient in ambrosia salad!).
- Green grapes — You could use red grapes if you wanted but I like that the green grapes are slightly tangier and help balance out some of the sweetness in the salad.
Heidi’s Tip: Feel free to use different fruits (fresh fruits like mango, bananas, strawberries, or blueberries would probably taste great). Because Grandma always made it with the simplicity of canned fruit, I do too, and it’s super delish.
How to Make Ambrosia Salad
- Drain your fruit. Thoroughly drain the cherries, pineapple, and oranges so the salad isn’t runny.
- Whip your cream. Use a hand or stand mixer to whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy and stiff peaks form.
- Fold in the sour cream with care. Gently fold the sour cream into the whipped cream in batches.
- Stir it all together. Stir in the coconut, pecans, and marshmallows, followed by the fruit. Top with additional shredded coconut and pecans.
- Let it chill. Chill the salad in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Ambrosia Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 20- ounce can pineapple tidbits
- 1 15- ounce can Mandarin oranges
- 1 cup maraschino cherries , drained
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup light sour cream
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ¾ cup pecans , chopped
- 1 cup green grapes , halved
Instructions
- Place the pineapple and mandarin oranges in a strainer and set aside to drain for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain the cherries and rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gently fold in ⅓ of the sour cream, then fold in the next ⅓, and then the final ⅓.
- Gently stir in the marshmallows, coconut, and pecans. Gently fold in the grapes, pineapple, Mandarin oranges, and maraschino cherries. Top with a few more sprinkles of coconut and chopped pecans if desired.
- Chill for 1 hour up to overnight, then serve.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
“Ambrosia” is derived from the Greek word “ambrotos,” meaning “immortal.” In Greek and Roman mythology, only gods and goddesses could eat ambrosia (fruit) which is also known as “fruit of the gods” or “nectar of the gods of Olympus.” According to mythology, gods and goddesses would eat this fruit to remain immortal.
It seems that the earliest written reference to ambrosia salad was from a Southern cookbook in 1867. There is not a lot known about its exact origin, but it did take off more in the 1800s when marshmallows were added to it, and especially during the 1950s.
Storage Tips
You can make this ambrosia fruit salad recipe the night before and leave it in the bowl you made it in, or transfer it to an airtight container and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. You won’t want to make it more than a day in advance since the whipped cream tends to deflate over time.
Ambrosia salad will keep in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing it.
What to Serve With Ambrosia Salad
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