Ambrosia
Ambrosia salad is a creamy Southern fruit salad with pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes, maraschino cherries, shredded coconut, mini marshmallows, and toasted pecans folded into Cool Whip and sour cream. It’s sweet, fluffy, and somewhere between a salad and dessert. Perfect for potlucks, holidays, family gatherings, or when you want a classic Southern side that takes 10 minutes to prep. Chill for 1 hour or overnight, serves 8-10 people using simple ingredients.
This creamy ambrosia salad is a classic Southern tradition! Sweet fruits, fluffy marshmallows, and toasted pecans in a creamy, whipped topping.
It’s hard for me to decide if this is a “salad” or dessert. It’s full of fruit, coconut, and creamy whipped dressing, so you can call it a salad I guess. But to me, the ingredients scream dessert! Whatever you call it, this sweet salad requires only 10 minutes of hands-on prep.
Pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes, and maraschino cherries are folded with shredded coconut, mini marshmallows, and toasted pecans into a mixture of Cool Whip and sour cream. The whole thing chills in the fridge so the flavors mix and the whole thing thickens slightly.
This is perfect when you have guests coming over or need to quickly make a side dish for your next get-together. Plus it’s budget-friendly and looks gorgeous on the table!
More Fluffy Salads:
- Banana Pudding Fluff – Southern classic twist
- Strawberry Fluff – With angel food cake
- Peanut Butter Fluff – Reese’s cups and marshmallows
- Orange Fluff – sweet orange segments
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Cool Whip – Use original or light. You can make your own homemade whipped cream too. Just be sure to stabilize it so it doesn’t deflate.
Sour Cream – Original or light both work. Swap in cream cheese, vanilla pudding, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese if you prefer.
Shredded Coconut – Use sweetened shredded coconut. Toast it for more flavor and texture!
Mini Marshmallows – White or colored mini marshmallows. Cut large marshmallows into smaller pieces if that’s all you have.
Pineapple – Canned or fresh pineapple chunks. Drain canned fruit very well!
Mandarin Oranges – Canned mandarin oranges drained well.
Grapes – Red or green grapes, halved if large.
Maraschino Cherries – Rinse really well or the juice will turn the salad pink!
Toasted Pecans – Traditionally nuts aren’t added, but I love the crunchy nutty flavor. What’s more Southern than pecans?!
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How To Make Ambrosia Salad
- Combine sour cream, shredded coconut, drained pineapple, drained mandarin oranges, halved grapes, rinsed cherries, and toasted pecans in a large bowl.
- Fold in mini marshmallows gently. Fold in Cool Whip, ensuring all ingredients are coated. Fold gently so you don’t break up the fruit and release juices.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Overnight is even better so the flavors combine! Reserve a few oranges and cherries for garnish.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Stir it well before serving.
Make-Ahead: This tastes best when ingredients have had time to mingle in the fridge! Make the night before and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Best Cold: Serve chilled. This is most refreshing when it’s cold.
Not Freezer-Friendly: Don’t freeze this. The fruit releases water when thawed and gets watery. However, it’s fun to eat frozen like ice cream!
Variations
Different Fruits: Add sliced bananas, strawberries, or peeled grapes. Use fruit cocktail for quicker prep!
Greek Yogurt: Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream for tangier, protein version.
Cream Cheese: Use whipped cream cheese instead of sour cream for richer flavor.
Vanilla Pudding: Mix in vanilla pudding for extra sweetness and creaminess. Add a drop or two of vanilla extract for stronger flavor.
Cottage Cheese: Traditional variation uses cottage cheese instead of sour cream.
Toast the Coconut: Toast shredded coconut for more flavor and extra crunch.
No Nuts: Skip the pecans if you prefer or have nut allergies.
Dairy-Free: Use coconut whipped cream instead of Cool Whip and dairy-free yogurt.
Mayo Version: Some traditional recipes use mayo instead of sour cream. Try it if you’re curious!
More Salads with Fruit
- Waldorf Salad – Apples, grapes, walnuts, creamy dressing
- Southern Pear Salad – Retro with cottage cheese mayo
- Broccoli Grape Salad – Sweet-savory with bacon, sunflower seeds
Frequently Asked Questions
Both! It’s traditionally served as a side dish at Southern gatherings, but it’s sweet enough to be dessert. Serve it however you like!
Yes! This tastes best when made the night before so the flavors mingle. Perfect for make-ahead entertaining.
Absolutely! Canned fruit makes this even quicker. Use fruit in heavy syrup for most flavor. Just drain it very well or it will be too runny.
Up to 5 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container. Give it a good stir before serving.
I don’t recommend it. The fruit releases water when thawed and gets watery. But it’s fun to eat frozen like ice cream!
The fruit wasn’t drained well enough. Drain canned fruit very well and pat dry before mixing.
Yes! Fresh fruit works great. Just peel and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Toast shredded coconut for more flavor, texture, and color.
- Drain canned fruit very well and pat dry to prevent a watery salad.
- Rinse maraschino cherries really well or the juice will turn the salad pink.
- Fold ingredients together gently so you don’t break up fruit and release juices.
- Let set for a few hours to overnight for best flavor.
- Use fruit cocktail if you’re in a real hurry – it’s already mixed and diced!
- Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream for a tangier version with protein.
- Reserve a few oranges and cherries to decorate the top before serving.
- Toast pecans for more nutty flavor and crunch.
- Use coconut whipped cream for dairy-free version.
This ambrosia saladis a classic Southern dish that takes just 10 minutes to prep! Perfect for your next holiday potluck or family gathering.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Ambrosia Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping Cool Whip, thawed
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup sweetened coconut shredded
- 3 cups miniature marshmallows colored ones are fun
- 1 ½ cups pineapple tidbits drained well
- 11 ounces mandarin oranges drained
- 1 cup green grapes halved
- 1 cup maraschino cherries rinsed, drained, halved
- ¾ cup toasted pecans lightly chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well.
- Refrigerate salad until ready to serve.
- Reserve a few mandarin oranges and maraschino cherries to decorate the top of the salad.
- Enjoy chilled!
Notes
- Toast shredded coconut for more flavor, texture, and color.
- Drain canned fruit very well and pat dry to prevent a watery salad.
- Rinse maraschino cherries really well or the juice will turn the salad pink.
- Fold ingredients together gently so you don’t break up fruit and release juices.
- Let set for a few hours to overnight for best flavor.
- Use fruit cocktail if you’re in a real hurry – it’s already mixed and diced!
- Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream for a tangier version with protein.
- Reserve a few oranges and cherries to decorate the top before serving.
- Toast pecans for more nutty flavor and crunch.
- Use coconut whipped cream for dairy-free version.
Nutrition
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