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Ambrosia Salad is a classic recipe that’s hard to resist. Made with pineapple, cherries, oranges, coconut, pecans, and grapes all wrapped up in fresh whipped cream and marshmallows, is a fruit salad that dreams are made of!
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If you’re from the South, then you know about Ambrosia Salad. It’s one of those dishes you’d always find on the table at Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. It was also a “must-have” for any covered dish supper at church or a family get-together.
Ambrosia, as it’s called, (you can drop the salad part) is one of those old-school recipes that brings back such fond memories that it was destined to appear in my kitchen.
The first time I made Ambrosia for my family, I must say, I didn’t quite get the overjoyed reaction I was expecting. Actually, I got three sets of eyes staring at me with “what in the world is that” kind of look. Then came the questions about what was in Ambrosia and why I would put marshmallows in a salad. Now, I need to say that until that day, several years ago, Mr. A Southern Soul had never even heard of this southern classic dish, much less tasted it. That’s when I had to do a little “schooling” so my fellas could understand just how special Ambrosia is!
It didn’t take me long to convenience them to give it a taste, and that’s when I knew I had ’em. After a few bites and several oohs and ahhs, my sweet husband and my sons finally understood why I had to have them love Ambrosia as much as I do. It’s just tradition, as simple as that.
Ingredients To Make Ambrosia Salad
For the Salad
- Canned Pineapple chunks
- Canned Mandarin oranges
- Maraschino cherries
- Green grapes – halved
- Pecans – chopped
- Mini marshmallows
- Sweetened Coconut flakes
- Sour Cream
Whipped Cream
- Heavy cream
- Sugar
- Vanilla
How To Make Easy Ambrosia Salad
It only takes a few ingredients to make Ambrosia. Canned pineapple, mandarin oranges, and cherries are drained and set aside for about an hour to make sure all the juice is drained and the fruit dries out a bit.
While that’s happening, the grapes are cut in half and the pecans are roughly chopped. For my salad, I like using fresh homemade whipped cream which is super easy to make, you can substituent with whipped topping, with heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla.
Once the fruit is ready, just mix in a bit of sour cream to the fluffy, whipped cream. Next, add in the coconut and marshmallows. Then, add in the fruit and nuts and you’ve got a delicious, fresh Ambrosia Salad!
People Often Ask…
Ambrosia salad is a retro southern recipe, most people will remember their aunts and grandmas bringing to potlucks. Some folks call this a salad, while others think of it as a dessert, all I know is that it’s fresh, light, and delicious!
The word ‘ambrosia’ means delicious or fragrant, which is perfectly fitting for this recipe. The ingredients to this dish may change depending on who makes it, but it is always a delicious and fragrant dish.
My version of this classic recipe is made with pineapple, cherries, oranges, coconut, pecans and grapes all wrapped up in fresh whipped cream and marshmallows, and it is the fruit salad of my dreams!
More Great Salads With Fruit
- Fruit Salad For A Crowd
- Cranberry Pecan Slaw
- Sunshine Fruit Salad
- Spinach & Fresh Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
- Broccoli Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks
- 1 15 oz can Mandarin oranges
- 1 cup Maraschino cherries
- 1 cup green grapes – halved
- 1 cup pecans – chopped
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- ½ cup sour cream
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1.2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Place pineapple chunks and oranges in a strainer and set aside, approximately 45 minutes to drain. Drain cherries, rinse in cold water and set aside with other fruit to drain.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, whip heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks are formed. Fold in half of sour cream until mixed then add remaining being careful not to deflate whipped cream. Add coconut and marshmallow to mixture and stir gently.
- Add in fruit and nuts, stirring to incorporate. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Indulge: Southern Dessert Classics!
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Sherry
Family loves your ambrosia, say it is like grandma made! We also love your Waldorf salad and fresh fruit salad. Thank you for so many great shared recipes. Happy Easter to you and yours.
Thank you so much! Happy Easter to you, Sherry.
~Donya
Christine P Brown
Great Southern Recipes… Most of which my Grandmother & Great-Grandmother made for me throughout my life and since they’ve passed on I love seeing these genuinely old recipes still being passed on throughout the different generations. Thank You ma’am for sharing.
You’ve made my day!
Thank you so much for sharing,
~Donya