Ambrosia Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Ambrosia Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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This classic Ambrosia Salad recipe is a sure-fire hit that works as a sweet side dish or fruity dessert! Grapes, strawberries, pineapple, oranges, and marshmallows are tossed in a sweet and sour cream dressing for a marshmallow fruit salad that is too good to be missed!

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Table of Contents

Why We Love This Ambrosia Salad Recipe

An old-fashioned marshmallow fruit salad is perfect for a holiday dish, although I can enjoy it any time of the year! It’s fluffy, light, and sweet, and it’s a delicious way to enjoy your fruits.

  • Quick and Easy: It takes no more than 20 minutes to make up this fruit salad recipe, and there’s no cooking involved!
  • Kid Friendly: If you have picky eaters who don’t like to eat fruit, they are going to love this! Whilst not exactly healthy, it’s a great treat and a tasty way to get some vitamins in!
  • Make Ahead: This is a great make-ahead option for the holidays. Make it a day or two ahead of time for easy entertaining. This recipe also makes enough for 12 servings, so it’s perfect for a crowd.

Variations on Ambrosia Fruit Salad

To modify this recipe, you can use canned pineapple in place of the fresh pineapple. You can also use 1½ cups whipped topping in place of the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and sour cream. And if you don’t have access to fresh fruit, you can use 2 drained (15.5-ounce cans) of fruit co*cktail in place of all of the fruit in this recipe.

Ambrosia Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (3)

Ambrosia Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (4)

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How to Make Ahead

This salad is a great make-ahead dish. Prepare the entire salad, leaving off any nuts or cherries that you plan to use as garnish, up to 2 days in advance. Store it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator, and garnish with cherries and chopped nuts when ready to serve.

How to Store

Store leftover ambrosia salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this salad.

Serving Suggestions

This ambrosia salad recipe is one delicious and crowd-pleasing dessert, but it is also commonly served up as a side dish as part of a holiday meal. Try it with some of these favorite holiday mains: Air Fryer Garlic Rosemary Turkey Breast, Deep Fried Turkey Breast, Garlic Butter Prime Rib, or Sheet Pan Easter Dinner with Lamb. However you decide to serve this fruity marshmallow salad, it’s guaranteed to be a hit!

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More Fruit Salad Recipes To Try

  • Waldorf Salad
  • Cranberry Fluff Salad
  • Watermelon Feta Salad
  • Grape Salad
  • Jello Salad
  • Grilled Peach Salad
  • Watergate Salad

Recipe

Ambrosia Salad Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 20 minutes minutes

Total: 20 minutes minutes

Ambrosia Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (6)

Serves12 people

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This easy ambrosia salad recipe is more than irresistible! If marshmallows are on the menu, then I'm all in!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream 227 grams
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 14 grams
  • ¼ cup sour cream 57 grams
  • 10 ounces mini marshmallows 283 grams (1 bag)
  • 1 cup canned mandarin oranges 268 grams, drained
  • 1 cup diced fresh strawberries 170 grams
  • 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple 170 grams
  • 1 cup green grapes 150 grams, halved
  • cup maraschino cherries 57 grams, halved
  • cup chopped pecans 38 grams

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until soft-medium peaks form. Gently fold in the sour cream.

    1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, ¼ cup sour cream

    Ambrosia Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (8)

  • Gently fold in the marshmallows, mandarin oranges, strawberries, pineapple, grapes, maraschino cherries, and pecans.

    10 ounces mini marshmallows, 1 cup canned mandarin oranges, 1 cup diced fresh strawberries, 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple, 1 cup green grapes, ⅓ cup maraschino cherries, ⅓ cup chopped pecans

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  • Spoon into your serving dish and top with additional maraschino cherries and pecans.

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Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

  • Do not over-mix the salad, as it will cause the whipped cream to deflate.
  • I recommend making marshmallow salad 4 hours before you plan to serve and letting it rest in the refrigerator. This allows the flavors to mingle and preserves the salad’s structure!
  • Maraschino cherries will turn your whipped cream pink. I recommend adding them right before serving to avoid this.
  • Ambrosia salad can be left out of the refrigerator for up to 2 hours, but I recommend serving it cold because the whipped cream dressing will start to melt after just 30 minutes.

Storage:Store ambrosia salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 214kcal (11%) Carbohydrates: 31g (10%) Protein: 2g (4%) Fat: 10g (15%) Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 25mg (8%) Sodium: 27mg (1%) Potassium: 119mg (3%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 24g (27%) Vitamin A: 550IU (11%) Vitamin C: 20mg (24%) Calcium: 31mg (3%) Iron: 1mg (6%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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Ambrosia Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (12)

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How to Make Ambrosia Salad Step by Step

Whip the Cream: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, whip 1 cup of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar until soft-medium peaks form. Gently fold in ¼ cup of sour cream.

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Fold in the Fruit: Gently fold in 10 ounces of mini marshmallows, 1 cup of canned mandarin oranges, 1 cup of diced fresh strawberries, 1 cup of chopped fresh pineapple, 1 cup of green grapes, ⅓ cup of maraschino cherries, and ⅓ cup of chopped pecans.

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Serve the Salad: Spoon into your serving dish and top with additional maraschino cherries and pecans.

Ambrosia Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (15)

Ambrosia Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (16)

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Ambrosia Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

Why is ambrosia salad called ambrosia salad? ›

“There's so many different ways to do it,” Pelosi said of ambrosia salad. “I make it the way that my family made it, which doesn't have marshmallows because we didn't like them.” Ambrosia was so named for the food of the Greek and Roman gods. Its region of origin is lost to history.

Where is ambrosia salad eaten? ›

For many Southerners, ambrosia salad is a dish often associated with holiday potlucks or aunts and grandmothers. It occasionally gets a bad rap, along with the often-maligned fruitcake, but when prepared correctly it can be light and delicious.

What is ambrosia dessert Wiki? ›

Ambrosia is an American variety of fruit salad originating in the Southern United States. Most ambrosia recipes contain canned (often sweetened) or fresh pineapple, canned mandarin orange slices or fresh orange sections, miniature marshmallows, and coconut.

What is the difference between ambrosia and watergate? ›

Watergate has a nutty, sweet flavor from the pistachio flavoring while ambrosia features a prominent coconut flavor. Another dead giveaway is the signature minty green color of a Watergate salad that comes courtesy of the pistachio pudding blend while ambrosia salad has a white color.

What is ambrosia also known as? ›

Ambrosia (plant), a genus of flowering plants in the Asteraceae commonly known as ragweed. Ambrosia beetle, beetles which live in nutritional symbiosis with ambrosia fungi. Ambrosia fungi. Bee bread, also known as ambrosia or bee pollen.

What ethnicity is ambrosia? ›

Etymology. The concept of an immortality drink is attested in at least two ancient Indo-European languages: Greek and Sanskrit. The Greek ἀμβροσία (ambrosia) is semantically linked to the Sanskrit अमृत (amṛta) as both words denote a drink or food that gods use to achieve immortality.

What is cool whip made from? ›

Cool Whip: Water, hydrogenated vegetable oil (including coconut and palm oils), high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, skimmed milk, light cream, less than 2% sodium caseinate (a milk derivative), natural and artificial flavor, xanthan and guar gums, polysorbate 60, sorbitan monostearate, and beta carotene.

How many calories are in ambrosia salad? ›

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
393Calories
11gFat
72gCarbs
3gProtein

What does ambrosia taste like to eat? ›

When eaten, ambrosia normally tastes like a pleasant food enjoyed by the consumer. For Percy, it was warm chocolate chip cookies, while for Piper it was the black bean soup her father used to make her.

What state is ambrosia in? ›

Ambrosia is an unincorporated community in Mason County, West Virginia, United States.

Where do they eat salad after the meal? ›

Serving salad after the main course of a meal is an older tradition in Italy, and nowadays it is usually observed at large and formal dinners rather than during everyday meals. Eating a salad after a meal can help digestion, while eating one before a meal may help discourage overeating.

What are the ingredients for an ambrosia salad? ›

Ambrosia Fruit Salad

The best Ambrosia Salad recipe is made with pineapple, mandarin oranges, yogurt, mini marshmallows, coconut and whipped cream. This easy side dish has a delicious tropical sweetness and is always a crowd favorite!

When was ambrosia popular? ›

Ambrosia had five top 40 hit singles released between 1975 and 1980, including the top 5 hits "How Much I Feel" and "Biggest Part of Me", and top 20 hits "You're the Only Woman (You & I)" and "Holdin' on to Yesterday".

Who makes ambrosia? ›

Premier Foods

What is the drink ambrosia made of? ›

Fill an 8-oz. glass with ice. Stir in rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, and a splash of grenadine. Garnish, if desired.

What is the main ingredient which forms the foundation of the Waldorf salad? ›

The Original Waldorf Salad Recipe

The original recipe consisted only of diced red-skinned apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts were added later to this now American classic.

What are marshmallows made of? ›

A typical marshmallow contains sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin, plus some air. That's it. “A marshmallow is basically a foam that's stabilized by gelatin,” says Richard Hartel, a food engineer at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In marshmallows, the foam is made up of air suspended in a liquid sugar mixture.

What do you need to make ambrosia in Sims 4? ›

You need a death flower, an angelfish, and a potion of youth. If you have Realm of Magic, you can sometimes get the first two ingredients from the magic shop (the Potion Ingredients stall in Caster's Alley). If not, read on... Death flower: You need to graft a pomegranate with an orchid.

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