This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Are you planning a potluck? Look no further than this 1950s Ambrosia Salad recipe! It’s a guaranteed hit with everyone, from kids to adults. Plus, it’s easy to transport and serve.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe for Ambrosia Salad:
- Customizable: Use canned or fresh fruit in this recipe and garnish with your favorite toppings so it is personalized to your liking. Serve it as a side dish or dessert; it works either way.
- Vintage Recipe: Everyone loves this classic dessert salad. It is a total crowd-pleaser, perfect for your holiday table or any time of the year. People ask for it again and again.
- Easy To Make: This recipe requires only ten minutes to prepare. We use simple ingredients, canned fruit, and a tub of Cool Whip to make this salad come together quickly. It will become your go-to potluck recipe.
This Ambrosia Salad recipe is guaranteed to please crowds and become a family favorite. Unlike some recipes, ours avoids the dreaded sogginess by keeping the marshmallows and garnishes fresh until serving.
This classic salad works well at bridal, baby showers, holidays, summer BBQs, potlucks, and Sunday dinners. Use our recipe to help you create the best Ambrosia Salad that is creamy, fluffy, sweet, and tangy every single time, no matter where and when you serve it.
Ambrosia Ingredients and Substitutions:
Here’s what you need to make this creamy, dreamy salad.
- Cool Whip – You can use fresh whipped cream instead. But note that it will last for no more than 12 hours.
- Sour cream – Sour cream adds both a creaminess and tang to the salad base. You can also use Greek yogurt, but we prefer sour cream.
- Canned and jarred fruit – The versitility of this recipe is what makes it so great. Beside our classic fruit combo in this recipe, consider using mango, apples, kiwi, berries, peaches, apples, or grapes.
- Mini marshmallows – We used colorful marshmallows, but feel free to use white. Also, please do not use regular-sized marshmallows.
- Shrdded coconut – You can use sweetened or unswetense. Sometimes we toast some coconut for garnish.
How To Make The Best Ambrosia Salad Recipe:
***This is just a teaser! To see the complete ingredient list and step-by-step instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Combine Cool Whip and sour cream in a large bowl.
- Fold in oranges, pineapple, cherries, marshmallows, and coconut.
- Chill (covered) 1 hour+.
- Garnish (optional) and serve.
Top Tips and Tricks:
- Drainage is key: Drain all canned fruits thoroughly to avoid a runny salad. Use a colander or cheesecloth for maximum drainage.
- Folding finesse: Gently fold the Cool Whip into the fruit mixture to avoid deflating it. Use a rubber scraper and work in batches for even incorporation.
Make It A Meal:
Serve this refreshing side dish alongside a protein such as Chicken drumsticks or meatloaf, a vegetable like corn on the cob or asparagus, and a loaf of fresh French bread. This will be a delicious and filling meal full of comfort food!
Serving & Storage:
Serve: Fresh and fluffy is best! For the best results, serve your ambrosia salad right away.
Make Ahead: Prep up to 2 days before, but hold the marshmallows and garnishes until serving to avoid sogginess.
Store: Refrigerate any leftover ambrosia salad in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to five days.
Freeze: Skip the freezer, as thawing messes with the creamy texture.
Recipe FAQs:
What’s Ambrosia salad made of?
Our recipe includes Cool Whip, sour cream, sweet mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, maraschino cherries, miniature marshmallows, and sweetened shredded coconut.
We have been making this for over forty years and have perfected the recipe so you can make this creamy fruit salad with little effort.
Why do people eat ambrosia salad?
Ambrosia salad was considered a luxurious dish at one point and was therefore saved for holidays and special occasions. Ambrosia was the food of the Gods in Greek mythology. As a result, it has become a tradition to serve this dish at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The ingredients are much more accessible now, making it easy to serve this anytime.
Can you freeze ambrosia salad?
While technically possible, freezing ambrosia salad comes with texture trade-offs. Whipped cream can turn watery, fresh fruits might get mushy, and marshmallows lose shape and sort of melt.
If you must freeze, consider freezing just the fruit mixture and adding fresh whipped cream upon serving for the best results. Ultimately, fresh ambrosia salad reigns supreme in terms of texture and flavor, but freezing can be an option for leftovers or specific needs.
More From The Cozy Fork:
Ambrosia Salad With Sour Cream
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- mixing bowl
- rubber scraper
- fine-mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 8 oz container Cool Whip, thawed
- ½ cup sour cream
- 10 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
- 15 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained
- 16 oz jar maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry, and cut in half
- 1 cup mini marshmallows, multi-colored or regular
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
GARNISHES: (all optional)
- Mini marshmallows, multi-colored or regular
- Sweetened shredded coconut
- Maraschino cherries
Instructions
MAKE SALAD:
- Combine the thawed Cool Whip and sour cream in a large bowl.
- Gently fold in the mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, halved maraschino cherries, mini marshmallows, and sweetened shredded coconut until well combined.
CHILL, GARNISH, AND SERVE:
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Just before serving, add optional garnishes like mini marshmallows, shredded coconut, and maraschino cherries to enhance the salad’s visual appeal.
- Serve and enjoy this Ambrosia Salad!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
just a quick note: cool whip didn’t come out until the 60s… oohhh corky I’ll try with just sour cream
Skip the Cool Whip! My Mom made this her entire life. We just lost her at 83. She called it “Mandarin Salad.” She used sour cream, crushed or cubed pineapple, sweet coconut, lots of mandarin oranges, mini marshmallow and maraschino cherries to garnish only. She would make it the night before every holiday so it was ice cold. It is a family tradition!!