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Ambrosia Salad

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Southern ambrosia salad with cherries, coconut, grapes, and pastel mini marshmallows in a white bowl. this …

Southern ambrosia salad is a chilled fruit salad with pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes, cherries, coconut, and fruity mini marshmallows folded into sour cream and whipped topping. It's creamy, colorful, and made for potlucks or a sweet side at Sunday dinner. Plan on 20 minutes of prep and at least an hour in the refrigerator; this batch serves about 12.

The sour cream gives the sweet fruit a little tang, while the marshmallows soften during the chill. If you enjoy the creamy potluck tradition behind Apple Snickers Salad, this fruit-filled version belongs in the same corner of your recipe box.

Whipped topping, sour cream, coconut, fruity mini marshmallows, pineapple, mandarins, grapes, cherries, and optional pecans.

Ingredients You'll Need

  • Whipped topping: Thaw it before folding.
  • Sour cream: The tangy part of the creamy dressing.
  • Sweetened coconut flakes: For chew and coconut flavor.
  • Fruity-fun mini marshmallows: Use the small fruit-flavored marshmallows.
  • Canned pineapple tidbits: Drain thoroughly.
  • Canned mandarin orange segments: Drain separately and handle gently.
  • Green seedless grapes: Halve before mixing.
  • Maraschino cherries: Drain, halve, and blot to limit pink streaks.
  • Chopped pecans, optional: Add for crunch or leave them out.
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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Plain mini marshmallows can replace the fruit-flavored ones, and red seedless grapes work in place of green. Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt can replace the sour cream. For the nuts, use chopped walnuts instead of pecans, or omit them.

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Overhead view of creamy Southern ambrosia salad with cherry halves.

How to Make Southern Ambrosia Salad

1. Prep the fruit

Place the pineapple and mandarin oranges in separate strainers to release excess juice. Drain the cherries and gently blot them with paper towels to limit pink streaks; halve the grapes and any whole cherries.

Draining pineapple and mandarin oranges separately before mixing ambrosia salad.

2. Fold the salad together

Stir the sour cream until smooth in a large mixing bowl, then fold in the thawed whipped topping with a flexible spatula. Gently fold in the coconut, marshmallows, pineapple, grapes, and optional pecans until coated; add the mandarin oranges and cherries last with just a few folds to keep the segments intact.

Gently folding fruit and marshmallows into the creamy ambrosia dressing.

3. Chill and serve

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill the fruit and soften the marshmallows. Gently stir before serving and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Finished ambrosia salad ready to cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Keep the Fruit from Watering Down the Salad

Thorough draining is the best place to start for a creamy ambrosia salad. Let the pineapple and mandarin oranges drain in separate strainers, and blot the drained cherries gently before mixing. Extra juice thins the dressing; hard stirring breaks the oranges and releases more liquid.

Fold the mandarin oranges and cherries in last. A few gentle turns of the spatula coat the delicate fruit without working the whole bowl again. A little pink streaking is normal; blotting helps limit it.

Close view of pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes, and marshmallows in ambrosia salad.

Can You Make Ambrosia Salad Ahead?

You can prepare this salad up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate it covered. For firmer pecans, fold them in just before serving. Give the chilled salad a gentle stir, then keep it refrigerated until the meal is ready.

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

Refrigerate leftover ambrosia in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Some liquid may collect as the fruit sits; stir gently before serving. Freezing is not recommended because thawed fruit can become watery and the creamy dressing may separate.

Chilled Southern ambrosia salad topped with extra cherry halves.

What to Serve with Southern Ambrosia Salad

Serve ambrosia chilled beside a savory main dish. Copycat Honey Baked Ham, Herb Butter Roasted Turkey, and Classic Deviled Eggs make a useful holiday or Sunday-supper menu around it.

Copycat Honey Baked Ham

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Herb Butter Roasted Turkey in an Oven Bag

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Classic Deviled Eggs

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For more menu ideas, browse these Southern Thanksgiving recipes. Ambrosia also works as a light dessert in small bowls after barbecue or a family meal.

A Couple of Ambrosia Questions

Is ambrosia salad a side dish or a dessert?

Ambrosia can be served as either a sweet side dish or a light dessert. Serve this batch cold alongside the meal, or spoon it into small bowls afterward.

Does this ambrosia salad need pudding mix?

No pudding mix is used in this recipe. Sour cream and thawed whipped topping form the dressing, and the marshmallows soften during the one-hour chill.

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Tell Me How It Turned Out

Did ambrosia land beside the ham or on the dessert table? Leave a comment and tell me who you made it for. If you made the recipe, please leave an honest rating and review to help other readers.

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Recipe

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Southern Ambrosia Salad

Southern ambrosia salad with cherries, coconut, grapes, and pastel mini marshmallows in a white bowl.
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Southern ambrosia salad folds pineapple, mandarins, grapes, cherries, coconut, and fruity marshmallows into a creamy dressing. Chill ahead for an easy potluck side.

  • Author: Jennifer
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Chill Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: About 12 servings 1x
  • Category: Salads
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 (8-ounce) tub whipped topping, thawed
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 ½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 ½ cups fruity-fun mini marshmallows
  • 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained thoroughly
  • 1 (15-ounce) can mandarin orange segments, drained thoroughly
  • 1 cup green seedless grapes, halved
  • 1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved
  • ½ cup chopped pecans, optional

Instructions

  1. Prep the fruit: Place the pineapple and mandarin oranges in separate strainers to release excess juice. Drain the cherries and gently blot them with paper towels to limit pink streaks; halve the grapes and any whole cherries.
  2. Fold the salad together: Stir the sour cream until smooth in a large mixing bowl, then fold in the thawed whipped topping with a flexible spatula. Gently fold in the coconut, marshmallows, pineapple, grapes, and optional pecans until coated; add the mandarin oranges and cherries last with just a few folds to keep the segments intact.
  3. Chill and serve: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill the fruit and soften the marshmallows. Gently stir before serving and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Equipment

Notes

Substitutions: Use plain mini marshmallows instead of fruit-flavored marshmallows, or red seedless grapes instead of green. Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt can replace the sour cream. Substitute chopped walnuts for the pecans, or omit the nuts.
Serving: Serve chilled alongside baked ham, roasted turkey, barbecue, or a holiday meal. It also works as a light dessert served in small bowls.
Make Ahead: Prepare up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate in a covered container. For firmer pecans, fold them in just before serving.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The fruit may release liquid as it sits; stir gently before serving.
Freezing: Freezing is not recommended. Thawed fruit can become watery, and the creamy mixture may separate.

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About Jennifer

I’m Jennifer Locklin, author and owner of Jennifer Cooks. I am a trained chef and passionate about good food, cooking for family and friends, and creating recipes that form lasting memories from one generation to the next. I hope you find inspiration for cooking and creating here!

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