Fluffy, fruity, light and creamy, an ambrosia salad is a potluck hero that comes together in just about 10 minutes. It’s often called a “5-cup salad” since it uses just five ingredients measuring roughly 1 cup each. Sure, ambrosia salad may lean more towards dessert than salad, but it’s an instant palate-cleanser whether served with the main meal or after.
The beauty of any ambrosia salad is how customizable it can be. Many people add nuts or extra fruits, or they use different cream bases. Start with our ambrosia salad recipe as your foundation, then check out our variation ideas below so you can zhuzh it up to your liking.
What is ambrosia salad?
Ambrosia salad is a retro dessert salad. It’s loaded with fruits and marshmallows and is all held together with a light and airy cream base. That cream base might be sour cream, yogurt, pudding or whipped topping.
The name “ambrosia” comes from Greek mythology and means “immortality.” Also known as the drink or food of the gods, Greek gods commonly consumed ambrosia to prevent becoming weak. Today, we’ve come to know ambrosia as a deliciously fluffy fruit salad (or dessert) with tropical flavors.
Ambrosia Salad Ingredients
- Mandarin oranges: Super-sweet, bright and zingy, mandarin oranges are used in an ambrosia salad recipe for their taste and bright-orange hue.
- Pineapple: To keep things simple, buy one 8-ounce can of pineapple tidbits. Or cut up a fresh pineapple into tidbit-sized chunks instead. Just make sure the measurement of your cut fruit weighs 8 ounces.
- Miniature marshmallows: One cup of mini marshmallows adds sweetness and fluff. Marshmallows easily make this ambrosia salad one of our very favorite vintage marshmallow salad recipes.
- Coconut: Pick up a bag of sweetened shredded coconut from the store. You can purchase unsweetened, but know the ambrosia salad won’t be as tasty.
- Sour cream: Tangy and rich, sour cream brings all the ambrosia ingredients together to form a delicious, cool dessert.
Directions
Step 1: Stir the fruits
In a large bowl, toss together the oranges, pineapple tidbits, marshmallows and coconut until combined.
Step 2: Mix in the sour cream
Add the sour cream, and toss everything to mix. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for several hours.
Editor’s Tip: Your mixing bowl might be looking a little messy after stirring in the sour cream. If you’d like, before serving, transfer the ambrosia salad to a clean serving bowl for a nice presentation.
Ambrosia Salad Variations
- Add more fruits: Blueberries, strawberries, grapes, green apples and bananas can be added to this ambrosia salad recipe. Maraschino cherries are also commonly found in an ambrosia recipe, and they even tinge the salad’s color to a beautiful pastel pink.
- Add nuts: If you like a bit of texture in your sweets, toss in chopped pecans or buttery macadamia nuts. You can even toast the nuts beforehand to bring out their richness.
- Make it more colorful: Fruit-flavored mini marshmallows have gorgeous shades of pastel pink, yellow, orange and green. They add a fun hue and an extra-fruity taste to any ambrosia recipe.
- Try a different cream base: Not a sour cream fan? Swap it out for an equal amount of vanilla yogurt, vanilla pudding or thawed whipped topping.
How to Store Ambrosia Salad
Store leftover ambrosia salad in the fridge for up to three days. You can keep it stored in its serving bowl and cover it with storage wrap, or transfer the salad to an airtight storage container.
Can I make ambrosia salad ahead of time?
Yes, you can make this ambrosia salad ahead of time. We actually love it even more when it has time to chill and set in the fridge for a bit.
Can I freeze ambrosia salad?
We don’t recommend freezing ambrosia salad. It will become soggy and watered down once thawed from frozen.
Ambrosia Salad Tips
Where does ambrosia salad come from?
The name for ambrosia salad has Greek roots. However, southern cooks popularized the creamy, refreshing recipe. Nowadays, you’ll find different spins on ambrosia recipes from cooks and kitchens all over the country.
How do you keep ambrosia salad from browning?
Prevent browning by tossing the juice from the small can of pineapple in with your fruit. The juice of a lemon, lime or orange can be used in place of pineapple juice, too.
