Ambrosia Salad

Ambrosia Salad will take you straight back to your childhood. This Southern creamy fruit salad is filled with mini marshmallows!

Ambrosia Salad is one of my favorite side dishes to take to summer BBQs and potlucks. It’s light, creamy, and sweet just like Cheesecake Fruit Salad and Pistachio Salad.

Fruit Salad with Marshmallows

In ancient Greek mythology, Ambrosia is the food or drink of the gods. So when this beautiful and delicious salad started appearing in the southern United States, it is no surprise it was given such a lofty name.

I mean, what sounds better than marshmallows and sweet fruit mixed together with Whipped Cream?

There are so many versions, but ambrosia salad is a fruit salad with marshmallows that almost always includes pineapple, orange slices, and coconut.

It’s the best salad for potlucks, summer picnics, family get-togethers, and pool parties.

This is definitely our go-to salad recipe when we have a summer party to attend. It’s chilled, sweet, and the best side dish to any meal!

How to make Ambrosia Salad

This is the Best Ambrosia Salad Recipe! It’s so easy, and sure to be loved by all.

FLUFFY CREAM. Add the cream and sugar to your kitchen-aid mixer bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Add sour cream and whisk until combined.

FRUIT. Fold in marshmallows, oranges, pineapple, strawberries, coconut, pecans, and cherries until combined.

CHILL + SERVE! Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour or two before serving.

Recipe Variations

Add to, or replace, the Ambrosia Salad ingredients with the following options:

(Be mindful to keep a balance between the salad ingredients and the whipped topping. If too many ingredients are added there won’t be enough whipped cream to cover them.)

• Fruit: sliced bananas, raspberries, cubed apples, sliced grapes, blueberries, or Mandarin oranges.
• Chopped nuts: walnuts, cashews, pistachios, or macadamia.
• Replace the sour cream with cottage cheese, greek yogurt, or vanilla yogurt.
• Use plain mini marshmallows or colorful flavored mini marshmallows.
• Use fresh-cut pineapple or pineapple tidbits from a can.

Recipe Tips

Toast the pecans. This recipe calls for chopped and toasted pecans. You can use un-toasted pecans, but toasting them adds an extra layer of flavor that works well in this salad. To toast:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss the pecan halves with a light coating of olive oil
3. Spread the pecans in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Stir them 2-3 times. 
5. Allow the pecans to cool before chopping for the salad. 

Stiff peaks. When making whipped topping it is important to get the right consistency. If under-whipped, the cream will be too runny, but over-whipping can create butter. The “stiff peak” stage is the desired consistency.

As the cream thickens and starts to look like Whipped Cream, turn off the mixer and lift the whisk out of the cream. A peak should form. If the peak melts back into the cream, keep whipping it. If the peak holds its shape, it is ready to use. 

Additional tips.

• Fold the ingredients into the whipped cream. Too much mixing can alter the texture of the whipped cream.
• Mix using a stand mixer, a hand-held electric mixer with the whisk attachment, or good ol’ fashioned hand whisking. 
• Drain all ingredients of excess liquid to keep the salad from being runny. 

Storing Info

Make ahead of time. Make this Ambrosia Salad Recipe a day ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge or tightly cover the bowl in plastic wrap – this will help it stay properly chilled before serving time.

STORE. Leftover Ambrosia Fruit Salad will keep for about 3 days if stored properly.

There may be an increase in the amount of liquid as well as a breakdown of the whipped cream. To revive the salad, simply drain the excess liquid and toss it with fresh whipped cream.

Recipe FAQ

For more summer Salads, try:

• Quick Fruit Salad
• Summer Corn Salad
• Cheesecake Salad
• Pistachio Salad
• Macaroni Salad