A classic Ambrosia Salad recipe, just like Grandma made it! Fluffy, sweet, and absolutely divine!
Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe
My husband pokes fun at me, but I just love those classic fruit “salads” that my Granny use to serve with holiday dinners. You know the ones that everyone pretends they don’t like, but somehow they always get eaten?
My two favorites are Pistachio Salad and Ambrosia Salad, so today I am sharing an easy Ambrosia Salad recipe – just like you’ll find at country restaurants and church picnics!
(Stay tuned for a Pistachio salad recipe to come later this year!)
This ambrosia salad recipe is inspired by the dishes my Granny used to make at our family dinners. I’m sure her original recipe is much better (somehow Granny works magic with even the most ordinary ingredients) but hopefully we did it justice!
Related: This layered Jello Ribbon Salad is also a classic recipe that’s perfect for picnics and holidays!
So What IS Ambrosia Salad?
Ambrosia salad is a type of fruit salad, with add-ins to make it creamy (traditionally sour cream and/or whipped topping).
Fruit-wise, it usually contains pineapple and mandarin oranges, though you might also see bananas, strawberries, and maraschino cherries in some variations (I’m partial to cherries!) Shredded coconut is also a must.
The word “ambrosia” is a Greek word that means “immortality,” and was used to refer to the food of the gods (source). It’s also the name of a pretty groovy 70s rock band.
I think it’s a pretty fitting name — Ambrosia salad is absolutely heavenly!
Classic Ambrosia Salad Ingredients
- 8oz Cool Whip
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 11 ounces mandarin oranges
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple
- 10 ounces maraschino cherries
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 2 cups fruity rainbow marshmallows
- 3/4 cup crushed pecans, optional
A free printable copy of this recipe is available at the bottom of the post.
Keep reading for photo step-by-step instructions and prep tips or click here to jump to printable recipe.Â
How to Make Ambrosia Salad
First, watch this 1-minute video demo to see how we made our classic ambrosia salad recipe, then keep reading for photo step-by-step directions and printable recipe card.
Click video to play:
Drain all of your fruits and separate into their own bowls.
Mix cool whip and sour cream in a large mixing bowl until completely incorporated.
Stir in the drained mandarins and pineapple, followed by the coconut and rainbow marshmallows.
Add chopped pecans, if using. I prefer without nuts, but to each their own! 🙂
Press your drained maraschino cherries between two paper towels to remove all remaining liquid, then stir into your Ambrosia salad. Take care with this step to prevent bruising the cherries.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, as it’s best served cold.
TIP: You can prepare your Ambrosia salad the night before to save time. Be sure to thoroughly drain all fruit to prevent the salad from becoming too liquid-y. Keep covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
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Granny's Ambrosia Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 11 ounces mandarin oranges drained
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple drained
- 10 ounces maraschino cherries drained
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 2 cups fruity rainbow marshmallows
- 3/4 cups crushed pecans optional
Instructions
- Fold together cool whip and sour cream in a large mixing bowl until completely incorporated.
- Stir in the drained mandarins and pineapple, followed by the coconut and rainbow marshmallows.
- Add in the pecans, if using.
- Drain and press the cherries between two sheets of paper towel, then carefully stir into the ambrosia salad to prevent bruising.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More of our favorite summer salad recipes:
Artichoke & Hearts of Palm Salad
Asparagus & Dill Chicken Salad
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isabelfreitas says
This recipe looks delicious. And so do the other two summer salads you included at the end of the post! Can’t wait to try out on of them! 🙂