Ambrosia Salad Recipe

This colorful and tasty classic Ambrosia Salad is a mixture of whipped cream, sour cream, fruit, marshmallows, nuts, and coconut. It is always a huge hit at parties and one of the first sides to go.

Course side

Cuisine Southern

Keyword ambrosia fruit salad recipe, how to make ambrosia salad, marshmallow fruit salad

Prep Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 468kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

¾ cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ cups mini marshmallows
1 cup sweetened coconut shreds
1 11 ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup canned pineapple cut in small bites
½ cup maraschino cherries drained stems removed
¾ cup toasted chopped pecans

Instructions

Chill the bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes. Combine the whipping cream and powdered sugar in the chilled bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until medium to stiff peaks form.
Add the sour cream, mini marshmallows, coconut, mandarin oranges, pineapple, maraschino cherries, and pecans.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together. For best results, chill for 1 hour prior to serving.

Notes

I like the taste of real whipped cream in this dish, but Cool Whip works as a good substitute in a pinch.
For even more color for a special occasion, use fruit-flavored marshmallows instead of white mini marshmallows.
Other fresh fruits to consider adding or substituting are grapes, blueberries, peaches, or bananas.
You can add vanilla Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or cream cheese, but I like the texture of the whipped cream and sour cream.
For added flavor, toast the pecans. Toast them whole in a single layer on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until fragrant. As soon as you remove them from the oven, transfer them to a bowl to stop the cooking process. Walnuts and pistachios work well too.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It does not freeze well.

Nutrition