Let's pretend it's summertime with all the fruity flavors in ambrosia salad with Cool Whip! A variety of fruits including grapes, pineapple, and more, transformed into a whipped topping salad.
Add some pecans and mini marshmallows and we have a real treat! Think of it as a fruit cocktail with a decadent creamy dressing!
Are you ready to eat the food of the gods? Yep, that's right...
“Ambrosia” was the name of the food that the ancient Greek gods ate. It was considered very luxurious according to legend, and rumor has it, it’s what kept them immortal.
Stepping away from the Marvel superhero theme, let's bring things a little closer to home.
Ambrosia salad is also considered a southern dish in the US traditionally made with fruits once considered luxurious. Sure, it may be easy to head to Hy-vee or Walmart to buy grapes and cherries now, but back in the day, it wasn't always the case.
I won't go into a "back in my day" rant here, but you can close your eyes and imagine the olden days, before Instacart and grocery pickup.
Still, this fruit salad absolutely feels like a splurge for special occasions like Easter or nibbling on during the summer months. Something about the fruit and creamy-sweet Cool Whip combo makes it downright decadent. All the simple ingredients, though, can be picked up at your average grocery store!
And while the term "salad" might be taking some liberties (because let's face it, there is no lettuce to be found), if you're familiar with watergate salad, jello with fruit cocktail or orange fluff, you know where this is headed..
Why I Love This Recipe
Chocked full of fruit – As I always say, even the most well-behaved family has its picky eaters. Who else has their hand in the air? If yours is the same, this is a delicious fruit salad that even the fussiest eater won’t turn down.
Quick and easy – I seriously can’t think of anything faster than 5-10 minutes of prep, especially when you’re just mixing ingredients together in a bowl! I mean, opening canned fruit is as easy as it gets.
Sweet, but healthy (sort of) – I can't exactly declare this is better than a salad full of greens, but it’s mostly fruit and Cool Whip with the occasional marshmallow. Not a bad snack or dessert, especially for a holiday dinner extravaganza.
Ingredients
The printable recipe card below has the exact measurements you'll need.
- Sour cream and Cool Whip – these two ingredients combined form the base of your ambrosia salad. You won’t taste the sour cream at all. It just gets a little tang that cuts the sweetness. If you have leftover cool whip, use it to make this easy oreo fluff!
- Sweetened shredded coconut flakes, pineapple, mandarin oranges, green grapes, and maraschino cherries - these are the fruits for your fruit salad. You can, of course, change out anything you don’t like.
- Miniature marshmallows – I love using colored ones, especially. These are fun, fruity marshmallows!
- Pecans – lightly chopped. I always enjoy adding a little crunch to my fruit salads to vary the texture.
How To Make Ambrosia Salad
It doesn’t get much easier than this fruit salad.
Step 1: Mix your ingredients. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well.
Step 2: Refrigerate and enjoy! Refrigerate your ambrosia salad until it’s ready to serve.
Remember that you can reserve a few mandarin oranges and a maraschino cherry (or five) to decorate the top of the salad if you’d like.
Tips
- Gently fold in the fruit to the cool whip. This means using a spatula to scoop the cream mixture up and over the fruit. Repeat several times, gently, until everything is incorporated.
- Be sure to drain your pineapple tidbits very well. The extra juice can make this sweet salad watery.
- If making it ahead of time, leave the marshmallow out and add right before serving. They get mushy if they sit too long.
How to stove leftover ambrosia salad
In an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap, ambrosia salad should remain fresh in the fridge for about 5 days.
FAQ
I don’t recommend it, as it loses its fluffy, creamy texture when it defrosts. It’s technically edible but very unappealing.
I’d say you could keep this in the fridge for about 2 days before serving – just don’t add the marshmallows until you’re ready to serve. They’ll get mushy otherwise.
Yes, if that’s your preference, go for it! Just be sure to cut everything up to the appropriate size. Another great addition is sliced banana!
Other Fruit-filled Recipes You’ll Enjoy
- Mexican Fruit Salad
- Sugar Free Apple Crisp
- Easy Peach Compote
- Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Bake
- Mixed Berry Galette
I hope you enjoy this ambrosia recipe! Now you can make it for everything from Easter dinner to a dish to pass at your next potluck!
Ambrosia Salad with Cool Whip
Ingredients
- 8 ounce container cool whip
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup sweetened coconut shredded
- 3 cups miniature marshmallows colored is fun
- 1 ½ cups pineapple tidbits well drained
- 1 can 11 ounces canned mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 cup green grapes halved
- 1 cup maraschino cherries halved
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Reserve a few mandarin oranges and maraschino cherries to decorate the top of the salad.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well.
- Refrigerate salad until ready to serve.
Notes
Tips
- Gently fold in the fruit to the cool whip. This means using a spatula to scoop the cream mixture up and over the fruit. Repeat several times, gently, until everything is incorporated.
- Be sure to drain your pineapple tidbits very well. The extra juice can make this sweet salad watery.
- If making it ahead of time, leave the marshmallows out and add right before serving. They get mushy if they sit too long.
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