Ambrosia Salad

Let Me Tell You About The Time Ambrosia Salad Saved The Day

I’ll never forget when my aunt Ruth forgot to bring her legendary Ambrosia Salad to a family picnic and, I kid you not, there was almost a mutiny. Grown adults pouting, kids staging an insurrection around the fruit punch. The next summer, I volunteered to make it—and let me just say, I may have gone a little heavy on the marshmallows out of sheer panic. Honestly, though, nobody seemed to mind. (Pro tip: if your family loves sugar, just ‘accidentally’ spill in a few extra mini marshmallows. Whoops!)

This recipe is now my go-to for potlucks, cookouts, or whenever I get the craving for something sweet, creamy, and a little bit retro. It’s as easy as pie—actually, easier than pie—and brings that whole “is it a side, is it dessert?” energy to every table.

Why I Keep Making This Salad All. Year. Long.

I always whip this up when I want to impress with the least amount of actual cooking. My family practically arm-wrestles over who gets the last spoonful (my brother cheats, I swear he hides the bowl behind the juice cartons). I’ll sometimes toss it together when fruit in the fridge is getting a little ‘meh’. And hey, if the marshmallows are a little melty on a hot day, that’s just bonus gooey-ness.

I tried skipping the coconut once and my cousin’s face—oh man, it was like I’d ruined Christmas. Lesson learned; coconut or bust in my house!

So, What’s Going in This, Anyway?

• 1 cup sour cream (sometimes I cheat and use Greek yogurt if that’s what I’ve got, honestly not bad!)
• 1 cup canned mandarin oranges, drained (my grandmother always insisted on the _brand name_ cans, but store brand works fine too)
• 1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained well
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows (tiny ones, not the big campfire kind)
• 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut (I’ve used unsweetened, but it’s not as magical)
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped – plus a few more for on top if you’re feeling fancy
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional, but I love the crunch—unless you’re serving picky kids, then maybe leave ’em out)

How I Actually Make This (with a few detours)

1. First, grab yourself a big mixing bowl. Not too big, unless you’re doubling. Add the sour cream (or yogurt) first, it’ll help everything else mix up smoother.
2. Dump in the mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, chopped cherries, coconut, and those mini marshmallows. If you’re using nuts, in they go too. I usually lose a marshmallow or two to ‘quality control’ at this step.
3. Fold it all together with a big spoon until everything’s nice and coated. Don’t be alarmed if it looks a bit… gloppy? That’s normal, promise!
4. Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is better, but who really plans ahead?). Cover it or your fridge will smell a bit coconutty for a week.
5. Give it a quick stir before serving, then pile into your fanciest bowl. Pop a few extra cherries on top if you want people to ooh and aah.

Notes I Jotted Down After Messing This Up a Few Times

• If you forgot to drain your fruit properly, things get watery—a soggy salad isn’t exactly a crowd pleaser. I learned that the messy way.
• Once I tried using fresh pineapple. It somehow made it too tangy. Canned is just easier, honestly.
• If your marshmallows are a bit stale, soak ’em in a little juice first. Or, just toss them and start fresh.

What Else Have I Tried? (Variations & Experiments, Some Good, Some Weird)

• Swapping the sour cream for whipped cream or Cool Whip makes this almost a dessert, like cloud food. But a little too sweet for me, personally.
• Added diced apples once—good crunch, but they browned too quickly. Not my best call.
• Unsweetened coconut for my cousin’s paleo phase. Erm… not a crowd favorite.
• Sometimes I halve the marshmallows if I want it less sweet, but why would I do that?

Equipment: Nothing Fancy Needed

Big bowl, big spoon. If you’re really fancy, use a rubber spatula. Oh, don’t have a cherry pitter? Neither do I—I just slice around the seed (or buy pitted cherries, let’s be honest).

How Long Will This Last? (Not Long in My House)

It’ll stay happy in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. I think it tastes better the next day—though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day!

How I Love to Serve This (And Why I Sometimes Eat It for Breakfast)

I like to plop huge dollops into fancy little glass parfait dishes at Easter or Christmas. My mom just dumps it in a big bowl and lets everyone dig in, which is less photogenic but more fun. Sometimes, if I wake up and there’s a little left, I eat it with my morning coffee—don’t judge me.

Lessons Learned (So You Don’t Have to Learn the Hard Way)

I once tried stirring everything like I was mixing cement—bad idea, the oranges fall apart and it turns into mush. Now I go gently. And, don’t try to skip the chilling step; the flavors really do need time to hang out. I got impatient once, and, well, never again!

FAQ (Because My Family Always Asks…)

• Can I leave out the coconut?
  Sure, if you want—just tells folks so they’re not surprised. But honestly, that coconut is what makes it sing.
• Is this a salad or a dessert?
  No one in my family has figured that out. We serve it with the main meal and again for dessert. Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too?
• Can you make this the day before?
  Absolutely! Actually, I find it works better if you let the flavors marry overnight. Just cover it tight.
• Can you use frozen fruit?
  I tried once. It got too watery. Canned is easier—though, if you thaw and really dry the frozen stuff, maybe it could work?
• What’s the deal with the nuts?
  I like the crunch, but if you’ve got nut-averse folks just leave them out. It won’t break the recipe.
• I don’t have sour cream, what do I do?
  Plain Greek yogurt is a pretty solid stand-in. I’ve even heard of people using vanilla pudding. That’s maybe a bridge too far for me!

Anyway, if you end up with a bowl of this in front of you and it looks a little off, just remember: it probably tastes fantastic, and I almost guarantee it’ll be gone before you know it.

★★★★★ 4.90 from 44 ratings

Ambrosia Salad

yield: 6 servings

prep: 15 mins

cook: 0 mins

total: 50 mins

A classic Southern-style dessert salad made with sour cream, canned fruit, mini marshmallows, coconut, cherries, and optional nuts. Light, sweet, and delightfully retro—an easy crowd-pleaser for potlucks and holiday tables.

🖨️ Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup sour cream (sometimes I cheat and use Greek yogurt if that’s what I’ve got, honestly not bad!)
• 1 cup canned mandarin oranges, drained (my grandmother always insisted on the _brand name_ cans, but store brand works fine too)
• 1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained well
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows (tiny ones, not the big campfire kind)
• 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut (I’ve used unsweetened, but it’s not as magical)
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped – plus a few more for on top if you’re feeling fancy
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional, but I love the crunch—unless you’re serving picky kids, then maybe leave ’em out)

Instructions

1. 1
   First, grab yourself a big mixing bowl. Not too big, unless you’re doubling. Add the sour cream (or yogurt) first, it’ll help everything else mix up smoother.
2. 2
   Dump in the mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, chopped cherries, coconut, and those mini marshmallows. If you’re using nuts, in they go too. I usually lose a marshmallow or two to ‘quality control’ at this step.
3. 3
   Fold it all together with a big spoon until everything’s nice and coated. Don’t be alarmed if it looks a bit… gloppy? That’s normal, promise!
4. 4
   Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is better, but who really plans ahead?). Cover it or your fridge will smell a bit coconutty for a week.
5. 5
   Give it a quick stir before serving, then pile into your fanciest bowl. Pop a few extra cherries on top if you want people to ooh and aah.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 260 caloriescal

Protein: 3gg

Fat: 11gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 38gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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