This ambrosia fruit salad recipe is easy and makes a deliciously light, sweet, and fluffy show-stopping side dish!

Orange segments, pineapple tidbits, coconut, sour cream, and mini marshmallows are all it takes to make this easy fruit salad with a quick 5 minutes prep time! Canned fruit is juicy and delicious, plus it helps with the quick assembly of this recipe! But feel free to use fresh pineapple and mandarin orange slices if preferred! Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream can substitute for sour cream too. Serve this versatile ambrosia fruit salad recipe as a delish addition to the holiday menu, or as a potluck or party addition.

What is Ambrosia Fruit Salad?

• A classic Southern recipe served during the holidays, ambrosia (AKA food of the Gods) salad is a colorful collection of fresh or canned fruit, coconut, and marshmallows stirred into a lightly sweetened dressing.
• Serve it as a side salad or a special occasion dessert with a glass of champagne or cocktail.
• Prep, chill, and serve from one bowl!
• This salad can be easily transported to parties and potlucks and is always an instant crowd-pleaser!

What’s in Ambrosia Salad?

Ambrosia salad has endless possibilities for mixing and matching ingredients!

FRUIT: Mandarin oranges and pineapple tidbits bring both sweet and sour flavors, but other canned fruits like maraschino cherries, fruit cocktail, or canned peaches will work. Fresh fruits like grapes, bananas, blueberries, and sliced strawberries add color and flavor, too!

MARSHMALLOWS: White mini marshmallows or pastel-colored mini marshmallows are festive and fun. A jar of marshmallow fluff (crème) can be mixed in with the dressing if mini marshmallows aren’t available or to achieve a clean, creamy look.

COCONUT: Flaked coconut can be sweetened or unsweetened. To enhance the flavor, toast it in a sauté pan just until it starts to brown on the edges. 

DRESSING: Sour cream can be replaced with Greek yogurt for a tart and tangier taste. Fold in Jello vanilla pudding, cool whip, or homemade whipped cream as a substitute for sour cream. For a thicker dressing, mix cream cheese with the sour cream.

MIX-INS: Dried fruit like cranberries, apricots, and mangoes, or walnuts and pecans, make fun additions. For best results, toast nuts in a dry sauté pan until they are barely fragrant. This intensifies their flavor and makes them extra crunchy.

How to Make Ambrosia Fruit Salad

This ambrosia fruit salad recipe is as easy as can be!

1. Be sure to thoroughly drain the mandarin oranges and pineapple.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Chill overnight.

Serve cold, as a side dish or dessert.

Serve It With

Ambrosia salad is most often seen on holiday tables, but it also is great for everyday main dishes like buttermilk chicken, homemade meatloaf, and even these fun sausage crescent rolls.

Make Ahead & Storing

• Ambrosia salad can be made up to a day ahead and tastes even better as the flavors continue to blend.
• Leftovers are good up to 3 days, stir thoroughly and add fresh ingredients, if desired.
• Ambrosia salad is not suitable for the freezer. The fruit will get mushy, and the dressing runny and grainy. This is a dish best served cold — but not frozen!

Other Delish Salads!

• Broccoli Grape Salad – a favorite salad
• Iceberg Wedge Salad – quick and easy!
• Cucumber Dill Salad – perfect summer salad
• Burrata Salad– so many fresh flavors

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