Get your old-school nostalgia on with sweet, fruity, and fluffy Ambrosia Salad.
Are you familiar with @ThatMidwesternMom on Instagram? She is a lovely, quirky, funny person who makes a lot of old-school dishes; one of her taglines is, “Minnesota salads that aren’t really salads” (she sort of sings it, and it’s adorable!). I think of her every time I make ambrosia salad because, well, is this mix of whipped topping, mini marshmallows, canned fruit, maraschino cherries, pecans, and coconut really a salad?
Maybe, maybe not. But I’ll tell you something that it definitely is: a beloved, nostalgic dish that can be served as a side, a dessert, or even for breakfast. In the South, it often graces holiday tables. And, sure, some folks think of it as a type of fruit salad. Though its exact origin is elusive (the earliest known recipe appears in Maria Massey Barringer’s 1867 cookbook, Dixie Cookery), in ancient Greek myths, ambrosia was the food and drink of the gods. And so our dish is aptly named because ambrosia salad is definitely divine.
Once you’ve gathered together everything you’ll need, ambrosia salad is very simple to make. Combine the whipped topping with the Greek yogurt and whisk until smooth. Then add all of the other ingredients (saving a few maraschino cherries for garnish), mix well, and chill for a couple of hours. Not only is this beautiful ambrosia salad cloud-like, fluffy, and studded with sweet fruits and mini marshmallows, it also gets additional flavor and texture from the coconut and pecans. Heavenly.
Tips for perfect ambrosia salad
Firstly, chill all of your ingredients before combining them; this will help prevent the whipped topping and yogurt base from melting or becoming watery. And speaking of wanting to keep the base thick and creamy, make sure you have drained all of the fruit thoroughly before adding it. Cut the fruits all the same size to ensure even distribution. For some additional texture, aroma, and flavor, lightly toast the coconut (and cool) before incorporating it into the salad.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftover ambrosia salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. We don’t recommend freezing this dish.
Serving suggestions
In many Southern households, ambrosia salad is a traditional Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter side dish, the sweetness a fine companion to savory, heavy holiday fare. But you can be inspired by the holidays without waiting for them by serving ambrosia salad with this Stuffed Turkey Breast and Green Beans Almondine in fall or winter, or with The Best-Oven Baked Lamb Chops and Roasted Asparagus in the spring. I know what you’re thinking: wouldn’t creamy and fruity ambrosia salad be perfect in the summer? Indeed, it would! Try it for dessert with these tart and tangy Key Lime Cookies after a summery meal of Grilled BBQ Chicken and Grilled Corn Salad With Fresh Herbs.
Ambrosia Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whipped topping thawed
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 can pineapple chunks (20 ounces), drained
- 1 can mandarin oranges (11 ounces), drained
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup maraschino cherries halved (reserve some whole cherries for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the whipped topping and Greek yogurt until smooth.
- Gently fold in the drained pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, pecans, mini marshmallows, shredded coconut, and maraschino cherries.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Garnish with reserved cherries before serving.
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