You should try to make my Ambrosia Fruit Salad because it is a classic comfort food. Often times you hear stories of nostalgia from guests who have enjoyed this salad at family gatherings or holiday meals. This simple to make recipe has been around since well before I was born. My Ambrosia Fruit Salad is also super colorful and totally customizable.
Ambrosia Fruit Salad is an American variation of fruit salad. This creamy fruit salad has been around for some time where it’s especially popular in the United States. I remember my Nana making a variation of this recipe, but she’d call it a creamy fruit salad where my mom would call it an Ambrosia Salad.
What is an Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Many variations of the creamy base in Ambrosia Fruit Salad can include sour cream, jello, pudding, mayonnaise, cottage cheese, whipped cream, cream cheese, and yogurt. Many in my family use cottage cheese and whipped topping while I like to use a combination of whipped cream topping and sour cream. The sour cream adds a little tang to even out the sweetness of everything. Finally, coconut flakes and pecans can be added into the mix. I have a few picky eaters at family parties, so I leave it out sometimes.
How to Serve Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Ambrosia Salad is best served as a side dish or dessert. I make this fruit salad for spring holidays like Easter, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day and I serve it alongside the main dish. It has even been to a few graduations and summer birthdays over the years. Because it’s a cold, refreshing, cool whip and sour cream salad it’s delicious during the summer months and I traditionally serve it for barbecues, Father’s Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day.
This quick and easy dessert or side dish salad can be tossed together or made ahead of time. Ambrosia Fluff Salad doesn’t need time to rest in the refrigerator but it can certainly be made in advance.
Once the mini marshmallows get added into the fruit and whipped cream mixture, they will start to expand.
After several days, the sugars in the marshmallows will start to melt due to liquid from the fruit.
How to Make Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Since this recipe uses canned pineapple and mandarin oranges, make sure to drain the liquid out pretty well. If I know it will be sitting out for a bit, I’ll take a clean kitchen towel and bot any extra liquid off the canned fruit. Next, just add the sour cream and whipped topping in a large bowl. Fold it together and add in the green grapes, raspberries or maraschino cherries, pineapple, and oranges. Pour in the mini marshmallows and give it a good toss until it’s blended together. Then, serve immediately or cover the bowl and refrigerate it until it’s needed.
Holiday Menu
Easter is just a few weeks away! I’ve already planned my Easter dinner menu and it includes my classic Crock Pot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham, Italian Pasta Salad, Strawberry Mimosas, and Strawberry Shortcake. I also adore this Cranberry Fluff Salad. After Easter dinner, I’ll use the leftover ham in my famous Red Beans and Rice recipe.
For a taste of summer, try my creamy Ambrosia Fruit Salad. It’s packed with pineapple, sweet mandarin oranges, grapes, and raspberries. It’s the perfect side dish to any spring or summer holiday party or barbecue.
Whatever occasion you’re celebrating, you need this creamy fluff salad!
Ambrosia Salad
Ingredients
- 2 (15) ounce cans mandarin oranges, juice drained
- 20 ouces pineapple chunks, juice drained
- 2 cups green grapes
- 2 cups raspberries or drained maraschino cherries
- 8 ounces whipped topping
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 4 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Drain juice from canned mandarin oranges and pineapple chunks; set aside.In a large mixing bowl, mix together whipped topping and sour cream. Stir in mandarin oranges, pineapple, grapes, raspberries ( or cherries ), and mini marshmallows. Fold mixture together until well combined.Cover bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Ambrosia Salad will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.
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One Response
Wonderful and love the easy part! Yummy!