Ambrosia Salad
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Mar 9, 2025 
Grandma’s Best Ambrosia Salad Recipe – This marshmallow ambrosia salad recipe is a fruity retro favorite that is perfect for enjoying all summer long. This fruit salad may not be considered a nutritious food, but it’s fluffy, refreshingly sweet, and completely irresistible!
Why We Love This Ambrosia Salad Recipe
This bright, colorful Ambrosia salad dessert is one my grandma used to make over and over each season and was always a big hit at our neighborhood gatherings. Nowadays, I make it often for my family, who love enjoying it as we make our own summer memories together! It really is the best ambrosia salad recipe!
But don’t be fooled by the name… This throw-caution-to-the-wind fruit “salad” is more of a guilty pleasure than anything else. It’s also sometimes called Marshmallow Salad or Marshmallow Fluff Salad.
So why do they call it “Ambrosia”? The word Ambrosia literally means immortality in Greek. Believe it or not, at the time this recipe started gaining popularity the ingredients involved (various canned fruits, marshmallows, and coconut) were considered exotic and hard to find. Therefore, this salad was named after the elusive nectar, or drink of the gods, in Greek mythology. “Food of the Gods” is the official Latin translation.
Decades later, many of these same ingredients were considered pantry staples in the United States. So Ambrosia salad continued on as a popular American side dish because it was quick and easy to throw together for us mortals. *wink*
This is a classic ambrosia salad recipe, with just a few slight changes. Some people like to use sour cream as the base, while others use Cool Whip. In my humble opinion, a blend of both ingredients creates the best flavor.
I like to add green grapes for a bit of freshness in this fruit salad, as well as candied (crystallized) ginger for a surprise touch of sweet-heat in each spoonful.
I also include chopped nuts in our marshmallow salad, which makes it similar to watergate salad, but with even more fruits!
Ingredients You Need
- Mandarin oranges – use canned and drained mandarin oranges
- Peaches – use canned peaches and make sure these are also drained
- Pineapple – use drained canned pineapple for maximum sweet flavor
- Maraschino cherries – remove the stems and cut them in half
- Green grapes – use fresh grapes sliced in half
- Coconut shreds – use the sweetened version
- Mini marshmallows – white or colorful mini marshmallows both work
- Pecans – optional, but adds a bit of crunch
- Crystalized ginger – finely diced
- Sour cream – go for full-fat sour cream for a richer texture
- Cool whip – slightly softened
- Salt – to balance the flavors
How To Make The Best Ambrosia Salad
- Drain the canned mandarin oranges, peaches, pineapple and cherries.
- Cut the peach slices into bite-sized chunks, and remove all the stems from the cherries. Once you’ve done that, slice the cherries in half.
- Slice the grapes in half, and if you’re using pecans, give them a rough chop. Same goes for the crystallized ginger — dice it up so it blends nicely into the salad.
- Add in the grapes, coconut, marshmallows, pecans, crystallized ginger, sour cream, and Cool Whip. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt, then gently fold everything together until it looks creamy and dreamy.
- Cover it up and let it chill in the fridge until you’re ready to dig in.
Get the Full (Printable) Best Recipe for Ambrosia Salad + VIDEO Below. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
There are so many fun and creative ways to serve this best ambrosia salad recipe, and here are a few of my favorite ways.
Ok, so you can obviously serve it in a ceramic or glass bowl, which is pretty classic, but you can also give it a tropical twist by presenting it in a hollowed out pineapple. If you want something more fancy, layer the salad in tall parfait glasses and top them off with shortbread or wafers.
Bring a large bowl to your next spring or summer potluck, barbecue, or picnic. No one can say “no” to this salad!
Ambrosia salad keeps well in the fridge for up to an entire week, so it’s a great make ahead recipe for parties and gatherings of all sizes.
Recipe Variations
- Greek yogurt – Swap the sour cream and Cool Whip with vanilla Greek yogurt for a tangier, protein-packed version.
- Nuts – Not a fan of pecans? Try chopped almonds, walnuts, or your choice of nut as a substitution. You can also omit the nuts if needed.
- Dairy-free – Just swap the cool whip and sour cream for coconut whipped cream for nondairy ambrosia salad.
- Without Cool Whip – You can use a mixture of heavy cream and sugar to make fresh whipped cream to use in place of the Cool Whip in this ambrosia salad recipe. I have also heard of people using vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt or plain vanilla yogurt instead of whipped topping.
- Chocolate – Add mini chocolate chips or drizzle some melted chocolate for an even sweeter twist.
- Toasted coconut – You can lightly toast the coconut flakes for a richer, nuttier flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can find Cool Whip in the freezer aisle. Thaw it in the refrigerator before using it.
Cover it tightly and store it in the fridge. Your Ambrosia salad with Cool Whip and sour cream can last up to seven days.
Sure you can, but it won’t thaw to the same consistency as before. The chunks of fruit will likely break into smaller pieces. For best results, eat it fresh after mixing.
Looking For More Southern-Style Salads? Be Sure To Also Try:
- Best Classic Egg Salad Recipe
- Perfect Macaroni Salad Recipe
- Red White & Blue Chopped Salad Recipe
- Dorito Taco Salad Recipe
- Cool and Creamy Grape Salad
- Irresistible Broccoli Salad Recipe
- Nana’s Epic Tuna Salad Recipe
- The Best Ever Potato Salad Recipe
- Retro Cornbread Salad Recipe
- The Ultimate Southern Chicken Salad Recipe
- Apple Chopped Salad with Herb Vinaigrette
Grandma’s Ambrosia Salad Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can mandarin oranges
- 15 ounce can peach slices, drained
- 8 ounce can pineapple tidbits
- 5 ounce jar maraschino cherries, stems removed
- ¾ cup fresh green grapes, halved lengthwise
- ¾ cup sweetened coconut flakes
- ¾ cup mini marshmallows
- ½ cup chopped pecans, optional
- ¼ cup diced crystalized ginger, candied ginger
- 4 ounces sour cream
- 4 ounces cool whip
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Set a large colander in the sink. Pour the mandarin oranges, peaches, pineapple tidbits, and cherries in the colander.
- Once they are well drained, chop each peach slice into 3-4 pieces. Remove all cherry stems, then cut the cherries in half.
- Cut the green grapes in half. Chop the pecans (if using) and dice the crystalized ginger pieces.
- Set out a large salad bowl. Pour the drained fruit into the bowl. Add the grapes, coconut, marshmallows, pecans, crystalized ginger, sour cream, and cool whip. Add a good pinch of salt and gently mix the salad until everything is well incorporated.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be made up to 7 days in advance.
It’s also very good with whipped coconut cream, if you’re not a fan of Cool Whip.
this is super tasty and also so fun! I love a nice fruit salad, and this elevates it so much!