Ambrosia Salad

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Classic Ambrosia Salad is a quick and easy side dish that has been around forever and always a hit at potlucks and summer BBQs. Our version is loaded with pineapple, cherries, and mandarin oranges coated in fresh whipped cream!

Prep Time8

Chill Time1

Total Time1 8

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ambrosia fruit salad, easy fruit salad, summer side dish

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
20 ounce can pineapple tidbits , drained
15 ounce can mandarin oranges , drained
10 ounces maraschino cherries , drained, stems removed
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

Place the heavy cream in a large bowl with the powdered sugar. Using an electric hand mixer, whip to stiff peaks (do not overmix or it will get clumpy.) Fold in the sour cream.
Add the pineapple, oranges, cherries, and coconut. Gently fold everything together until combined.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Add the marshmallows and fold them in, serve immediately.

Notes

For softer marshmallows, add them with the fruit. I like to add the marshmallows just before serving so they don’t dissolve too much. I like to have that marshmallow texture through the salad, but if you like them softer, you can add them in with the fruits.

Can I use Cool Whip instead of fresh whipped cream? If you want to make Ambrosia Salad with Cool Whip, you can use an 8-ounce container of thawed Cool Whip in place of the fresh whipped cream. If you are using Cool Whip, do not add the powdered sugar.

What if I don’t like sour cream? The sour cream gives it a slight tang and doesn’t make it overly sweet. If you don’t like sour cream, add an extra 1/4 cup of heavy cream, no need for additional powdered sugar.

Chill before serving. Always allow the salad to chill for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors time to meld and truly get the best taste out of the salad.

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