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Ambrosia Salad
Packed with flavorful fruit and a creamy dressing, this 10-minute ambrosia salad is a classic for a reason!
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A luxurious Southern dish, this 10-minute ambrosia salad is a delightful classic! Filled with flavorful fruit like pineapple, mandarin oranges, and maraschino cherries, it’s mixed together with marshmallows and a tangy dressing of cream cheese and whipped cream. This salad is fruity, tangy, and oh-so-delicious!
Ambrosia Salad Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 8 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 (8-ounce) container of whipped topping
- 1 (15-ounce) can of mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 (20-ounce) can of crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 (12-ounce) jar of maraschino cherries, drained and cut in half (plus more for garnish)
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 cup shredded coconut flakes
- chopped walnuts (optional, for garnish)
Substitutions and Additions
NUTS: You can swap out walnuts for pecans or almonds, or skip the buts altogether.
WHIPPED TOPPING: You can use homemade whipped cream in this recipe instead of store-bought. Try our stabilized whipped cream recipe if you’re looking for a recipe.
CREAM CHEESE: Substitute cream cheese for sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for a dish that’s just as creamy and delicious.
FRUIT: Try adding different fruit to the salad for a mix of flavors, like a can of fruit cocktail.
MARSHMALLOWS: Add some extra color to your salad by using colorful mini marshmallows.
How To Make This Ambrosia Salad Recipe
PRO TIP: This is a great recipe to make ahead of time! It stores well in the fridge, giving enough time for all the flavors to mingle and mix.
STEP ONE: Beat the cream cheese on low until smooth in a large bowl.
STEP TWO: Add the whipped topping a third at a time and continue to mix on low speed.
STEP THREE: Stir in the mandarin orange slices, pineapple, cherries, coconut, and marshmallows.
STEP FOUR: Spoon into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped walnuts and cherries if desired.
How To Serve
Ambrosia salad is a popular dish that can be served all year long! Enjoy it as a dessert, or serve it alongside your favorite BBQ dishes for a wonderfully refreshing and flavorful side.
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftovers of ambrosia salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
IN THE FREEZER: Due to the creamy dressing and marshmallows, this recipe doesn’t freeze well.
Fruity and flavorful, this easy ambrosia salad is the perfect addition to any meal! It’s a delicious combination of light and fluffy marshmallows, whipped cream, tangy cream cheese, and lots of fruit for a dish that will ignite your tastebuds.
FAQ:
Q? What is ambrosia salad?
A: Ambrosia salad is a creamy dish with fruit, marshmallows, and nuts. It was originally a popular Christmas dish in the Southern United States, but it can be enjoyed any time, all year long.
Q? Can I add pear to this recipe?
A: Canned pears would be a delicious addition to this salad! You can also switch up the fruit entirely and try a salad with kiwis, bananas, and strawberries. There are so many options!
Q? Can I freeze ambrosia salad?
A: Due to the marshmallows and creamy dressing, ambrosia salad doesn’t freeze well. We recommend you make a fresh batch when you want to serve it.
Ambrosia Salad
Packed with flavorful fruit and a creamy dressing, this 10-minute ambrosia salad is a classic for a reason!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 8 ounces whipped topping
- 15 ounces mandarin oranges drained
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple drained
- 12 ounces maraschino cherries drained and cut in half (plus more for garnish)
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup marshmallows
- chopped walnuts for optional garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on low until smooth.
- Add the whipped topping, a third at a time, mixing on low speed.
- Stir in oranges, pineapple, cherries, coconut and marshmallows.
- Spoon into serving bowl and garnish with chopped walnuts and cherries if desired.
Notes
Substitute the walnuts for slivered almonds if you prefer.
Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don’t end up with any lumps in your cream mixture.
Stir all of the ingredients together carefully, as you don’t want to break apart the fruit pieces.
If you have the time, allow this salad to chill for several hours in the fridge. This will allow the flavors to mingle together in your salad.
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