Ambrosia Salad With Cool Whip

The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.

This Ambrosia Salad With Cool Whip is a delicious fruit salad mixed with marshmallows, coconut, and Cool Whip. It’s easy to make and can be served as a side dish or dessert.

Our recipe serves eight and costs $7.74 to make. That works out to be about $0.96 per serving.

We love serving this Ambrosia Salad alongside our Copycat Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham, our 1-Hour Dinner Rolls, and our Fresh Green Beans Almondine.

Do you need a simple and refreshing side dish to bring to your next potluck, holiday dinner, or family picnic? We have an oldie but goodie for you that checks all the boxes. While some may question why this is called a salad, we gladly say, “pass the Ambrosia Salad, hold the greens!”

This creamy Ambrosia Salad is made with cool whip, marshmallows, coconut, mandarin oranges, pineapples, and cherries. The sour cream adds a bit of tang to the refreshing fluffy salad and is a sweet treat that pairs well with savory dishes.

We love making this salad. It is a vintage recipe we remember our Aunts and Grandma’s making every Easter. The tropical fruit medley or dessert salad is a simple recipe that is made in one bowl in about ten minutes!

Make this Ambrosia Salad recipe for a potluck, picnics, family gatherings, Easter dinner, or anytime you have a crowd to feed. It is a definite crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike!

A close up picture of the finished Ambrosia Salad recipe in a white bowl.

Ingredients & Cost:

Recipe Cost: $7.74

Per Serving: $0.96

8 oz container Cool Whip – $0.82
½ cup sour cream – $0.44
10 oz can mandarin oranges – $0.95
15 oz can pineapple tidbits – $1.99
16 oz jar maraschino cherries – $2.54
1 cup mini marshmallows – $0.22
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut – $0.78

To learn more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.

All of the ingredients needed to make this recipe.

INSTRUCTIONS

First, fold together the Cool Whip and sour cream in a large bowl.
Next, fold in the oranges, pineapple, cherries, marshmallows, and coconut.
Then cover with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge to chill for at least one hour.
Finally, garnish the salad with mini marshmallows, shredded coconut, and maraschino cherries before serving.

A picture collage showing how to make this recipe.

***For complete recipe instructions see the recipe card below.

RECIPE VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Instead of canned mandarin oranges you can use 1 cup of segmented fresh oranges like Cuties, Clementine, or Mandarin. Once segmented, cut them into ½-inch pieces.
You can also use fresh pineapple cut into ½-inch pieces instead of the canned pineapple. You will need about 1 ¼ cup of the cut up pineapple.

STORAGE TIPS

SERVE: You can serve this salad immediately or store it in the fridge until ready to serve. If you plan to make it ahead of time, you can make it up to two days in advance without adding the marshmallows or garnishes on top, as they will get soggy. Then, wait until you are ready to serve the salad before mixing in the marshmallows and final touches on top.

STORE: Leftovers will stay fresh for about 3-5 days when kept in an airtight container in your fridge.

FREEZE: This salad does not freeze well as the texture is no longer soft and fluffy as it defrosts, so we do not recommend freezing it.

COOK’S TOOLS

Large bowl
Rubber spatula
Measuring cups

The finished Ambrosia Fruit Salad Recipe in a white serving bowl with a serving spoon in the bowl.

RECIPE FAQs

Why is it called ambrosia salad?

Ambrosia is translated to mean “food of the Gods.” When this recipe was first created in the South, it was made with foods considered hard to find and luxurious. Hence the name Ambrosia, because it was made for special occasions. We may not have to use hard-to-find ingredients to make it today, but it is still a special treat for any occasion!

What ingredients are in an Ambrosia Salad?

Most Ambrosia Salad recipes have a combination of fruit, cool whip, and sour cream. Some variations as to which fruit do exist from recipe to recipe. Other Ambrosia Salads call for nuts and yogurt. Our recipe uses marshmallows, Cool Whip, sour cream, coconut flakes, mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries, and pineapple tidbits.

GET KIDS INVOLVED

Ages 2-3: A fun counting activity might be having your little one count how many mini marshmallows it takes to fill up one cup measuring cup.

Ages 4-5: Ask your child to help garnish the top of the salad. They can learn about patterns by giving them various patterns with oranges, cherries, and shredded coconut.

Ages 6-8: This is an easy recipe for your child to practice making on their own with your help and guidance as needed. Ask them to pre-measure the ingredients before mixing them all.

Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.

Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!

BUDGET TIPS

We love bringing this dish to a potluck or family gathering. It can feed a crowd for an affordable price.

Two bowls full of the finished Ambrosia Salad With Cool Whip.

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