Southern Ambrosia Salad is a must-have at any gathering. Whipped topping, pineapple, grapes, mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries and coconut flakes!
SOUTHERN AMBROSIA FRUIT SALAD
Fruit salads really signal the beginning of summer to me. I start making them a lot! Some of my favorites are this Ambrosia Fruit Salad, ORANGE CREAMSICLE FRUIT SALAD, ORANGE FLUFF, HONEY LIME FRUIT SALAD or even an ORANGE CHICKEN PASTA SALAD. It's the best time of year for all of these salads that are perfect to take to a cookout. Folks always love when they see a good fruit salad sitting on the table!
DO YOU TASTE THE SOUR CREAM IN THIS?
The answer is no. You really don't. It does cut the overall sweetness so you don't break a tooth - ha. But you don't taste it as a separate ingredient. And yes, you can leave the coconut flakes out if you absolutely can't stand coconut.
VIDEO INCLUDED BELOW:
CAN I USE SUGAR FREE OPTIONS FOR THIS FRUIT SALAD?
There are natural sugars in the fruits themselves. However, if you want to cut the sugar then try to find the canned fruit that is packed in sugar-free juice. You can also buy sugar free whipped topping.
HOW TO MAKE AMBROSIA SALAD:
Originally published: January 2012
Updated & republished: May 2019
SOUTHERN AMBROSIA FRUIT SALAD
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz) tub of whipped topping thawed
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained well
- 1 (15 oz) can mandarin orange segments, drained well
- 1 cup red or green seedless grapes, sliced in half
- 1 ½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
- 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows
- 1 10 oz jar of maraschino cherry halves, drained very well
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine whipped topping and sour cream.
- Add in coconut flakes and marshmallows.
- Then gently fold in pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes and maraschino cherries and nuts (if using).
- Once combined, put some plastic wrap on it or put it in a bowl with a lid and refrigerate for about an hour before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
WANT MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS? GIVE THESE A TRY!
SOUTHERN FRUIT COCKTAIL CAKE
CHERRY 7-UP FLUFF
PINEAPPLE FLUFF
PISTACHIO FLUFF
I haven't seen the movie yet -- but I sure was engrossed in the book. (Got a recipe for caramel cake, too?) Love ambrosia. "You is kind."
I loved the movie! I saw it with my Aussie husband and he missed the meaning of a few things but I was enthralled.
I love ambrosia. We don't have whipped topping in Australia so I just use whipped cream but everyone here loves it. Especially me!
I love ambrosia! Sometimes Mom will make it without the "creamy ingredients" and it's still so delicious--especially with fresh coconut cake at Christmas. Yum! Your pictures here look delicious.
It sounds like you live in a lovely state. I live in Western Ky. and somehow haven't made it over to Virginia yet! Kinda crazy, I know!
Also, I loved that movie! 🙂
Blessings,
Leslie
Wow..Yummy one...Thanks for posting
Aarthi
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/
Oh, yum! I love ambrosia! Can't wait to try this on the hubs!:)
Your ambrosia is heavenly. I used to make a similar dish called 5 Cup Salad, because it just had 5 ingredients, 1 c sour cream, 1c coconut, 1 c pineapple chunks, 1c mandarin oranges, 1 c miniature marshmallows. I love your expanded recipe, and will have to try it soon.
I haven't made this recipe in years, so thanks for jogging my memory.
My family for many many many years from the south made 5 cup salad. Coconut, sour cream, Mandarin oranges, pineapple , miniature marshmallows and in the 50's my grandmother started putting marichino cherries cut in half in it, been a staple in the family for 80yrs plus, and yes we are Southerners. I love this stuff..yum
I used to eat bowls of this when the dorm cafeteria served it in college...of course, the metabolism was much better back then! YUM!
I love ambrosia and just about any fruit salad in the winter - it helps get you through those dark, dreary days. LOVED The Help, and took my kids to see it too. Great message - it's a movie I'll always remember.
Mmmm, could go for some of this right now!
I saw the movie and enjoyed it very much~ especially because I went to school with Viola Davis......she was a year ahead of me but we had home ec and gym together! I can say I knew her when!! 😉
My Italian grandma always made ambrosia, so it always makes me think of her. I don't know why I've never made it. I used to hate, hate, hate coconut, but I've hopped over the fence now. 🙂 Oh, and to add to the list of things that I love: The Help. I could watch it over and over. Thanks for the recipe, Bran! I hope to make this sometime soon.
I love this stuff...really takes me back 🙂
Oh I wanna come over and have a bite! I LOVE this kind of dish...hubby doesn't care for pineapple unless it's baked, so I don't make this kind of thing unless I'm taking it somewhere. I could eat it all myself for sure...and will be making a smaller batch soon. LOVED "The Help"...I even went to see it alone and cried and laughed myself silly.
You could just leave out the pineapple, and maybe substitute fresh cut apple pieces, other drained fruits (peaches, apricots), banana slices if you're going to use it soon.
Oh, I LOVED The Help!! Wow, it really made me think 🙂 LOVE your ambrosia recipe too, looks YUMMY!!
Yummy! I love ambrosia, but have never added grapes to mine! Will next time though 🙂 Thanks for sharing at Church Supper, Brandie! Have a blessed week. ~EMM
looks like *heaven* thanks for sharing
I think I just found my side dish for Easter. Thanks can't beat a classic like Ambrosia!
When I make ambrosia especially at Easter I use the pretty multicolored marshmellow they make the salad look so festive. Like easter eggs. I use the mini marshmelliws
That makes it SO special! Love it!
Im watching The Help now (love it) & Aibileen's ambrosia looks delicious! Though I've never had the pleasure of eating it, I'm planning to make some for Memorial Day. My family isn't big on coconut but I plan to use its milk & substitute it w/other fresh fruit such as apples, bananas, or mango. Hope it turns out alright!
Brandie, I just popped over from Twitter for a closer look at this Ambrosia. Admittedly, I'm not as familiar with this dish as I am a Waldorf salad—something my Mom used to make (she's from Bedford, by the way). While there are similarities between the two, I'm intrigued by the flavors represented in the Ambrosia. Love the lower sugar options too, because with all the cake sampling in my house, I've got to conserve calories somewhere! 😉
Thanks for a great recipe! Growing up, we always had Ambrosia at Thanksgiving. As an adult, I used to fix it for our Thanksgivings, but no one ever ate it but me. So the past few years, I quit making it. Your post has inspired me- it's back on the Thanksgiving menu, even if I'm the only one who ever eats it. 🙂
I have been looking for this recipe for years! I had it and made it a couple of times and then lost it. I love this stuff. Thanks for sharing!
We always just called this fruit salad when I was growing up. The marshmallow fruit was always my favorite part. 🙂
I like to add a little brown sugar to mine.
love this loved the movie bf didnt cant please everyone .Im going to do this for his family for thanksgiving thank you for breaking this down
Looks very refreshing! I will try this Holiday season.Thanks!
I read the book the help first, then went to see the movie. I loved them both! The movie followed the book fairly closely, but I love to read the book before seeing the movie. My family is coming home for Thanksgiving, and I am going to make this. I am allergic to wheat, and I am always looking for gluten free recipes. Thank you