Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (2024)

Is Ambrosia a side dish or dessert? Does it really matter? ... Because no matter how you choose to enjoy it, classic Ambrosia Salad is just plain good. With its creamy mix of mini marshmallows, whipped topping, coconut, and fruit it's just one of those dishes that's loved by all.
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Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (1)


So I'm curious - In your family, is Ambrosia Salad considered a side dish or dessert?

Because in our family we just can't quite seem to agree on that question.

Growing up in my family, we always considered Ambrosia Salad a side dish. It was served alongside the main meal, kind of like a fruit salad. In fact, I remember one of my favorite meals as a kid was Mom's Beef Stroganoff Casserole ... which was always, without fail, served up with a big bowl of 5-Cup Ambrosia Fruit Saladas a side.

But in my husband's family, it was a different story. To them, Ambrosia ... and any other form of the various fluff salads ... was decidedly a dessert. They didn't dig in to Ambrosia's fruity-sweet deliciousness until the main meal was over.

Is Ambrosia a side dish or dessert? Does it really matter? ... Because no matter how you choose to enjoy it,classic Ambrosia Saladis just plain good.

Now that I'm in charge of the meals for my own family, I don't specify what type of dish Ambrosia is or dictate when it's supposed to be eaten - I kind of leave that up to each of us to decide.

You want to eat it as a side dish alongside the main meal? - Sure, go for it! Rather save it for dessert? - No problem. That's fine, too.

But one thing's for sure ... No matter when you decide to enjoy it, Ambrosia's just plain good.

And one other thing's for sure, too ... this classic Ambrosia Salad recipe truly couldn't be much easier to make. Combine that fact with everyone's love for it, and it's a perfect dish to make for a potluck, Easter, Thanksgiving, or any everyday dinner.


Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (2)

The classic Ambrosia Salad recipe includes a combination of mandarin oranges, pineapple, and maraschino cherries as the traditional fruits.

To mix up a batch, drain all the fruits very well and mix them with mini marshmallows, a little bit of sour cream, and a whole lot of Cool Whip whipped topping. Then refrigerate everything for a few hours before serving, and that's all there is to it.

Super easy, right?

The classic Ambrosia Salad recipe includes a combination of mandarin oranges, pineapple, and maraschino cherries as the traditional fruits.

When preparing the ingredients, it is pretty important to make sure the fruits are very well drained. Leaving too much liquid or moisture in with the fruits will cause the finished Ambrosia to become soupy.

To get out as much moisture as possible, after I've drained the fruits I sometimes even blot them with a paper towel to absorb any liquid left on the surface.


Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (3)

For the pineapple, you can use any type you'd like - chunks, or crushed, or whatever.

I like to use pineapple tidbits the best because of their size. Tidbits just seem like a nice size to bite into. Pineapple chunks seem a little too big to me, and crushed pineapple seems to just disappear into Ambrosia's creamy mixture.

But any type will work just fine for the salad's flavor.

Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (4)


So I guess we're still left with the question, is this classic Ambrosia Salad recipe a side dish or a dessert?

And I guess I say, does it really matter?

Because no matter how you choose to enjoy it, Ambrosia isjust plain good.With its creamy mix of mini marshmallows, whipped topping, coconut, and fruit it just seems to be loved by all.And really, that's what truly matters!

Check out these other favorite fluff recipes:

  • 5-Cup Ambrosia Fruit Salad
  • Cherry Cheesecake Fluff
  • Lime Fluff (Old-Fashioned Sea Foam Salad)
  • Caramel Apple Fluff
  • Classic Orange Fluff
  • Green Fluff (Pistachio Watergate Salad)
  • Fruit co*cktail Fluff (Easy Ambrosia Salad)
  • Cherry Fluff Salad
  • Peach Fluff Salad
  • White Chocolate Cranberry Fluff
  • Pineapple Fluff
  • Moresalad recipes

Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (5)

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ambrosia, ambrosia salad, ambrosia recipe, fruit salad, fluff, fluff salad

Salads

Yield: 8-10 Servings

Author:Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (6)

Classic Ambrosia Salad

Is Ambrosia a side dish or dessert? Does it really matter? ... Because no matter how you choose to enjoy it, classic Ambrosia Salad is just plain good. With its creamy mix of mini marshmallows, whipped topping, coconut, and fruit it's just one of those dishes that's loved by all.

prep time: 15 Mcook time: total time: 15 M

ingredients:

instructions:

How to cook Classic Ambrosia Salad

  1. Drain mandarin oranges, pineapple, and maraschino cherries very well. Pat cherries dry with a paper towel. Cut cherries in half.
  2. In a bowl, mix together pineapple, coconut, halved cherries, and mini marshmallows until combined. Gently fold in mandarin oranges (they’ll break up easily, so be gentle).
  3. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and Cool Whip until just combined. Gently fold into fruit mixture.
  4. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight before serving.

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You might also enjoy these other creamy fruit salad favorites:

Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (7)

5-Cup Ambrosia Fruit Salad

Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (8)

Cherry Fluff Salad

Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (9)

Peach Fluff Salad

Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (10)

Fruit Salad Cheesecake

Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (11)

Fruit co*cktail Fluff {aka: Easy Ambrosia Salad}

Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (12)

White Chocolate Cranberry Fluff Salad

Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (13)

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Classic Ambrosia Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What did ambrosia consist of? ›

Most ambrosia recipes contain canned (often sweetened) or fresh pineapple, canned mandarin orange slices or fresh orange sections, miniature marshmallows, and coconut. Other ingredients might include various fruits and nuts: maraschino cherries, bananas, strawberries, peeled grapes, or crushed pecans.

Who invented ambrosia salad? ›

In 1867, Maria Massey Barringer of Concord, North Carolina, provided a recipe in her “Dixie Cookery; or, How I Managed My Table for Twelve Years." She counseled readers to stick to fresh grated coconut, sweetened with a little sugar in alternating layers with pulped oranges.

Where is ambrosia salad popular? ›

For many Southerners, ambrosia salad is a dish often associated with holiday potlucks or aunts and grandmothers.

What is the origin of ambrosia salad? ›

So how did it get here, and why? The mixture of refrigerated coconut and sour cream is rumoured to have begun in the southern U.S. in the 1800s, with the earliest written reference of the salad published in a cookbook from 1867, Dixie Cookery by Maria Massey Barringer.

What kind of fruit is an ambrosia? ›

Apple Origin. In the 1990's, a chance seedling appeared in an apple orchard in British Columbia, Canada. A few years later it bore its first fruit, now known as Ambrosia™: the food of the Gods!

What kind of food was ambrosia? ›

In Greek mythology, ambrosia was the food of the gods. At a picnic, ambrosia is a dessert made with oranges and shredded coconut. While the former bestowed immortality on all who ate it, the latter tastes very refreshing after fried chicken and potato salad.

What does ambrosia mean in the Bible? ›

Ambrosia means a thing giving immortality, hence the food. of gods. It. corresponds exactly to. the fruit of the tree.

What does ambrosia look like? ›

Ambrosia is supposed to be reddish in color, and if a small amount of amurca is mixed with a pint of water, it is reddish. We know that ambrosia was fluid because writers described it being dispensed with a ladle.

What is ambrosia in real life? ›

ambrosia is a mythical food or drink that was believed to grant immortality to those who consumed it in Greek mythology. In modern usage, "ambrosia" can refer to a type of fruit salad or dessert in some regions, but it does not have any actual medicinal or life-extending properties.

Where is ambrosia made? ›

Its original product was a dried milk powder for infants, but it is now mostly known for its custard and rice pudding. The brand plays on the fact that it is made in Devon, England, (at a factory in Lifton), with their original punning strapline "Devon knows how they make it so creamy".

What does ambrosia taste like to eat? ›

The flavor is pleasant and sweet, but one-dimensional in that there is no acidity to balance the sweetness - which is not necessarily a bad thing of course. The texture is essentially crisp, but not as crisp or hard as a Braeburn or Jazz - it is more the slightly softer crunch you might find in a Golden Delicious.

Why is ambrosia so good? ›

Its flavor is best described as refreshing with floral notes and a pleasant crisp, fine-grained flesh. It's very sweet with very little acidity. Ambrosia is an apple that naturally doesn't brown quickly after being sliced, making it perfect for snacks or salads. You can cook with it too!

Is ambrosia good for you? ›

For example, Ambrosia contain Quercetin. This flavanoid, like other antioxidants, supports immune efficiency by fighting off free-radicals. Studies have also found that Quecetin helps decrease inflammation in the body and minimizes other health issues, which could otherwise tax the immune system.

What is the main ingredient which forms the foundation of the Waldorf salad? ›

The Original Waldorf Salad Recipe

The original recipe consisted only of diced red-skinned apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts were added later to this now American classic.

What is the salad that are usually sweet and may contain fruit gelatin? ›

Dessert salads are usually sweet and often contain fruits, sweetened gelatin, nuts, cream, and whipped cream. Waldorf salad is a popular dessert salad.

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