Description

Ambrosia Salad is a classic, creamy fruit salad featuring a delightful combination of mini marshmallows, pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, shredded coconut, maraschino cherries, and a luscious blend of sour cream or Greek yogurt with whipped topping. Perfect as a refreshing dessert or side dish, this salad is easy to prepare and best served chilled to allow the flavors to meld beautifully.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad Base

1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 cup whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)

Fruit and Mix-ins

1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
1 (15-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, halved
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

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Instructions

Combine the creamy ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and whipped topping until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
Add fruit and tasty mix-ins: Gently add the mini marshmallows, pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, shredded coconut, halved maraschino cherries, and optional chopped nuts to the creamy mixture.
Fold ingredients evenly: Carefully fold all the ingredients together until everything is evenly coated with the creamy mixture, taking care to preserve the shape of the fruit pieces.
Chill the salad: Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld and the marshmallows to soften slightly for the best texture.
Serve chilled: Before serving, stir the salad gently to recombine any settled ingredients. Garnish with extra maraschino cherries or nuts if desired for an appealing presentation.

Notes

Using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream can add a tangier flavor and increase protein content.
For a nut-free version, simply omit the nuts without impacting overall taste significantly.
Draining the canned fruit well is essential to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
This salad is best served within 24 hours for optimal freshness.
You can add other fruits like grapes or banana slices for variation, but add bananas just before serving to prevent browning.