A Better Ambrosia Salad Recipe
While dessert salads may be less conventional than classic potluck options like macaroni salad or potato salad, ambrosia salad is one that will always have a place on my picnic table (and it deserves one at yours, too!). Made with a not-too-sweet, whipped cream base and bejeweled with plenty of fruit and colorful marshmallows, this is a light and refreshing dessert that’s perfect for summertime cookouts (or anytime).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Made without Cool Whip. If you’ve had this salad in the past, chances are it was made with Cool Whip. Sure, Cool Whip is easy and works in a pinch, but the taste just can’t compare to making our own homemade, from-scratch whipped cream. Customize it to your liking; skip the coconut, add toasted nuts, swap the fruity marshmallows for regular, etc. This is your ambrosia salad, so make it how you like it! Great for making in advance! The flavor develops as it sits, so feel free to make this the night before you need it. Old-fashioned, but better. We’re keeping with tradition with everything but the Cool Whip base. This recipe appeals not just to fans of retro desserts, but to everyone.
What You Need
You will see a few extra ingredients in my recipe since we’re making our own whipped cream, but trust me on this. It’s worth it!
Heavy cream. Rather than using Cool Whip, we’re making our own homemade whipped cream today. It not only improves the flavor and texture of the “salad”, but it also only takes 5 minutes to make. If you’ve never made your own before, I’m pretty sure this will convert you (and open the doors to so many more recipes, like my Oreo pie and banana pudding). Sour cream. The key role of this ingredient is to add depth of flavor (it also makes such a difference in my cheesecake, so don’t think it’s just for savory dips and summer salads). Sour cream also keeps the salad from being too sweet. Fruit. Including mandarin orange segments, sweetened shredded coconut, maraschino cherries (remove any stems) and pineapple tidbits. If you can’t find pineapple tidbits, the pineapple chunks will also work; just cut each piece in half so the pineapple doesn’t overwhelm things. Alternatively you can chop up your own fresh pineapple into small bite-sized pieces! Mini marshmallows. Regular mini marshmallows will work just fine, but I personally prefer the fruit-flavored mini marshmallows in this recipe. They add such a nice pop of color and flavor to the salad!
SAM’S TIP: You could also add nuts! Personally, I don’t care for nuts in ambrosia salad, but if you are a fan, then feel free to add ¾ cup of coarsely chopped nuts in with the marshmallows. You can use whatever kind you like; almonds, pecans, or walnuts would be my suggestions. This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post.
How to Make Ambrosia Salad
SAM’S TIP: If you struggle with whipping cream to stiff peaks, try placing your bowl and beaters in the fridge for 10-20 minutes beforehand. The cold bowl and beaters will encourage the (cold) cream to whip quicker, and you’ll be left with billowy, perfectly whipped cream. Enjoy! Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find my free recipe tutorials on YouTube 💜 I originally shared this recipe over on Real Housemoms in 2019. The recipe remains the same but I have updated the photos and added more helpful tips and notes!
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