Ambrosia Salad – A vintage fruit salad recipe that is great for parties and potlucks! Made with just 7 simple ingredients in less than 5 minutes, it’s easy and delicious!

Ambrosia Salad

Ambrosia salad is one of those vintage recipes that is popping around so many family’s cookbooks or recipe boxes. It’s a dessert (or side dish) that can easily feed a crowd so it’s ideal for parties, potlucks, and any other event you can think of! Made with 7 simple ingredients in about 5 minutes, it’s an easy treat that anyone can make! This recipe has come down through my family so it has plenty of notes from my grandmother down below about how she makes it.

Common Questions About Making Ambrosia Salad

What is ambrosia salad?

Ambrosia salad is a fruit salad that is typically served as a side dish or dessert that’s made by combining mini marshmallows, whipped cream, vanilla pudding, fruit cocktail, mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, and pecans. It’s served chilled and can be made ahead of time.

What variations can I make?

There are SO many variations on ambrosia that people make depending on where you live, what decade your recipe is from, etc. It’s a super flexible recipe that can be easily adjusted to your taste. Some of the most popular substitutions include –

Substitutes for pudding –

• Sour cream
• Miracle whip
• Homemade pudding
• Yogurt
• Custard

Substitutes for whipped cream –

• Sour cream
• Pudding
• Custard
• Homemade whipped cream

Add-ins –

• Sliced grapes
• Chopped walnuts
• Maraschino cherries
• Shredded coconut
• Raspberries
• Sliced apples
• White marshmallows
• Sliced bananas
• Pineapple tidbits (instead of crushed)

How long does ambrosia last?

As long as you seal the top of the salad well, you should be able to keep it for 5 days in the fridge. I do not suggest freezing it.

After about 3 days, you may have a touch of water accumulated in the bottom. This won’t ruin the salad, I just drain it off.

Do I have to make pudding?

Nope! I usually just use two containers of vanilla Snack Packs for the pudding. My grandmother told me that, back in the day, they used canned pudding whereas most people use sour cream these days. I felt those were the closest to canned pudding and she approved of the taste. Any pudding will do though whether it’s pre-made, instant, or homemade.

Should I use coconut?

My grandmother also said they never once added coconut to their ambrosia and neither did my mother. However, she said some who did and some who didn’t. I left it out, however, it’s a popular ingredient for this salad, so I included it in the add-ins as it’s a nice flavor and texture for those who like it. I suggest using up to 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut if you want to add it in.

What if I can’t find cans of fruit that are the exact same size?

Don’t worry, if you can’t find cans in the same ounce size as listed in the ingredients, that’s okay. An ounce or two off won’t hurt the salad or ruin it in any way.

Looking for more easy dessert recipes? Check these out!

• Watergate Salad
• No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
• Banana Pudding
• Cheesecake Mousse
• Chocolate Ice Cream (No Churn)

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