Description
Creamy Ambrosia Salad is a cool, fluffy fruit salad made with pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, fruit cocktail, maraschino cherries, vanilla yogurt, mini marshmallows, coconut, and Cool Whip. It comes together in 15 mins with no cooking, making it an easy sweet side for potlucks, cookouts, holidays, and chilled party spreads.
Ingredients
- 20 oz pineapple chunks, drained and patted dry
- 15 oz mandarin oranges, drained and patted dry
- 15 oz fruit cocktail, drained and patted dry
- 10 oz maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry
- 6 oz full fat vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 8 oz Cool Whip, thawed
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans, optional
Instructions
- Drain the fruit: Drain the pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, fruit cocktail, and maraschino cherries very well, then pat them dry with paper towels so the salad stays creamy.
- Reserve garnish: Set aside a few mandarin oranges, cherries, coconut flakes, and pecans if you want to decorate the top before serving.
- Fold the salad: Add the drained fruit, vanilla yogurt, mini marshmallows, coconut flakes, thawed Cool Whip, and pecans to a large bowl. Fold gently with a spatula until everything is evenly coated.
- Transfer and finish: Spoon the salad into a serving bowl and smooth the top. Add the reserved fruit, coconut, and pecans over the top if using.
- Chill and serve: Serve right away or cover and refrigerate until cold. Give it one gentle fold before serving if it has been chilling for several hours.
Notes
Pat the canned fruit dry after draining to prevent the creamy dressing from turning watery. For extra flavor, toast the coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring often. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and do not freeze.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 210 kcal
Keywords: ambrosia salad