This easy Ambrosia Salad recipe is a great Picnic Salad recipe for the season. Made with fresh fruit and fruit cocktail swirled in slightly sweet cream. It is also a family favorite as my mother and grandmother used to make this salad for gatherings and celebrations.
Ambrosia Fruit Salad can be changed up with other fruits to make a festive and seasonal side dish. Be sure to check out muy timesaving tips after the recipe.

It's the outdoor concert season! It has been a while since I have shared a recipe. Today I am sharing a simple recipe for a Marshmallow Fruit salad that I have been eating since I was a little girl. When I was a kid I would see ambrosia salad at every Tupperware party, shower, or party that I attended.
Jump to:

Why You Will Love this Classic Ambrosia Recipe
Classic Recipe.I really miss seeing this salad as it truly reminds me of my childhood. What I like about the salad is that it's a way to get lots of great fruit and it can be put together rather quickly. It's also nice because you can make it the day before you need it. It is also very transportable, making it perfect for trips to the park, beach, or an outdoor summer concert.
Healthier Version. My recipe has no added sugar and I make mine with plain whipping cream, not heavy whipping cream to reduce the sugar content.
Tasty. What I love about this salad is that it is truly delicious and it brings back so many memories of days gone by.

Ingredients
- fruit cocktail
- mini marshmallows
- mandarin oranges
- whipping cream or whipped topping
- grapes
- coconut
- maraschino cherries (optional)
Variations/Substitutions for Ambrosia Salad Recipe
You can also add chopped apples, bananas, and/or nuts to this salad, as it is very versatile. Apples and bananas should be added right before serving to prevent browning.
You can make this Ambrosia Salad with Cool Whip in place of the whipped cream if you like.
You can add some chopped pecans to this recipe for added crunch.
More Dessert Salad Recipes
Don't forget to bookmark this recipe.

Ambrosia Salad

- It is best to cover this salad when chilling to preserve the flavors.
- You do not have to cut the grapes in half but I always do so that they are easier to eat.
- Make this salad the day before.
📖 Recipe

Ambrosia Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup whipping cream (I do not use heavy, just regular whipping cream)
- 1 cup seedless grapes, washed and sliced
- 1 15.25 oz can fruit cocktail
- 1 11oz can mandarin oranges
- ¾ cup miniature marshmallows
- ⅓ cup shredded coconut
- 10 Maraschino cherries optional.
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl or stand up mixer, beat whipping cream until peaks are stiff. Set aside.
- Drain the fruit cocktail and oranges really well.
- In a separate bowl, mix grapes, fruit cocktail, mandarin oranges and coconut together.
- Fold whipping cream into the fruit.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Serve and enjoy!
We hope you enjoyed this classic ambrosia salad recipe. If you are not yet subscribing to my newsletter, you can subscribe here. I share easy recipe ideas and a few things that I don’t share here and I email you only once a week. I know how valuable your time is and respect that tremendously!

Heidi @ One Creative Mommy
This is one of my favorite salads! Yours looks yummy!
Raquel
Thanks Heidi! It is one of my favorites too!
Tamara
Pharrell and Bruno Mars! Awesome.
True story - I had an ex who was obsessed with the idea of ambrosia salad but had never had it. For Valentine's Day, I made him a bowl of it with heart shaped marshmallows in it.
See? Romance isn't dead.
Raquel
I love the idea of heart-shaped marshmallows for Valentine's Day Tamara!
Jamie
Yum! Ambrosia Salad is one of my favorites along with Pistachio Salad and my Apple Walnut salad that has a name but blanking on right now hah.
Raquel
Oh I love pistachio salad too Jamie! I really love a lot of the old-school salads once in a while.
AJ
This looks delicious -- I want it in my MOUTH! 😉
Raquel
Next concert at Hollywood Bowl I am going to find you and share AJ!
Roxy | Roxy's Kitchen
This looks so yummy and must be so refreshing! Love it!
Raquel
Thanks Roxy! It is very refreshing!
Liz
Love this salad and yours sounds good too. Thank you.
Raquel
Thanks Liz!
angie
oh so yummy hubby loves ambrosia there are so many varieties yours is a lot like mine will be making this soon as hubby will have birthday next weekend
come see me at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
Nichi - The Mandatory Mooch
We love this salad. Such a great summertime favorite. Thanks for linking up to Best of the Weekend. This post is being featured this week. Thanks, Nichi
Raquel
How exciting - thank you Nichi!
Allyssa
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It's really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!