Ambrosia salad is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes you can make and take to a potluck or summer get-together. Also known by several other names, including 5 Cup Salad and Ambrosia Fruit Salad, this delicious and moist side dish uses as little as five ingredients, and doesn’t require any cooking or baking! Perfect for non-foodie types who need a fast and easy dish to take to an event.
While there are many variations, the easiest Ambrosia Salad Recipe is included below. This has been a family favorite of ours for over twenty years, and is a staple of our family get-togethers. It tastes best if made the night before and chilled. In the summer I make it with multi-coloured mini marshmallows and plain or peach yogurt instead of sour cream. We serve it at barbecues and put it out as part of the main course, though it is more of a dessert item.
It is easy enough for a child or teenager to make – just remind them to drain off the juice from the cans of fruit (we learned that one the hard way.) This versatile coconut and fruit salad can be enjoyed all year round and ambrosia salad ingredients leave lots of room for substitutions.
Presented in a crystal glass bowl and garnished with red maraschino cherries, it becomes a festive Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert. It is easy to double or triple – and make lots, as everyone loves it. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Ambrosia Salad
1 cup light sour cream OR yogurt
1 cup mini marshmallows (plain or multi-colored)
1 250 gram bag of shredded unsweetened or sweetened organic coconut
1 can of mandarin oranges
1 can of diced pineapple
maraschino cherries to garnish.
Mix the yogurt and mini marshmallows together in a large mixing bowl. Add the mandarin oranges and diced pineapple slowly, stirring them in well. Don’t be alarmed if the mandarin oranges start to break up a little; the flecks of orange against the creaminess of the sour cream or yogurt looks very pretty. Fold in the shredded coconut, and combine gently. Pour into a large crystal serving bowl, or individual glass dishes. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Just prior to serving, garnish with maraschino cherries. Refrigerate unused portions immediately and use within three days.
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