Ambrosia Fruit Salad

This lighter Ambrosia Salad, full of fresh fruit, whipped cream, walnuts, and marshmallows, is the perfect Spring or Summer dessert.

Ambrosia is a creamy fruit salad traditionally made with pineapple, coconut, fruit cocktail, heavy cream, and walnuts. This lighter version uses mostly fresh fruit, including berries and bananas. For more fun ways to serve fruit, try my Tropical Fruit Salad, Fruit Pizza, and Rainbow Fruit Skewers with Yogurt Fruit Dip.

I have been craving ambrosia and completely forgot I had created this recipe wayyyy back in 2009. I found the old post and updated the photos. I hope you enjoy it!

Why is it called ambrosia salad?

“Ambrosia” is the food of the gods in Greek mythology. Ambrosia salad dates back to the 1800s when fruits like oranges and coconut were exotic and hard to find.

Ingredients:

There are many variations of this salad. I switch mine up by adding lots of fresh fruit. The only canned fruit in my recipe is the mandarin oranges.

Mandarin oranges
Pineapple
Blueberries
Blackberries
Strawberries
Bananas
Walnuts
Sweetened shredded coconut flakes
Mini marshmallows
Cool Whip Lite

How to Make Ahead

This fruit salad is so easy to whip up and perfect for making ahead if you’re having a party. In fact, you have to chill it for at least two hours, but ambrosia will hold in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours just fine.

Variations:

If there’s a fruit that you don’t have or like, feel free to omit it and add in more of one of your favorites.
Add in grapes or peaches.
Sub pistachios or pecans for walnuts.
Try using Greek yogurt instead of Cool Whip.