A heavenly delight, Ambrosia Salad teems with flavorful fruit and cloud-like marshmallows . The word Ambrosia comes from Greek and Roman mythology and refers to a sweet and aromatic food fit for the gods. It’s no wonder this make-ahead delight is a go-to side at holiday events.
Our Ambrosia Salad is simply the best! With easy instructions and approachable ingredients, making Ambrosia is as effortless as it is delicious. Our recipe is flexible, allowing you to innovate and create a personalized dish that suits your palate.
What is the difference between Ambrosia and Watergate salad? They are very similar, but while Watergate salad contains nuts, ambrosia does not. Ambrosia usually contains more types of fruit than Watergate salad and also often contains coconut.
With a history as rich as its flavors, Ambrosia truly is a dessert for the gods — and you too!
Ambrosia Salad Ingredients
Ambrosia ingredients come together for a dish so fresh and creamy you’ll want to serve it at all of your get-togethers:
Pudding: Prepared refrigerated vanilla pudding is an easy and decadent ingredient that requires no prep but provides a smooth base for this dish.
Frozen Whipped Topping: Keeping whipped topping on hand in the freezer makes it easy to have an ambrosia dessert any day!
Green Grapes: Cutting the grapes in half makes them easier to blend with other ingredients, and they’re also easier to eat.
Miniature Marshmallows: A little unexpected, but always a good surprise, mini marshmallows bulk up the salad while adding a fluffy, fun texture.
Mandarin Orange Segments: Canned orange segments are great to keep in your pantry for this recipe, other salads, or a snack.
Pineapple: Using the canned pineapple tidbits in juice adds another pantry ingredient that’s easy to keep on hand.
Strawberries: Sliced strawberries add excellent fresh flavor and color to this delicious recipe.
How to Make Ambrosia Salad
Looking to make Ambrosia Salad for the first time? We have an easy primer for this classic Ambrosia Salad recipe and it's a perfectly simple make-ahead recipe. Find the entire recipe below, but here are the basics:
Mix the Pudding and Whipped Topping
Mix the creamy base components of this recipe first to completely meld the two ingredients.
Stir in Grapes, Marshmallows, Oranges, and Pineapple
Stirring in all of the sturdier ingredients at once makes this recipe quick and easy.
Stir in the Strawberries
Tender strawberries should be gently stirred in, or “folded” in to keep them intact.
Chilling isn’t absolutely necessary, but it allows the flavors to come together and makes this a perfect make-ahead dish for big holiday meals and celebrations.
How to Store Ambrosia Salad
This leftover fruit and marshmallow salad can be stored in an airtight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for one day. However, it is best to enjoy it within 8 hours of preparing. The fruit releases juice as it sits, which can make the pudding mixture thin and soupy.
If refrigerating, stir the mixture thoroughly before serving. This ambrosia fruit salad recipe shouldn’t be frozen, as the fruit would become watery after thawing and the mixture would separate.
More About This Recipe
- Make your next potluck or picnic stress-free! Pudding Fruit Salad is a sweet and super simple twist on a traditional fruit salad recipe. The rainbow of delicious fruit always looks lovely–and no one needs to know how easy it was to make!
Frequently Asked Questions
Ambrosia Salad
- Prep Time 20 min
- Total 20 min
- Servings 9
- Ingredients 7
Ingredients
- 1 container (4 oz) refrigerated vanilla pudding
- 1/2 cup Cool Whip frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- 1 can (11 oz) mandarin orange segments, drained
- 1 can (8 oz) pineapple tidbits in juice, drained
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
Instructions
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Step1In medium bowl, mix pudding and whipped topping.
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Step2Gently stir in grapes, marshmallows, oranges and pineapple.
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Step3Add strawberries; toss gently to coat.
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Step4Serve immediately or store in refrigerator up to 8 hours.
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Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1/2 Cup
- Calories
- 80
- Calories from Fat
- 10
- Total Fat
- 1 1/2g
- 2%
- Saturated Fat
- 1g
- 4%
- Trans Fat
- 0g
- Cholesterol
- 0mg
- 0%
- Sodium
- 30mg
- 1%
- Potassium
- 120mg
- 3%
- Total Carbohydrate
- 17g
- 6%
- Dietary Fiber
- 1g
- 4%
- Sugars
- 13g
- Protein
- 0g
% Daily Value*:
- Vitamin A
- 6%
- 6%
- Vitamin C
- 35%
- 35%
- Calcium
- 6%
- 6%
- Iron
- 0%
- 0%
Exchanges:
0 Starch; 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1/2 Fat;Carbohydrate Choice
1Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
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