Ambrosia
intro
A fluffy, creamy no-bake fruit dessert studded with marshmallows, coconut, and bright citrus, a beloved nostalgic Southern American potluck staple.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and drain fruits
Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl. Empty the 425g can of mandarin oranges, 567g can of pineapple tidbits, and ½ cup (80g) of maraschino cherries into the sieve. Let drain for 10 minutes at room temperature, then gently pat fruits with paper towels to remove all excess trapped syrup—residual liquid will make the finished ambrosia runny. While fruits drain, halve the 1 cup (150g) of seedless green grapes and set aside in a small dish.
Toast chopped pecans
Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat (300°F / 150°C). Add the ¼ cup (30g) of chopped pecans, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden brown. Immediately transfer pecans to a small plate to cool completely for 5 minutes—do not leave nuts in the hot pan, as residual heat will burn them quickly.
Make the creamy base
In a large 2.5 quart (2.4L) glass serving bowl, add the 1 cup (227g) of full-fat sour cream. Stir gently with a rubber spatula for 30 seconds until completely smooth and free of lumps, taking care not to overwhip, as this can thin the sour cream’s thick texture.
Fold in core ingredients
Add the well-drained mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, halved maraschino cherries, halved green grapes, 1 cup (80g) sweetened shredded coconut, and 2 cups (100g) mini white marshmallows to the bowl with sour cream. Fold slowly and gently with the rubber spatula for 1 minute, until all ingredients are evenly coated in sour cream—avoid mashing the soft mandarin segments as you mix to keep bright, whole fruit pieces.
Add cooled pecans
Once the toasted pecans are fully cooled to room temperature, sprinkle all but 1 tablespoon of the pecans over the top of the ambrosia mixture. Fold gently for 15 seconds to distribute the nuts evenly, reserving the 1 tablespoon of pecans for a crunchy garnish.
Chill before serving
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly against the surface of the ambrosia to prevent a dry skin from forming. Refrigerate for a full 2 hours at 40°F (4°C) to allow the flavors to meld and the marshmallows to soften slightly—do not freeze, as freezing will break down the fruit and curdle the sour cream texture. Top with the reserved pecans right before serving.
Tips
2.Use only full-fat sour cream for the richest, most stable texture; low-fat or fat-free sour cream will separate and turn watery when chilled with fruit juices.
3.For a lighter, fluffier variation, swap ½ cup of the sour cream for thawed frozen whipped topping, and reduce chilling time to 1 hour to avoid over-softening marshmallows.
OMG, this was the star of our church potluck last Sunday! I’ve tried so many ambrosia recipes over the years that were either too cloyingly sweet or had weird random add-ins, but this classic version is *exactly* what my grandma used to make. I used fresh mandarins instead of canned per my kid’s request, and everyone was going back for seconds. My kids even asked if we could have it as a side with our fried chicken dinner this week! 10/10, will be making this for every family holiday from now on!
Super easy recipe, perfect for meal prep to have as a little sweet side with lunches all week! I was worried the long chill time would be a hassle but 2 hours is nothing — I threw it together right after breakfast on Sunday, popped it in the fridge, and it was totally set and ready by the time we got home from our morning hike. Only tweak: I added a handful of toasted shredded coconut because I’m obsessed with the texture, and it didn’t throw the classic vibe off at all. SO good, will be making this on repeat all summer.
I grew up in upstate New York and never had ambrosia until my partner (who’s from Alabama) kept raving about his grandma’s version, so I gave this recipe a shot on a total whim. Total game changer! It’s so light and fruity, not the overly goopy marshmallow salad I was expecting. We brought it to our friend’s summer backyard BBQ and even the people who said they ‘hate weird retro fruit salads’ were raving and asking for the recipe. My only mistake was not making a double batch — it was gone in 10 minutes flat!