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    Home » Southern Classics » Ambrosia Salad Recipe

    Published: Nov 5, 2019 · Modified: Nov 9, 2021 by Pam

    Ambrosia Salad Recipe

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    Classic ambrosia salad is a holiday favorite – old fashioned and very simple. This version is most similar to the original, which dates back to the late 1800’s when citrus fruits were first becoming more widely available. Old fashioned ambrosia has no marshmallows and no cool whip.

    vertical shot of ambrosia in blue bowl

    Ambrosia salad is simple – very simple. In fact, it’s so incredibly straightforward that I was hesitant at first to post it as a recipe. I was convinced that it was something that should be shared after doing my own Google search.

    I was genuinely astounded at what comes up on the first page of google results! Marshmallows! Cool Whip! Sour cream?

    If you enjoy something called “ambrosia” with these ingredients I won’t judge you, but I would like to introduce you to the original. This is truly old fashioned ambrosia. Do your own search on “ambrosia salad history” and you’ll see what I mean.

    What is the most important ingredient for Ambrosia Salad?

    Oranges. If you start with good quality, juicy, sweet oranges you can’t go wrong. Keep in mind that often times the oranges with the best taste are the ones that look the ugliest.

    Many times you can start out with perfectly round, brightly colored, shiny, flawless oranges and end up with dry, tasteless orange pieces. I generally find the oranges with a thick white pith have the least juice and flavor.

    If your oranges taste more tart than you would like you can always add a little sugar to your ambrosia, so I’ve included that as an optional ingredient. But, hopefully, you will be able to find oranges with enough sweetness all on their own.

    ambrosia in bowl with cherries behind

    Maraschino Cherries in Ambrosia?

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    I’m not sure when maraschino cherries were first added. The earliest known versions of ambrosia from the late 1800’s does not mention them.

    For many years though, they have been an ingredient in most every recipe you can find. I do love them for their bright color, but for truly wonderful tasting maraschino cherries we always use Luxardo Cherries.

    They’re a staple in our Manhattan and Boulevardier recipes, and we wouldn’t dream of using the neon-red ones in those classic cocktails. In our Ambrosia Salad, though – it’s all about the color.

    Speaking of that color, we have a word of caution for you. Don’t add the cherries until the last minute. They will turn your coconut pink and you don’t want that.

    overhead shot of ambrosia in bowl

    Occasional departure from classic Ambrosia Salad

    Okay, we admit it. There is one ingredient we sometimes toss in, and I suspect it has been commonly added in the deep south where pecans are king. Having grown up with pecans readily available we do love them.

    Just browse around on Biscuits and Burlap and you’ll find the evidence. Mama’s Pecan Pie is a classic example. We toss them in salads like this one, sprinkle on top of coffee cakes, peach crumbles and cinnamon bread. 

    And so, yes, you will sometimes see a light sprinkle of pecans on our Ambrosia.

    ambrosia in bowl with cherries and pecans behind

    But, that’s where it ends. Otherwise our Ambrosia Salad is the simple, vintage variety. Enjoy your marshmallows and cool whip if you must, but we think you’ll never go back after you’ve had ours.

    If vintage southern recipes is an intriguing topic to you then you’ll want to be sure and check out “Southern Food Then & Now”. 

    If you just love citrus fruit in general you’ll want to add this recipe to your rotation. Salad with Grapefruit has the perfect champagne vinaigrette to highlight the great flavor of the grapefruit.

    ambrosia salad with coconut sprinkles

    Ambrosia Salad

    The original, vintage version of this salad is a simple classic. Here you will find no marshmallows or whipped cream. Easily double or triple the recipe for a larger number of servings.
    4.77 from 17 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 142 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups fresh orange pieces cut into bite sized pieces
    • ¼ cup shredded coconut
    • 12-15 maraschino cherries cut in half
    • 1-2 teaspoons sugar optional
    • ¼ cup pecans chopped, optional

    Instructions
     

    • Mix orange pieces and coconut and add sugar only if oranges are tart.
    • Leave cherries wrapped separately until serving time.
    • Before serving stir in cherries and pecans, if desired.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 142kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 15mgPotassium: 210mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 213IUVitamin C: 48mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you love serving ambrosia with brunch like we do, you’ll want to consider making Blueberry Orange Nut Bread to go along with it. They pair perfectly together and all you need to add is some ham or sausage.

    We hope you enjoy this simple, classic dish. Please take a photo of yours and tag us on Instagram and Facebook so we don’t miss it. It makes our day when we see that you’ve made one of our recipes!

    Y’all don’t forget to sign up here if you’re not getting our weekly updates. 

    More recipes for your holiday meals:

    • slice of pecan pie with whole pie and small pumpkin behind
    • bourbon cocktail with a second drink in background
    • potato gratin with rosemary on top
    • green beans bundled with bacon make an elegant, but easy side dish
    • jalapeno Deviled eggs with a twist from BiscuitsandBurlap.com
    • slice of sweet potato cornbread with honey dripping

    Categories: Christmas Recipes Tags: side dish

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Haley D. Williams says

      November 06, 2019 at 5:40 pm

      5 stars
      This will be so good for winter when all the citrus fruits are popular!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 06, 2019 at 5:47 pm

        Thanks, Haley!

        Reply
    2. Kelly Anthony says

      November 06, 2019 at 6:19 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve always wondered how to pick a good orange and now I know. I love finding tried and true recipes like this one that have been around for a long time.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 06, 2019 at 6:31 pm

        Awww… thanks, Kelly. We agree about tried and true!

        Reply
    3. Sara says

      November 06, 2019 at 6:21 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I love how simple this recipe is and doesn’t have a thick sugary sauce on it!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 06, 2019 at 6:32 pm

        Thanks, Sara. It just wouldn’t be ambrosia for us with a sugary sauce.

        Reply
    4. Traci says

      November 06, 2019 at 6:47 pm

      5 stars
      We have orange trees in our yard so, this recipe is going into the regular rotation 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 06, 2019 at 7:23 pm

        Oh, wow! Lucky you!

        Reply
    5. Sylvie says

      November 06, 2019 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      Such a fun sweet salad idea! Absolutely perfect for a hot summer day – and I love the addition of coconut. Yum!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 06, 2019 at 7:23 pm

        Thanks so much, Sylvie!

        Reply
    6. Lynnah Mancil says

      November 09, 2019 at 9:51 am

      This is usually staple for Christmas dinner. We sometimes put a little grapefruit in, but just a little. Not crazy about cherries, but agree they do add color. Love ambrosia! Love you both. Hugs to Buddy.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 12, 2019 at 3:07 pm

        Thanks for writing, Lynnah! We love our ambrosia too – nothimg like plain and simple sometimes.

        Reply
    7. Aunt Susa says

      November 12, 2019 at 6:10 pm

      Great as described! Sometimes I add the small can of crushed pineapple too but drained well of its juice. Don’t want to overwhelm the orange…it is definitely the star! For me, ambrosia means the holidays have begun!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 19, 2019 at 1:50 pm

        I like that idea!

        Reply
        • Moanwee says

          February 14, 2020 at 3:58 pm

          We agree with Aunt Susa – my grandmother always made it with crushed pineapple and so do we – if you Google it and its history, pineapple is included!

          Reply
          • Pam says

            February 16, 2020 at 7:21 pm

            Thanks so much! Yes, we researched the history of ambrosia when writing the post, and pineapple was often, but not always, used. It is delicious either way!

            Reply
            • Debby says

              November 08, 2022 at 4:21 pm

              4 stars
              This recipe sounds so much like my mothers, but she added pineapple and alcohol. Not sure what kind. Have you heard of this?

            • Pam says

              November 09, 2022 at 4:38 pm

              My mother sometimes added pineapple too. I haven’t heard of putting alcohol in it though. Maybe another one of our readers will know.

    8. Nikki Moranville says

      February 24, 2020 at 3:03 pm

      5 stars
      I am so pleased to find this! My cousin and I have been trying to figure out what the heck my aunt (her grandmother) put into her “to die for” ambrosia every Christmas holiday! Unfortunately, she died before she left her recipe to anyone. We both could remember oranges, coconut and pecans, but thought there was something else in there that we couldn’t define (it’s been 50 years!). We thought maybe apple bits as the citrus would help keep it from turning. We absolutely knew it did NOT hold marshmallows, cool whip or sour cream! Am going to test this one with a bushel of oranges, make a test bowl with some apples, and smile happily while I gorge myself! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        February 25, 2020 at 11:56 am

        Thanks so much for writing, Nikki. Messages like yours just make our day! Apples were common back in the day, as was a bit of crushed pineapple. Could that be your elusive missing ingredient? Either way, enjoy!

        Reply
    9. M.A. says

      December 19, 2020 at 9:43 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for posting this authentic Southern ambrosia recipe! My grandparents made this every Christmas. They did use crushed pineapple, as others have mentioned, and only enough cherries to give it a pop of color. Oh, and always served it with a nice slice of pound cake. Sweet memories!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        December 20, 2020 at 7:05 pm

        Awww… thanks for writing. We love bringing back sweet food memories.

        Reply
    10. Donie Balusek says

      January 26, 2021 at 11:21 pm

      My dad made our old fashioned ambrosia every Thanksgiving, Christmas, & Easter. When I was very young we had an orange orchard in our backyard. We were allowed to pick & eat oranges anytime we wanted, except right before the holidays, Dad would go to the one navel orange tree we had & pick out the oranges for our ambrosia–those we left on the tree! He made his with oranges, bananas & coconut – nothing else. Could bananas be the ingredient Nikki Moranville was missing from her ambrosia?

      Reply
      • Pam says

        January 27, 2021 at 7:56 pm

        Thanks so much for writing, Donie. We love it when one of our recipes brings back sweet memories!

        Reply
    11. JOANN R BATEMAN says

      March 31, 2021 at 8:22 pm

      5 stars
      I’m 61 years old and I love that there are some young people out there that know what a true Ambrosia is!!! I grew up on Ambrosia being at every holiday dinner. The orange rinds were cut off and the orange left whole, then sliced in rounds and layered in a pretty shallow dish with cherries and coconut sprinkled over the top. It was a tasty beautiful dish ! I do not see it anymore at gatherings, instead I see the fruit dish with cool whip and tiny marshmallows that I call Fruit Salad. I like this version of fruit also but Ambrosia it is not. Thank you ladies for bringing it to the attention of others who might enjoy making a true Ambrosia and passing an almost forgotten dish along to hopefully survive many more years!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        April 01, 2021 at 5:48 pm

        Joann, your comment made our day! This is why we write this blog – to revive old memories and document the recipes before they’re lost. Thank you so much for writing.

        Reply
    12. Melanie A Adams says

      June 02, 2021 at 6:12 pm

      My Granddaddy Harper made it with oranges and grapefruit, fresh ground coconut, sliced bananas, cherries, and homemade mayonnaise. I still make it like that and it gets better every time you eat it.

      Reply
    13. Joy Riggs says

      November 23, 2021 at 3:39 pm

      5 stars
      My Grandmother always had ambrosia for Thanksgiving served individually in a pretty dessert cup with a maraschino cherry on top. Hers had navel oranges, bananas, coconut, toasted pecans and a cherry. I add some mandarin oranges and a little orange juice to mine. I was surprised too when I found recipes with marshmallows and cool whip.

      Reply
    14. Betsy Gardner says

      December 06, 2021 at 5:50 pm

      My grandmother always made ambrosia in a small white enamel bucket with a lid. She made it like you said with oranges, fresh grated coconut, and maraschino cherries on top. It was always my very favorite at Christmas! Thank you for reviving such a cherished memory!!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        December 07, 2021 at 3:44 pm

        Thank YOU Besty! Comments like yours is why we do what we do.

        Reply
    15. Michelle says

      January 08, 2022 at 11:38 pm

      This is exactly how my Mema made it and exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for posting this.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        January 09, 2022 at 8:08 pm

        Awww… thanks for stopping by to let us know Michelle!

        Reply
    16. Sharon cooper says

      December 12, 2022 at 8:21 pm

      Thank for this recipe…my mother passed away in July of this year (2022) at 97 years old. This is one I failed to get from her! I’ve been in a panic, because none of the Ambrosia recipes I found were not even close to hers! This more like hers than any! She used powdered sugar,sectioned each orange slices,used fresh coconut, cherries and a sprinkle of pecans picked from her daddy’s farm! When my dad was stationed in Hawaii for seven years we had coconut trees in our yard they tasted so fresh!…Thank you again,from Florida!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        December 13, 2022 at 10:07 am

        Sharon, Your message is exactly why we write this blog. Keeping those food memories alive is so important. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts for your note. It means so much. Pam and Sara

        Reply
    17. Laura Dennison says

      December 31, 2022 at 7:06 pm

      Thank you so much for posting this! I was immediately transported back to my grandmother’s house where she always made it for special occasions. I don’t remember anything but the oranges and the coconut but I always loved it. I’m taking it to our neighbors for New Years Day dinner.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        January 02, 2023 at 10:33 am

        We hope everyone loved it Laura!

        Reply
    18. Dorcas Berthold says

      January 24, 2023 at 7:43 pm

      5 stars
      Another thank you! My dear Great Aunt made Ambrosia and her grandchildren didn’t have the recipe. Like others I knew there was no white anything besides coconut in it. I decided to search the web one more time to look for a recipe and saw the photograph of yours. I KNEW immediately that I was home! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        January 25, 2023 at 6:17 pm

        Yay! Thank you so much for letting us know. Keeping old recipes alive is a big goal of ours.

        Reply

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