Pioneer Woman's Ambrosia Salad Recipe: a Southern Classic You'll Love

This mouthwatering recipe, a traditional Southern favorite, is made with a combination of juicy fruits and puffy marshmallows, with a creamy sauce. Ambrosia salad is the ideal partner for any of your parties or family gatherings due to its vibrant colors and sweet taste.

Furthermore, preparing this salad merely takes a few minutes and only calls for a small number of components. Discover for yourself why it's a cherished classic in Southern cuisine by giving it a try right now!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Pro Tips
• Pioneer Woman's Ambrosia Salad Recipe
• Comments

Ingredients

• Sweetened shredded coconut — 1 cup
• Mini marshmallows — 3 cups
• Heavy cream — ¾ cup
• Drained mandarin oranges — 11 oz.
• Diced pineapple — 1 ½ cup
• Sour cream — ⅓ cup
• Pecans — ½ cup
• Maraschino cherry halves — 1 can, 12 ounces

Instructions

1. Bake the pecans in the heated oven for five to seven minutes at 350 F. Do this process until it gives off a sweet smell.

2. Take a bowl and transfer the baked pecans into it for cooling.

3. Add heavy cream to a bowl in an electric mixer and start mixing with sour cream until the surface forms solid bubbles.

4. Add the coconut, pineapples, and marshmallows to the whipped cream and mix well. Spread the whipped cream mixture over the mandarin oranges.

5. Wrap them with plastic wrap and then transfer them into the fridge to chill for almost two hours.

6. Remove from the fridge when ready, and serve with chopped pecans, marshmallows, and cherries, after stirring them well.

Substitutions

• Whipping cream — It can be used to balance the sweetness of the fruits and gives a rich creamy flavor in ambrosia salad. If you don’t have it, you can substitute it with Greek yogurt as it has a sour and tangy flavor.

• Sweetened shredded coconut — This ingredient gives the perfect chewy texture to the ambrosia salad recipe. If you don’t have it, you can add unsweetened shredded coconut with honey or chopped almonds. This substitute will add a chunkier flavor to the salad.

• Sour cream — Sour cream provides a tangy flavor in the salad, but you can use buttermilk instead if you don’t have it. Buttermilk has a rich creamy texture and mild acidic taste, which will enhance the tangy taste of the salad.

Variations

• Ambrosia salad with coconut cream — If you want to enjoy the more coconutty taste of ambrosia salad, then you must try it with coconut cream. Adding coconut cream will help adjust the sweetness of the fruits in the salad.

• Ambrosia salad with cream cheese — Ambrosia salad with cream cheese is a versatile and delicious dish with a creamier texture. Try adding cream cheese instead of sour cream for a creamier version.

Equipment

• Oven

• Bowl

• Knife or cutter

• Plastic wrap

• Electric mixer

• Air-tight container

Storage

• Pioneer Woman’s ambrosia salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days. Keep in mind that it can lose its freshness, taste, and creamy texture though. Ambrosia salad can also be defrosted in the fridge for a fresh look. To do this, simply remove the salad from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Pro Tips

• Always use fresh and ripe fruits for freshness and the best taste.

• Try to avoid the over-mixing of fruits. Gently mix until everything is finely distributed.

• If you want to get the best taste from Pioneer Woman’s ambrosia salad, chill the ingredients before mixing them. It will make your salad fresher.