Vegan Ambrosia Salad

This easy Vegan Ambrosia Salad recipe is a sweet and creamy Southern classic! This vintage fruit salad is a retro dessert that's made gluten-free and allergy-free using dairy-free coconut whipped cream, sour cream, canned pineapple, mandarins, cherries, coconut, and mini marshmallows! Quick and simple to customize or keep it like grandma's nostalgic 5 cup salad recipe!

Ambrosia salad, also known as 5 cup salad, is one of those dishes you may have seen or heard of, but never actually had a chance to try. Watergate salad and fruity jello desserts may come to mind when thinking about ambrosia and it's definitely similar in its oddities! Served as a side dish or dessert, this vegan ambrosia salad is made with coconut whipped cream and sour cream in place of its dairy counterparts; no nuts or soy, so this fun and fruity treat can be enjoyed by everyone in the family!

What is Ambrosia Salad?

Ambrosia salad is traditionally made with a base of sour cream, pineapple, mandarin oranges, shredded coconut, and mini marshmallows. This is where the name "5 cup salad" comes from. However, there are many variations across the country and you'll typically find maraschino cherries and Cool Whip (whipped cream) in most popular recipes. Other ingredients can include fruity marshmallows in place of plain, various fruits like green grapes, kiwi, or strawberries. Some recipes even include nuts like pecans.

What Are the Origins Of Ambrosia Salad?

Ambrosia salad is said to have originated in the 1800s in the Southern United States in the 1867 cookbook, Dixie Cookery, by Maria Massey Barringer. Newly built railroads connected the east to the west and luxury ingredients like coconut were easier to access. The combination of coconut and sour cream became popular and other luxurious fruits were soon added to make this special fruit cocktail. Later in the 1920s when marshmallows fluff and then whole marshmallows were introduced to home cooks, marketing campaigns encouraged the use of these ingredients in the popular salad as a way to boost sales (source).

Why Is It Called Ambrosia Salad?

The word "ambrosia" derives from Greek mythology as the food of the Greek and Roman gods. It literally means "immortality", hence the usage for signaling how luxurious this salad initially was.

Why you'll Love This Vegan Recipe

This recipe removes the dairy ingredients and the gelatin in normal marshmallows and soy in popular vegan marshmallows. There're no nuts or common allergens in this easy recipe, yet it tastes just like the sweet, creamy, and comforting treat you love! This dairy-free recipe is...

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan & Vegetarian
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free)
• Uses Store-Bought or Homemade Ingredients
• Quick, Easy, Customizable
• Kid-Friendly
• Make-Ahead & Meal Prep-Friendly
• Crowd-Pleasing Side Dish, Dessert, Holiday, & Potluck Favorite

Ingredients In Vegan Ambrosia Salad

• Coconut Whipped Cream (Cocowhip): Your choice of homemade coconut whipped cream or the dairy-free Cool Whip alternative, Cocowhip! I made it easy and "semi-homemade" by using So Delicious Cocowhip for this recipe. Lite or regular works. (You can also use Silk's Heavy Whipping Cream to make the whipped cream portion of this recipe).
• Vegan Sour Cream: Your choice of homemade vegan sour cream or store-bought. My vegan sour cream recipe is simply made with plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. Lemon juice works best for this sweet recipe.
• Mandarin Oranges: Canned mandarins are the easiest option, however, you can use fresh by peeling, segmenting, and removing the thin skin.
• Pineapple Chunks: Canned pineapple chunks or tidbits in 100% pineapple juice work best. Again, you can also use fresh chopped pineapple if you'd like. I prefer larger chunks rather than tidbits or even crushed pineapple which you'll sometimes see.
• Maraschino Cherries: Sweet and syrupy maraschinos provide that classic artificial cherry taste, however, you can swap in pitted fresh cherries.
• Shredded Coconut: Shredded coconut or coconut flakes are a must. You can use sweetened or unsweetened coconut, however, sweetened is the classic choice as the coconut will be softer, chewier, and moist. You can even toast your coconut in a pan on the stove for a more intense flavor and extra color.
• Vegan Mini Marshmallows: The only brand on the market that makes vegan, soy-free, allergen-free marshmallows is Yummallo. They make large and mini, which are easy to find at your local Walmart or online. If you don't have a soy allergy, you can use Dandies and if you're not vegan you can use generic plain mini marshmallows or fruity mini marshmallows.
• Green Grapes: Since we're not using colorful mini marshmallows in this vegan recipe, slicing some bright green grapes are a perfect color pop and fresh juiciness to the fruit salad! Green grapes are the most common extra fruit found in ambrosia, but they are totally optional.

Customize Your Add-Ins

• Other Fruits: Sliced kiwi, chopped apple, sliced strawberries, blueberries, sliced banana, pomegranate gems, sliced peaches, sliced black or red grapes.
• Nuts & Seeds: Chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds. Sunflower seeds, chia seeds, or poppy seeds.
• Miscellaneous: Chocolate chips, vegan white chocolate chips, fresh chopped mint.

How To Make Ambrosia Salad

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cocowhip and vegan sour cream until smooth and combined.
2. Add in the fruits, marshmallows, and shredded coconut.

3. Mix all the ingredients together until completely combined.
4. Chill the creamy fruit salad in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours, ideally overnight, before serving.

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

• Make sure to drain all canned fruits before adding them to your salad. You don't want excess liquid in this creamy salad as it won't thicken as much.
• If you don't want to use canned fruits, you can prep and chop fresh fruits for the salad. Frozen fruits can work as well, just make sure to thaw and drain before adding them to the salad.
• If you want to give your fruit salad a vanilla flavor, you can swap in vanilla vegan yogurt in place of the sour cream or use a splash of vanilla extract.
• Make sure to chill the creamy fruit salad before serving. This recipe needs to thicken up in the fridge. It will be liquidy if you serve it right away.
• Add as much or as little of a certain ingredient as you'd like. This recipe is all about customization, providing you with a base to riff off of!
• Top the salad with extra mini marshmallows, a pineapple ring, and cherries for a retro-serving presentation.

Can You Make Ambrosia Salad Ahead Of Time?

Yes! Because you need to chill this fruit salad overnight, it's ideal to make it ahead of time, up to 2 days in advance. Store it in the fridge with plastic wrap covering the bowl.

Can You Freeze It?

Yes, but only if you plan on serving it frozen like ice cream! Typically you keep Cool Whip in the freezer, so you can freeze ambrosia salad, but do not thaw it before serving, otherwise, the excess liquid from the fruit will ruin the creamy dressing texture. Just scoop it out into bowls like a frozen dessert!

How Long Will It Last?

You can store leftovers in a closed container in the fridge for 4-5 days. If frozen, you can freeze it for up to 3-4 months.

More Fruity Dessert Recipes:

• Strawberry Shortcake
• Southern Vegan Banana Pudding
• Strawberry Crisp
• Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler
• No-Bake Vegan Key Lime Pie
• Coconut Cupcakes

Print

Vintage and retro, but still completely delicious! A fun, fruity, creamy, combination that everyone in the family will love, whether you're trying it for the first time or reliving some nostalgic memories from childhood! This vegan ambrosia salad will be a new family tradition!

So tell me:

+ How does your family make ambrosia salad?

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