We all secretly liked grandma’s Ambrosia Salad. Yes, it was too sweet and too mayo-y…but after a smoky burger, the coconut, pineapple and orange combo was a palate cleanser. Jackie Hughes and Keith Lampkin of Superman Cooks bring it into the 21st century with a simple, lighter version that will take us back to our childhood picnics…and earn a place at our own summer tables.
What is Ambrosia Salad?
Ambrosia Salad is a type of American fruit salad that you’ll usually find in the Southern United States. Its sweet, creamy, and unique combination of tropical ingredients make it a holiday staple. Its origins trace back to the late 19th century, with early recipes often appearing in cookbooks around that time, coinciding with the increasing availability of citrus fruits and coconut. While the ingredients in an Ambrosia Salad are truly up to the maker, it usually features a mix of canned or fresh citrus fruits like oranges and pineapple, combined with shredded coconut and mini marshmallows, all bound together with a creamy dressing of whipped cream or sour cream, and sometimes even mayo.
Ambrosia Salad
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Let this dessert take you away to the tropics with pineapple, clementines, cherries, and toasted coconut.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 6 clementines, sectioned
- ½ cup fresh grapes, halved
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- ½ cup maraschino cherries, halved
- ½ cup toasted coconut
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add heavy cream and vanilla and mix, using a hand mixer, for 1 minute.
- Add powdered sugar and continue mixing until cream forms stiff peaks. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine pineapple, clementines, grapes, and pecans and mix.
- Add ½ the whipped cream and combine with cherries and half of the toasted coconut.
- Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with remaining coconut.
Recipe by Keith Lampkin
Photography and Styling by Jackie Hughes
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