Description
A refreshing and sweet Ambrosia Salad that combines mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, maraschino cherries, and a creamy mixture of vanilla Greek yogurt, shredded coconut, mini marshmallows, and Cool Whip. Perfect as a light dessert or side dish, this salad is chilled to enhance flavors and topped with optional chopped pecans for added texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 15 oz mandarin oranges, drained
- 20 oz pineapple chunks, drained
- 12 oz maraschino cherries, drained
Salad Base
- 3/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 8 oz Cool Whip, thawed
Toppings
- Chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Fruit: Drain all the mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, and maraschino cherries thoroughly to avoid excess liquid in the salad. Place all the fruit in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the vanilla Greek yogurt, shredded coconut, and mini marshmallows to the bowl with the fruit. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly combined to ensure a consistent flavor throughout.
- Fold in Cool Whip: Gently fold in the thawed Cool Whip with a spatula, taking care to keep the mixture fluffy and light rather than stirring vigorously.
- Chill Salad: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill properly.
- Serve and Garnish: Before serving, stir the salad gently to redistribute ingredients and top with chopped pecans if desired for added texture and nutty flavor.
Notes
- Make sure to drain all canned fruits well to prevent watery salad.
- For a nut-free version, omit the chopped pecans.
- You can substitute regular Greek yogurt if vanilla-flavored is not available and add a little vanilla extract for flavor.
- Marshmallows add a sweet, fluffy texture – avoid substituting if you want the classic taste.
- Chilling for more than an hour can enhance the flavor even further.
