Pioneer Woman's Ambrosia Salad

Pioneer Woman's ambrosia salad is a sweet mixture of pecans, pineapple, marshmallows, sour cream, and other fruit. It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and then it goes into the refrigerator to chill. It makes an excellent snack or dessert.

What is Ambrosia Salad?

Basically, ambrosia salad is an American variety of fruit salad. In ambrosia salads, you will usually find pineapple, mandarin orange sections, miniature marshmallows, and coconut, as well as sour cream and whipped cream for a creamy texture. Ambrosia salad is versatile as you can make it with any fruit of your choice.

Pioneer Woman's Ambrosia Salad Recipe

Pioneer Woman's ambrosia salad uses pecans, heavy cream, sour cream, marshmallows, pineapple, shredded coconut, canned mandarin oranges, and maraschino cherries. You can use ready-roasted pecans toast them yourself. Feel free to add any other nuts you prefer as well.

When you have mixed all the ingredients for Pioneer Woman's ambrosia salad, chill the salad for about 2 to 3 hours before serving. Ambrosia salad is delicious when it is cold.

Pioneer Woman's Ambrosia Salad Ingredients

• ½ cup pecans
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ⅓ cup sour cream
• 3 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 ½ cups diced pineapple (½-inch dice) 
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 (11-ounce) can of mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained well
• 1 (10-ounce) jar of maraschino, halved with the cherry stems removed

How to Make Pioneer Woman's Ambrosia Salad

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and position the rack in the center.

2. Spread the pecans out on a small baking sheet and bake them until toasted and fragrant, about 6-8 minutes, stirring halfway through.

3. Move the pecans to a medium bowl and let them cool completely.

4. With an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

5. Add the sour cream and whisk until combined.

6. Add the marshmallows, pineapple, and coconut, stirring to combine.

7. Fold in the Mandarin oranges.

8. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, covered with plastic wrap.

9. When ready to serve, coarsely chop the pecans.

10. Add the pecans and maraschino cherries to the ambrosia salad, and stir to combine.

11. Place in a serving bowl and serve immediately.

What Can You Substitute the Whipping Cream With?

You can make a whipping cream substitute by mixing ⅓ cup of softened butter with ¾ cups of milk with an electric mixer to replace 1 cup of whipping cream. The alternative is not dairy-free, but you can use it if you are out of whipping cream.

What Can You Substitute Sour Cream With?

If you want a sour cream-like texture and flavor in your ambrosia salad but don't want to use sour cream, you can choose whole-milk Greek yogurt instead. You can also use plain regular yogurt in place of this, but it might be worthwhile to strain a little of the liquid out first in order to thicken it.

The Best Substitutes for Sour Cream:

• Greek Yogurt
• Cottage Cheese
• Crème Fraîche
• Buttermilk
• Coconut Milk
• Cashews
• Soy 

How Long Can You Keep Ambrosia Salad in the Fridge?

Ideally, ambrosia salad can be kept in the fridge for 3-5 days. You should store them in airtight glass containers and then store them in the fridge.

Can You Make Ambrosia Salad a Day Ahead?

Yes, you can make ambrosia salad up to 2 days in advance. As soon as you have followed the instructions and made the ambrosia salad, pour it into airtight containers and keep them in the fridge. Be sure not to eat it after the recommended time.

Can You Freeze Ambrosia Salad?

While you could freeze ambrosia salad, I don't recommend it as it can lose its creamy consistency. However, if you do freeze it, be sure to place it in an airtight container. Then, you can serve it while it is still frozen by using an ice cream scoop to scoop servings.

If you would like to enjoy the ambrosia falad fresh, place it in the fridge to defrost. Add the Mandarin oranges after it is defrosted.

What to Serve With Pioneer Woman's Ambrosia Salad

You can serve ambrosia salad with a variety of dishes, including fresh fruit slices, nut bars, honey sauce, and fresh juices. Ambrosia salad is also great with biscuits and cookies.

Here are some dish ideas to serve with Pioneer Woman's ambrosia salad:

• Apple Galette
• Costco's Ghirardelli Brownie Mix

Continue to Content

Pioneer Woman’s Ambrosia Salad

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Pioneer Woman’s ambrosia salad is a sweet mixture of pecans, pineapple, marshmallows, sour cream, and other fruit. It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and then it goes into the refrigerator to chill. It makes an excellent snack or dessert.

Print

Ingredients

• ½ cup pecans
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ⅓ cup sour cream
• 3 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 ½ cups diced pineapple (½-inch dice)
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 (11-ounce) can of mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained well
• 1 (10-ounce) jar of maraschino, halved with the cherry stems removed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and position the rack in the center.
2. Spread the pecans out on a small baking sheet and bake them until toasted and fragrant, about 6-8 minutes, stirring halfway through.
3. Move the pecans to a medium bowl and let them cool completely.
4. With an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
5. Add the sour cream and whisk until combined.
6. Add the marshmallows, pineapple, and coconut, stirring to combine.
7. Fold in the Mandarin oranges.
8. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, covered with plastic wrap.
9. When ready to serve, coarsely chop the pecans.
10. Add the pecans and maraschino cherries to the ambrosia salad, and stir to combine.
11. Place in a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 1171Total Fat: 71gSaturated Fat: 37gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 285mgCarbohydrates: 138gFiber: 10gSugar: 100gProtein: 10g