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Ambrosia Salad Recipe
Nectar and Ambrosia; food of the gods. Ambrosia literally means ‘immortality’ in Greek. In the English language, it has been adopted to mean, something very pleasing to taste or smell.
In classic mythology only gods were able to consume nectar and ambrosia. Some believed that if you ate and drank these foods, you could live an immortal life. Then again, some believed that you would immediately perish. Lucky for us, they were wrong.
But despite the mythical connotations the word ‘ambrosia’ has, Ambrosia salad is just another word for fruit salad. It originates in America, likely in the south. Although recipes have been found that date as far back as the 1800’s, it rose to popularity in the 1960’s.
There are several ways to make Ambrosia Salad. You can make your Ambrosia salad a healthy treat or add more decadent ingredients and serve it as a dessert.
Some commonly included fruits are oranges, pineapples, maraschino cherries, bananas, strawberries and grapes. Additions may include cottage cheese, whipped cream, pudding, yogurt and mayonnaise.
But most agree that the key to making true Ambrosia Salad is the coconut. It just wouldn’t taste as heavenly without that element.
Ambrosia salad is generally pretty simple to make. We’ve chosen oranges, pineapple and cherries for our fruit. These are perfectly complemented by whipped topping, marshmallows and, of course, delicious coconut.
Just combine the ingredients, and chill for a few hours or overnight before serving. Then look forward to a cool and delicious treat.
Although Ambrosia Salad might seem like the perfect dish to have on a warm summer’s day, it is actually a traditional Christmas dish. This may be due to the fact that the recipe was commonly included in Christmas cook books. However, it is also cool light and refreshing during the summer.
This is a combination that makes this ambrosia salad recipe perfect for any time of the year.
Ingredients:
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 cans crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup maraschino cherries
1 container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups miniature marshmallows
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the oranges, pineapple, cherries, whipped topping, coconut, and marshmallows.
2. Mix together well and chill 1 hour before serving.
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