• Having a Baby
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby Checklists
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labor Birth
  • Baby Names
    • Baby Boy Names
    • Baby Girl Names
    • Unique Baby Names
  • Kids Learning & Activities
    • Kids Crafts
    • Printable Mazes
    • Kids Recipes
    • Coloring Pages
    • Kids Education
    • Printable Sudoku Puzzles
    • Kids & Math
    • Preschool
    • Kids & Science
  • Dinner Ideas & Recipes
    • Easy Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Freezer Cooking Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Crock Pot Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Chili Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • 5 Ingredient Recipes
    • Mama Shirley’s Recipes
  • Celebrations
    • Kids Birthday Parties
    • Baby Showers
    • Celebrate Father’s Day
    • Celebrate Mother’s Day
    • Celebrate St Patrick’s Day
    • Celebrate Valentine’s Day
    • Celebrate Christmas
    • Halloween Recipes
    • Easter Recipes
    • Celebrate Thanksgiving
    • Celebrate Graduation
    • Celebrate New Years
    • Celebrate July 4th
  • Family Life
    • Family Health
      • Women’s Health
      • Nutritional Foods in Season
      • Lose Weight Fast
    • Checklists
    • Free Printables
    • Gardening
    • Household Pets
    • Kid’s Behavior
    • Quotes about Family Life
  • Search

Mobile Menu

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Affiliate Disclosure

Moms Who Think

Parenting Advice and So Much More

  • Having a Baby
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby Checklists
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labor Birth
  • Baby Names
    • Baby Boy Names
    • Baby Girl Names
    • Unique Baby Names
  • Kids Learning & Activities
    • Kids Crafts
    • Printable Mazes
    • Kids Recipes
    • Coloring Pages
    • Kids Education
    • Printable Sudoku Puzzles
    • Kids & Math
    • Preschool
    • Kids & Science
  • Dinner Ideas & Recipes
    • Easy Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Freezer Cooking Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Crock Pot Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Chili Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • 5 Ingredient Recipes
    • Mama Shirley’s Recipes
  • Celebrations
    • Kids Birthday Parties
    • Baby Showers
    • Celebrate Father’s Day
    • Celebrate Mother’s Day
    • Celebrate St Patrick’s Day
    • Celebrate Valentine’s Day
    • Celebrate Christmas
    • Halloween Recipes
    • Easter Recipes
    • Celebrate Thanksgiving
    • Celebrate Graduation
    • Celebrate New Years
    • Celebrate July 4th
  • Family Life
    • Family Health
      • Women’s Health
      • Nutritional Foods in Season
      • Lose Weight Fast
    • Checklists
    • Free Printables
    • Gardening
    • Household Pets
    • Kid’s Behavior
    • Quotes about Family Life
  • Search
Home » Celebrations » Celebrate Thanksgiving » Thanksgiving Recipes » Thanksgiving Ambrosia
Thanksgiving-Ambrosia-2

Thanksgiving Ambrosia

Grab your FREE copy of one of our most popular and engaging activity packets! Whether you’re in the classroom or keeping your little ones busy at home these days, we have fun, engaging, and FREE printable activity for your kiddos to enjoy. To snag and instantly download you copy, just CLICK HERE!

In Ancient Greek myths, Ambrosia was a food fit only for the gods on Mount Olympics. The mythological food was believed to grant the gods their immortality.

But by 1867, a dish named Ambrosia had made its way to southern households in the United States. A North Carolina housewife would begin a tradition that continues to the present day when she first suggested that this combination of coconut and citrus fruits be served in “ice-cream plates or saucers.”

While Thanksgiving Ambrosia is a staple for many southern households, it is a recipe that appeals to many households, regardless of their geographic location.

Why Include a Thanksgiving Ambrosia Recipe As Part of Your Feast?

Much of your Thanksgiving meal will likely include thick, heavy sauces, delectable breads and maybe even some macaroni and cheese.

Your dessert menu is probably equally as dense and full of sugar. You will likely have at least one pumpkin flavored dessert and at least one tub of whipped topping or a container of whipped cream.

Thanksgiving is definitely a time that most American households decide to splurge and include heavy foods that they do not eat on a regular basis.

But the appeal of Thanksgiving Ambrosia is that it is not a heavy meal. It is designed to include fresh fruit and minimal amounts of sugar.

Whether you want to include a healthy dessert or simply crave an exciting new dish that will stand out among the pies, this Thanksgiving Ambrosia recipe is the right choice to include in your next Thanksgiving meal.

How Can You Change The Recipe and Still Be Authentic?

The original North Carolina recipe in 1867 called only for oranges to be topped with sugar and coconut. Since then, the recipe has grown and changed to suit the taste buds and regional differences of the table the dish sits upon for Thanksgiving.

Fortunately, this means that you can include a wide variety of substitutions to meet your personal tastes while still serving an authentic Ambrosia dish.

Nectarines, peaches and plums could be substitutes for the sectioned citrus fruit. If you have ever opened up a can of fruit cocktail and delighted in the flavor combination, you know that pineapple will go well with any of the citrus fruits your Ambrosia includes.

Some regions of the southern United States also consider cherries to be an essential additional component of their Ambrosia.

Other common additions to Thanksgiving Ambrosia include raisins, cranberries, and walnuts.

Is This Thanksgiving Ambrosia Recipe a Salad or Dessert?

Does this dish look like a dessert or a salad? Or perhaps you are calling it a fruit salad?

This can be a very important question to ask yourself as you are preparing the Thanksgiving Day table arrangements. Does your Ambrosia go on the dessert table, or does it have a rightful spot next to the chef salad and green beans?

When you are trying to make this very vital decision, it’s best to ask yourself this question: will your guests be eating the food primarily plain or will they be topping it with whipped cream?

There’s no wrong way to eat an Ambrosia Thanksgiving Day salad. But if your guests are topping it the same way they top their pumpkin pie, the dish definitely belongs on the dessert table and not next to a big bowl of greens.

If you like this recipe, try these! 

  • Garlic Mashed Potatoes
  • Thanksgiving Cheese Ball
  • Red Hot Baked Apples
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Thanksgiving-Ambrosia-2

Thanksgiving Ambrosia


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Loading…

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: MomsWhoThink
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 grapefruit (sectioned)
  • 3 oranges (sectioned)
  • 2 tangerines (sectioned)
  • ⅓ to ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup shredded coconut

Instructions

  1. Place half the fruits in serving dish; sprinkle with half the sugar and coconut.
  2. Add remaining fruits, sugar and coconut.
  3. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Category: Thanksgiving Recipes

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Red-Hot-Baked-Apples-2

Red Hot Baked Apples

Pumpkin Torte

Pumpkin Torte

Pumpkin-Pudding-2

Pumpkin Pudding

Previous Post: «Sweet-potato-pudding-2 Sweet Potato Pudding
Next Post: Caramel Apple Salad Caramel Apple Salad»

Primary Sidebar

Don’t Make These Common Baby Naming Mistakes

Unlock instant access "The Ultimate Guide to Baby Naming in 2021!" and learn how hundreds of parents named their babies, what they regret doing, and what they would do again if they were having a baby today.

    Built with ConvertKit

    Site Footer

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • About Us
    • Sitemap
    • Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2021 Moms Who Think · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme