Sour Cream Salad (Ambrosia Salad)

Sour Cream Salad is a family favorite and a version of Ambrosia Salad with mandarin oranges, pineapple, cherries, marshmallows, and walnuts in a creamy sour cream and Cool Whip dressing. It’s easy to make, perfect for holidays and potlucks, and the sour cream adds tang, so it’s not overly sweet.

If you love creamy fruit salads, you’ll also want to try Cranberry Fluff Salad and Mandarin Orange Salad. For something a little different, Strawberry Pretzel Salad is another favorite.

5 Tips for Getting This Sour Cream Ambrosia Salad Just Right

Ambrosia Salad is a nostalgic, fruit-forward dessert salad made with juicy canned fruit, mini marshmallows, and a creamy dressing. This version adds tangy sour cream to the usual whipped topping, which balances the sweetness and gives the salad a fresher, brighter flavor without losing that classic creamy texture.

• Drain fruit thoroughly. Let canned fruit sit in a colander for 15-20 minutes. Extra liquid makes the salad watery.
• Use full-fat sour cream: For the creamiest texture and best flavor.
• Defrost the Cool Whip: Let it thaw fully before mixing to avoid clumps.
• Fold gently: Use a gentle hand. This prevents the fruit from breaking apart in the salad before it is served.
• Chill before serving. This salad tastes best after chilling for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours). The flavors meld together and it firms up nicely.

RECIPE WALK-THROUGH

How To Make Sour Cream Salad

See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions

Step 1: Drain the fruit.

Drain the pineapple, mandarin oranges, and cherries in a colander.

Let them sit for 15-20 minutes so as much liquid as possible drains out. This prevents a watery salad.

• Pro Tip: Place cherries on paper towels separately and pat dry before cutting. They hold more juice than other fruits.

Step 2: Make the dressing.

Mix the sour cream and Cool Whip until smooth and creamy.

You want a fluffy, uniform dressing with no streaks.

• Quick Note: If your Cool Whip is frozen, thaw it completely first. Cold ingredients don’t blend as smoothly.

Step 3: Combine everything.

Add the fruits, marshmallows, and walnuts, and fold gently so you don’t break up the fruit or deflate the creamy dressing.

Taste and add more marshmallows if you like it sweeter, or skip the walnuts if anyone has nut allergies.

Step 4: Chill and serve.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but an hour is even better.

Chilling helps the flavors blend together and lets the salad firm up nicely.

Serve cold as a side dish or dessert. Give it a gentle stir before serving if any liquid has settled.

Variations

• Fruit Variations: Add fresh fruit when in season (strawberries, grapes, or fresh pineapple) or try other canned fruits like fruit cocktail, pears, or peaches.
• Classic Ambrosia: Add shredded coconut.
• Nut Options: Swap walnuts for pecans or slivered almonds, or skip entirely for a nut-free version.
• Lighter Version: Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, use zero sugar or reduced fat Cool Whip, and reduce marshmallows for less sweetness.

More Dessert Salads

• Cookie Salad
• Pistachio Salad
• Creamy Grape Salad
• Green Jello Salad

Recipe

Sour Cream Salad

4.86 from 7 votes

Kristin Maxwell

This easy Sour Cream Salad is a family favorite variation of Ambrosia Salad with mandarin oranges, pineapple, marshmallows, and cherries in a creamy dressing, ready in 10 minutes.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup Sour cream
• 1 cup Defrosted cool whip
• 15 ounce Can mandarin oranges drained
• 15 ounce Can pineapple chunks drained
• 1 cup Mini marshmallows
• 12 ounce Jar maraschino cherries drained and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup Chopped walnuts

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Instructions

 

• Mix sour cream and cool whip in a large bowl until creamy and smooth.
• Add fruits, marshmallows and nuts and fold together until mixture is combined.

Notes

• Drain fruit thoroughly in a colander for 15-20 minutes to prevent a watery salad.
• Pat cherries dry on paper towels before cutting to remove excess juice.
• Make sure to thaw Cool Whip if it is frozen.
• Fold ingredients gently to avoid breaking up the fruit.
• Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving (one hour is even better).
• Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Stir gently before serving if any liquid has settled.
• Make ahead for best flavor (tastes better after chilling).
• Swap walnuts for pecans or skip the nuts entirely for a nut-free dish.
• Add shredded coconut for a more traditional ambrosia salad.

Keyword sour cream salad

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 40mgPotassium: 214mgFiber: 3gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 939IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

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