This Vegan Ambrosia Salad uses a delightful combination of fruit, nuts, and coconut cream. This healthy makeover dessert is gluten-free, dairy-free, and made without added sugar. Try making this recipe for your next holiday table or healthy potluck and watch it disappear.

a bowl of ambrosia salad

Ambrosia salad gets a healthy but delightful makeover in today’s recipe.

Traditional ambrosia dessert salad is traditionally made with ingredients like cool whip, vanilla yogurt, sweetened coconut, maraschino cherries, mandarin oranges, and mini marshmallows. It’s delicious but heavy and packed with sugar.

This healthy ambrosia recipe is made without refined sugars but still plenty sweet! Coconut cream replaces yogurt and cool whip for a rich yet dairy-free dressing.

You won’t miss any added sugar or processed ingredients like canned fruit, miniature marshmallows, or heavy whipping cream in this delicious dessert that can be served in the summertime or the wintertime.

Key Ingredients

ingredients for healthy ambrosia salad
  • Fresh fruit – You can switch up the fruits if you want. Mandarin oranges, strawberries, blackberries, navel oranges, blueberries, bananas, and pineapple all work great. Just be sure to include sweeter fruits like bananas, and pineapple to keep the ambrosia plenty sweet.
  • Shredded coconut – Unsweetened shredded coconut can be found in the baking aisle, or in the natural foods aisle. Toasting it makes it more fragrant and nutty.
  • Coconut cream – Coconut cream whips up like whipped cream. It has a thick and creamy texture perfect for desserts and is a dairy-free alternative to cool whip.

Please see the full recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Recipe Steps

ingredients in bowl for ambrosia salad.

Step One: Combine the ingredients for your ambrosia salad in a mixing bowl.

ambrosia salad ingredients ready for dressing.

Step Two: On the side, mix together the dairy-free dressing ingredients.

ambrosia salad with dairy-free topping.

Step Three: Add the dressing to the salad ingredients.

vegan ambrosia salad in serving bowl.

Step Four: Stir to combine and then transfer to a serving dish.

Serve chilled for the optimal sweetness.

I hope you agree that this healthy update to Ambrosia Salad is your new favorite way to enjoy fruit. It can also be used for picky eaters or anytime you want to add more nutrition to your diet.

Recipe Benefits

  • This healthy take on fruit salad is perfect for anytime of year.
  • It has no added sugar but will curb that sweet craving. This recipe is Whole30, paleo, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
  • This recipe is customizable. Use your favorite fresh fruits! It’s great for a party or get-together since you can make it ahead of time and serve it chilled.
a spoonful of fruit and coconut cream

Recipe FAQs

Can I use Greek yogurt for the dressing?

Yes, I recommend using unsweetened Greek yogurt (dairy-free for vegan and paleo diets) and sweetening it yourself. You can add a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup to tame the tanginess a bit. It doesn’t need to be overly sweet because of all the fruit.

Can I make ambrosia salad ahead of time?

Yes, it tastes delicious when it’s chilled but since this recipe uses fresh fruit it’s best not to let it sit for longer than 24 hours to keep the fruit fresh and crisp.

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

Print
clockclock iconcutlerycutlery iconflagflag iconfolderfolder iconinstagraminstagram iconpinterestpinterest iconfacebookfacebook iconprintprint iconsquaressquares iconheartheart iconheart solidheart solid icon
a bowl of ambrosia salad

Vegan Ambrosia Salad Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4 from 3 reviews

Print Recipe

This Healthy Ambrosia Salad recipe uses a delightful combination of fruit, nuts, and coconut cream. This healthy makeover dessert is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, with no added sugar.

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks or niblets, drained (you can use fresh or canned)
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 banana, sliced
  • 1 cup red grapes, halved
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut, toasted (see notes for toasting directions)
  • 1 cup coconut cream, chilled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pineapple, blueberries, banana, grapes, walnuts, and shredded coconut. Set the bowl aside.
  2. Then, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the coconut cream and vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer to beat the coconut cream with the vanilla until it has thickened a bit and is fluffy.
  3. Use a spatula to carefully fold the coconut cream mixture into the fruit salad. Stir until just combined.
  4. Serve immediately.

Notes

  1. To toast the shredded coconut, place it in a dry skillet over low heat. Set a timer for 3 minutes and toss the coconut occasionally. Keep a close eye on the skillet to ensure that the coconut doesn’t burn. It will be a light tan color when it’s fully toasted.
  2. You can easily double this recipe if you need more servings.
  3. You can make this salad up to 24 hours in advance. Just cover the bowl tightly and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
  4. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  5. You can buy canned coconut cream or you can use the thickened portion of a can of chilled full-fat coconut milk. You will need a cup of chilled coconut cream for this recipe.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
  • Calories: 199
  • Sugar: 18.1 g
  • Sodium: 12.1 mg
  • Fat: 3.4 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 22.4 g
  • Fiber: 2.1 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

More Healthy Fruit Recipes You Might Like

Don’t Miss These Vegan Holiday Recipes

Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream

Vegan Pumpkin Brownies

20+ Vegan & Gluten-Free Recipes (Main Dishes)

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Dinner Rolls

Don’t forget to join my newsletter list to get exclusive clean eating recipes and tips. The newsletter is 100% free with no spam; unsubscribe anytime.

About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is a certified holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.