This is a super easy recipe for a festive and fun Vegan Ambrosia Salad! A dairy-free twist on the classic Ambrosia fruit salad recipe made with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, coconut yogurt, vegan marshmallows, and shredded coconut! 

What is an Ambrosia Fruit Salad?

Ambrosia is a traditional fruit salad often served at potlucks and holiday gatherings. Most Ambrosia recipes typically feature a mixture of fruit like mandarin oranges, pineapples, and shredded coconut, combined with marshmallows, and sometimes whipped cream or sour cream. Some variations may also include maraschino cherries (or fresh cherries), bananas, and nuts. Fun fact, the dish is named after the food of the gods in Greek mythology, reflecting its sweet and delightful flavor.

For today’s recipe, we’re making a festive, vegan, and 4th of July version of this classic, creamy fruit salad, and I love the way it’s turned out. As with most salads, you can customize the ingredients to your liking and make substitutions if needed!

What Makes This Recipe Great

This is a twist on the classic Ambrosia fruit salad. It is delightful to bring to a potluck if you need an easy, fast, last-minute dessert that kids and adults love. This “red, white, and blue” Vegan Ambrosia version is lighter than a traditional ambrosia, which is usually made with mayonnaise or sour cream. 

I keep the sugar content lower by using unsweetened coconut, but you can make it sweeter by using sweetened coconut flakes or swapping in cocowhip or cool whip for some of the yogurt. 

Bonus points if you can find a red or blue baking dish! Use any combination of the fresh fruit I’ve included below or at least the blueberries and either the raspberries or strawberries for a red color. If you don’t need a dairy-free option, you can always substitute Greek yogurt or cool whip. 

Ingredient Notes

• strawberries

• blueberries

• raspberries

• unsweetened shredded coconut

• mini marshmallows: We used Dandies which are vegan. 

• unsweetened coconut yogurt: My favorite is CocoJune. You can use vanilla yogurt or plain, depending on your preference. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mix everything together in a bowl and transfer to a rectangular baking dish (I used a 7.5- x 6-inch rectangular baking dish )
2. Optional: create a flag pattern using additional strawberries and blueberries 
3. Refrigerate until chilled. This can last for up to 2 days in the fridge. 

Expert Tips

• If you’d like to make your own whipped coconut cream, click on the link for my homemade version. All you need is 3 ingredients (canned coconut cream, vanilla extract, and sweetener), a hand mixer (or stand mixer), and a large bowl! 
• This recipe will work for any patriotic celebration at any time of year. You can also change up the fruit as you see fit! It’s the perfect side dish/dessert for any holiday meal or gathering. 

Storage Tips

You can store this vegan Ambrosia salad in the fridge for up to 2 days, which makes it an easy dessert to prep ahead of time! 

More Summer Dessert Recipes

Key Lime Pie Recipe

Peach Blueberry Buckle Recipe

Easy Ricotta Cake with Fresh Berries

Pear Frangipane Tart Recipe

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