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Tiny pasta, pineapple, mandarin oranges, coconut, and whipped cream combine to make this Frog Eye Salad recipe. It’s a unique fruit salad with pasta that doubles as a side dish and dessert. Perfect for the holidays!
Frog eye salad is a very regional dish in the United States. I’ve found that people have either grown up having it at every holiday or never eating it. Despite the name, there are no frogs involved! The name comes from the tiny round acini de pepe noodles that look like little frog eyes in the salad.
It’s similar to other dessert salads, like ambrosia salad and watergate salad, with the fruit and whipped cream, but the addition of pasta is what makes it unique and different. It’s such a fun little salad to prepare for the holidays!
Why This Frog Eye Salad Is So Good
- Unique & different. If you live in a region where frog eye salad is super common, this might not apply but for the rest of the country, this recipe definitely falls under the “unexpected” category. I mean, pasta in a fruit salad?! Who is really expecting that?
- Easy to make. The time it takes to make this dish is pretty much the time it takes for the pasta to cook. The pudding mixture that coats the pasta takes just a couple of minutes to whip up and the rest is a matter of draining the fruit before mixing it in.
- Side dish or dessert. The fun thing about this recipe is that it fits on the main dinner table just as well as it does on the dessert table. The pasta gives it a savory touch, the fruit adds tropical tang, and the coconut adds some sweetness.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s an overview of everything needed to make this unique fruit salad. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Pineapple – I use one can of pineapple tidbits and one smaller can of crushed pineapple to give some variety in texture. Be sure to reserve the juice from both cans, as you will use a cup of it in the recipe.
- Sugar – Helps to balance the acidity of the pineapple.
- Egg yolk – Adds a creaminess to the salad.
- Salt – Enhances the flavor.
- Cornstarch – Thickens the salad.
- Acini di pepe noodles – These are very tiny noodles. Couscous and pastina also work.
- Mandarin oranges – Adds some more tropical flavor. Drain them well.
- Marshmallows – Mini marshmallows are the way to go here. They add volume and sweetness to the salad.
- Coconut – Sweetened coconut contributes more to the tropical flavor.
- Banana – Some people don’t add banana to their frog eye salad but I love the flavor it adds.
- Heavy whipping cream – Make sure it’s cold so it whips up properly.
- Powdered sugar – Stabilizes the whipped cream.
- Maraschino cherries – These are optional but add a nice pop of color. Drain them well.
How To Make Frog Eye Salad
This dessert salad is easy to make, but it does need to chill before serving, so keep that in mind. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta to al dente per the package instructions. Drain in a fine mesh strainer (the noodles are so small that they can get stuck in a regular strainer).
- Make the egg mixture. Whisk the pineapple juice, egg yolk, sugar, salt, and cornstarch until smooth. Bring to a low boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Combine. Stir the sauce and noodles together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Add the fruit. Stir the pineapple, mandarin oranges, coconut, mini marshmallows, and sliced banana to a bowl, alongside the noodles. Stir to combine.
- Add the whipped cream. Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold it into the salad.
- Enjoy. Cover and refrigerate or serve immediately.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making this frog eye salad recipe for the first time.
- Drain the fruit well. Perhaps the most important step in this recipe is straining all of the fruit very well. Any excess moisture can cause the frog eye salad to be runny. Just remember to reserve the pineapple juice!
- Chill the pasta. Once the pasta and egg mixture are combined, be sure to chill for at least 2 hours. This gives the pasta time to absorb the sauce and lets the flavors meld.
- Add the fruit just before serving. For the best texture and flavor in the salad, wait to add the fruit, coconut, and marshmallows until you’re ready to serve. Eventually, the marshmallows and coconut will soften and the bananas brown quickly, so this helps ensure it’s served as peak freshness.
- Try it with Cool Whip. If you don’t want to make homemade whipped cream, you can substitute Cool Whip instead. Just take care stirring it in so it doesn’t deflate.
Serving Suggestions
Frog eye salad falls somewhere between a side dish and dessert. It’s often served as part of a Christmas dinner spread, next to the Christmas ham, green bean casserole, and baked mac and cheese.
But it can also be added to the dessert table to offer a savory & sweet option next to other favorites like chocolate pudding pie, Grinch dip, and pumpkin roll.
Proper Storage
Keep frog eye salad in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap. It’s best enjoyed within 1-2 days, but will last for up to 4 days. Just give it a good stir before enjoying.
Add as Google Trusted SourceFrog Eye Salad
Ingredients
- 20 ounces pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved
- 10 ounces crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved.
- 1 cup pineapple juice, that was set aside from the canned pineapple.
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup acini de pepe noodles, cooked according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
- 15 ounces mandarin oranges, drained
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 large banana, halves and sliced
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup maraschino cherries, sliced, optional
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add the ½ cup of noodles.
- Boil for 6 minutes, or until the noodles are al dente.
- Drain the noodles by pouring the water and noodles through a fine mesh strainer. Set the noodles aside.
- Add the pineapple juice, egg yolk, sugar, salt and cornstarch to a saucepan and whisk together until smooth.
- Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a low boil while stirring constantly.
- Once the mixture thickens, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a Tupperware container or small bowl, add the sauce mixture and noodles together and stir to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- After refrigeration, add the pineapple tidbits, crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges, shredded coconut, mini marshmallows and the sliced banana to a large bowl.
- Add the noodles with sauce and stir to combine.
- In a mixing bowl, add the cream and powdered sugar. Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Add the whipped cream to salad and fold it all together.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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