This is an amazing creamy grape salad recipe that’s perfect for family gatherings, casual gatherings, or even a baby shower. Look no further than this delicious and easy grape salad recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
It’s a cool, refreshing treat that’s popular at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! How’s that for being popular?!
Grape Salad Recipe
The best thing about this grape salad is that it’s incredibly easy to make. All you need is a big bowl, some juicy grapes, crunchy pecans, and a tangy cream cheese dressing that’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Plus, with a few simple modifications, you can make a lighter version of this popular dish that is perfect for a hot summer day.
The first time I ever had grape salad was when my best friend made it for a get together at her house. She served this side dish that was full of grapes and brown sugar and it was divine. Everyone loved it and I had to get the recipe for it right then and there.
And the best part? This grape salad is the perfect addition to any meal or occasion. Whether you’re serving it at a family gathering or a casual summer barbecue, this delicious recipe is sure to be a hit!
Why We Love This Salad
- Easy to make – this is such an easy recipe.
- No bake – just mix the ingredients together and refrigerate
- Crowd pleaser – everyone raves about this recipe!
- Versatile – serve this year-round. It’s great in the summer, but is always a hit at the big holidays Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
You might also like our strawberry pretzel salad. It’s sweet and salty all at the same time.
Grape Salad Ingredients
Cream cheese – this will make the “sauce” extra creamy. Leave your cream cheese out to come to room temperature to make mixing easier.
Sour cream – this adds a little tang, and thins out the thickness of the cream cheese so it will become more of a dressing.
Sugar – use regular granulated sugar to add sweetness.
Brown sugar – we add brown sugar to add another depth of sweetness in the dressing.
Vanilla – I like to always use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation. You really can taste the difference.
Green and red grapes – Be sure to remove all stems and wash and pat dry the grapes. We like to use two different grapes not only for the flavor combination, but for added color as well.
Pecans – add chopped pecans to give another texture, flavor, and that crunch that will put this dish over the top.
How to Make Grape Salad
Step One: Prepare Grapes
- To get started, you’ll need to wash and dry a few pounds of grapes. You can use any type of grape you like, but we recommend using a mix of red seedless grapes and green seedless grapes for a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. Once your grapes are washed and dried, place them in a large mixing bowl.
Step Two: Make Cream Cheese Dressing
- Next, make the sweet cream cheese dressing. In a separate bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, white sugar, and brown sugar and vanilla until it’s nice and creamy. Then, add in tangy sour cream and mix it together until it’s smooth.
- Once your sweet cream cheese dressing is ready, pour it over the top of the grapes and mix everything together until the grapes are evenly coated. You can also add in some greek yogurt or cool whip for a little bit of extra sweetness and creaminess.
- Refrigerate for one hour or overnight. Finally, top the salad with brown sugar and extra pecans.
Tips for Making This Grape Salad Recipe
- Red and green grapes – use red and green grapes to get a variety of flavor, but also to add color to this salad
- Room temperature cream cheese – be sure your cream cheese is room temperature or it won’t mix well
- Whole grapes – leave the grapes whole to keep it easy, or cut them in half if you’re serving little ones
- Regular cream cheese – use regular fat cream cheese, low-fat cream cheese will tend to make the dressing thinner
- Varry nuts – try different nuts. You can use pecans, walnuts, or even slivered almonds
- Brown sugar – some grape salad recipes have you put the brown sugar on before you chill. This is perfectly fine, but will make the brown sugar “melt” into the dressing. Sometimes I prefer it this way and give it a stir before serving.
- Chill – be sure to chill the salad before serving. This allows for the dressing flavors to meld together.
To keep your grape salad fresh, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for up to 3-4 days, although the texture may become a little softer over time. If you need to make this salad last minute, you can use a hand mixer or stand mixer to speed up the process.
Can You Cut the Grapes in Half?
I don’t cut grapes in half, but it’s perfectly OK to cut them – especially if you have little ones eating the salad.
How Long Does Grape Salad Last?
If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it can last for up to 3-4 days. However, the texture may become softer over time.
Can You Freeze Grape Salad?
It’s not recommended to freeze grape salad as it may affect the texture..
More Amazing Fruit Side Salads
Grape Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 pounds green grapes seedless (rinsed and dried)
- 2 pounds red grapes seedless (rinsed and dried)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Beat cream cheese, sour cream with electric mixer until smooth.
- Add sugar, and vanilla until incorporated.
- Remove stems from grapes, and fold into the cream cheese mixture. Fold until grapes are covered in mixture. Add pecans. Refrigerate for one hour or overnight.
- Just before serving, sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
Barb says
Love it
Candy Kwilos says
Loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Sandy says
Love this, but you can easily make half the amount of topping it calls for.