⏲️ 5-Minute Recipe: Easy Grape Salad (2024)

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This Easy Grape Salad recipe is loaded with fresh grapes, sweetened cream cheese, and a crunchy, nutty topping. It’s ready in just 5 minutes plus chilling time.

⏲️ 5-Minute Recipe: Easy Grape Salad (1)

Grape Salad another one of those classic Midwestern desserts that we pass off as a salad (similar to Snickers Salad or Strawberry Pretzel Salad). It’s a sweet and nutty side dish with a creamy sauce and a crunchy topping.

It’s easy to make: mix up cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla, then add chilled grapes and top with brown sugar and walnuts. That’s it!

It’s kid-friendly, and I love it too because I can eat it as a dessert and still feel light and full of energy afterwards. What a great summer side dish!

Table of Contents

  1. Recipe ingredients
  2. Ingredient notes
  3. Step-by-step instructions
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. Recipe FAQs
  6. Easy Grape Salad Recipe

Recipe ingredients

⏲️ 5-Minute Recipe: Easy Grape Salad (2)

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Cream cheese: If the cream cheese is not softened to room temperature, the cream cheese and sour cream won’t combine well (the mixture will be lumpy). If this happens, stir it quickly with a whisk.
  • Grapes: Chilled red grapes (the sweetest you can find), and preferably seedless. If you know small children will be eating the salad, consider quartering the grapes.
  • Walnuts: Chopped and toastedwalnuts are great in this salad, or try toasted pecans instead.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a large bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla and stir to combine.
⏲️ 5-Minute Recipe: Easy Grape Salad (3)
  1. Carefully fold in the grapes and gently toss until evenly coated. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix brown sugar and walnuts.
⏲️ 5-Minute Recipe: Easy Grape Salad (4)
  1. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on top of the grapes. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Serve cold.
⏲️ 5-Minute Recipe: Easy Grape Salad (5)

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes at least 12 cups Grape Salad, enough for 12 servings, 1 cup each.
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (the salad may get watery over time but is still safe to eat).
  • Make ahead: This salad is best enjoyed the day you make it. However, you can get a head start by pulling the cream cheese out of the refrigerator a few hours before you make it.
  • Grape Salad with Snickers: Yes, chopped up Snickers Bars are supposedly a must-have on this salad (reminiscent of Snickers Salad).
  • Grape Salad with strawberries. Natural, good-for-you fresh berries tossed in with the grapes, how can that taste anything but excellent?
  • Grape Salad with graham crackers. Crushed graham crackers as a topping on grape salad add a little sweetness, with or without the brown sugar topping.
⏲️ 5-Minute Recipe: Easy Grape Salad (6)

Recipe FAQs

How do you soften cream cheese fast?

Unwrap your block of cream cheese completely (discarding the cardboard box and inner foil wrapper). Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for about 15 seconds per 8 ounces of cream cheese.

How many cups are in a pound of grapes?

1 pound of seedless grapes contains about 2 ½ cups of grapes. If the grapes have seeds, 1 pounds of seeded grapes contains about 2 cups of grapes.

How do you serve grape salad?

This salad is at its best when placed on the table when its icy cold. Sprinkle the toppings on and serve with a spoon so everyone can help themselves. For a better topping-to-grape-ratio, assemble grape salad in a shallow casserole so people don’t fight for the crunchy nuts and brown sugar.

More summer sides

Salad Recipes

Easy Cold Pasta Salad

Salad Recipes

Easy Potato Salad

Salad Recipes

Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese

Salad Recipes

The Best Macaroni Salad

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⏲️ 5-Minute Recipe: Easy Grape Salad (11)

Easy Grape Salad

By Meggan Hill

This easy Grape Salad recipe is loaded with fresh grapes, sweetened cream cheese, and a crunchy, nutty topping. It's ready in just 5 minutes plus chilling time.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 12 servings (1 cup each)

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Calories 341

5 from 156 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla and stir to combine.

  • Carefully fold in the grapes and gently toss until evenly coated. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix brown sugar and walnuts.

  • Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on top of the grapes. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Serve cold.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Cream cheese: If the cream cheese is not softened to room temperature, the cream cheese and sour cream won’t combine well (the mixture will be lumpy). If this happens, stir it quickly with a whisk.
  2. Grapes: Chilled red grapes (the sweetest you can find), and preferably seedless. If you know small children will be eating the salad, consider quartering the grapes.
  3. Walnuts: Chopped and toastedwalnuts are great in this salad, or try toasted pecans instead.
  4. Yield: This recipe makes at least 12 cups Grape Salad, enough for 12 servings, 1 cup each.
  5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (the salad may get watery over time but is still safe to eat).
  6. Make ahead: This salad is best enjoyed the day you make it. However, you can get a head start by pulling the cream cheese out of the refrigerator a few hours before you make it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 341kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 4gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 72mgPotassium: 400mgFiber: 2gSugar: 43gVitamin A: 475IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 1mg

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Meggan Hill

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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

⏲️ 5-Minute Recipe: Easy Grape Salad (2024)

FAQs

What is grape salad made of? ›

Ingredients
  • 4 pounds seedless green grapes.
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese.
  • 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream.
  • ½ cup white sugar.
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  • 4 ounces chopped pecans.
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
Nov 3, 2023

How to make grapes sweeter at home? ›

Ripen the grapes: One of the simplest ways to sweeten sour grapes is to let them ripen for a few more days. Grapes continue to ripen after they are picked, so if you have a bunch of sour grapes, you can leave them at room temperature for a few days until they become sweeter.

What to do with grapes that are not sweet? ›

Have you ever bought a bunch of grapes only for them to be too sour to enjoy? Try roasting them! Roasting concentrates the sugar content in grapes and makes the taste more palatable. You can pair roasted grapes with pork or chicken, or use a blender or food processor to make a compote for cheese and crackers.

What pairs well with green grapes? ›

Green grapes tend to pair well with soft, creamier cheeses. Black seedless grapes are juicy with a sweet, grapey muscat flavour. They pair perfectly with rich, strong flavoured cheeses.

What are the ingredients in a grape? ›

The nutrition profile of grapes
Red seedless grapesGreen seedless grapes
Water78.2 g79.9 g
Protein0.91 g0.9 g
Total sugars17.3 g16.1 g
Calcium10 mg10 mg
6 more rows
Apr 23, 2024

What can I add to grapes to make them better? ›

Turn Up the Flavor with Roasted Grapes

Toss with oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 425° oven for about 30 minutes. The grapes will soften and intensify in sweetness. Think jammy globes of decadence.

How do you get grapes to taste like cotton candy? ›

To make the Cotton Candy grape, Cain and his colleagues hybridized two grape species: a type of Concord-like grape (the grape used in Welch's jams, jellies and juices) and a variety of Vitis vinifera, a common grape found at grocery stores across the country, Cain told NPR.

What can I make with old grapes? ›

For ripe or overripe fruit, jam is a common option, especially for red and purple grapes, as are pickles, co*cktail syrups and shrubs. Green grapes, which often carry a vegetal note, are great in salads or ceviches. Concords, popular for juice, make a lush filling for pie.

Can dogs eat grapes? ›

When dogs eat grapes of any kind and in any form, they are at risk of kidney (renal) failure. All types of grapes, whether cooked, seedless, peeled, dried, or fresh, are toxic to dogs, even in small amounts. You should also avoid giving your dog any grape products such as raisins, juices, jelly, or jam.

How can I sweeten my grapes? ›

with olive oil and salt. Roasting makes them sweeter. as they lose water.

Can I drink water after eating green grapes? ›

Yes, it is generally safe to drink cold water after eating fruits like bananas, apples, oranges, pears, and grapes. There is no evidence that mixing these fruits with cold water does any harm to your health. In fact, drinking water is essential for overall hydration and can be a good practice after any meal.

How to jazz up grapes? ›

One favorite is to mix grapes, feta cheese, chopped spinach and fresh mint into cooked bulgur wheat then toss with olive oil and lemon juice. 3. Skewer 'em – Grilling grapes brings out their sweet juicy flavor so alternate grapes on a skewer with cubes of fish, chicken or meat, marinate as usual and grill.

Can I eat grapes and banana together? ›

However, some may experience digestive issues due to the acidity of grapes and the starchy nature of bananas. To avoid these issues, eat the fruits separately, in smaller portions, drink plenty of water, and avoid eating before bed. Consult a doctor if you have any digestive concerns.

What are grape stems made of? ›

Grape stems contain significant amounts of polyphenolic compounds, especially phenolic acids, flavonols, and flavanonols such as astilbin. The tannin content was characterized after the depolymerization reaction thiolysis.

What is salad made of? ›

Merriam Webster Dictionary tells us that a salad is any of the various “usually cold dishes” including raw greens, vegetables and toppings. It is served with dressing or small pieces of food, or usually mixed with a dressing or set in gelatin.

Is grape jelly made from grapes? ›

Quick refresher on what jelly actually is: Jam is made by mashing or cutting whole fruit and cooking it down with sugar. Jelly is made with juice or by straining out the solids (like pulp and skins). So having grape juice in your jelly isn't a cop-out, but rather crucial to its identity.

Why do people put grapes in salad? ›

Grapes can add great flavor and juiciness. There are multiple types of grapes you can choose from. Most supermarkets carry at least one red and one green grape variety. We hope you enjoy these recipes for grape salad.

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