⏲️ 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 148 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

Website | + posts

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 do you make grapes taste sweeter? ›

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 can I 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 are the ingredients in a grape? ›

Raw grapes are 81% water, 18% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and have negligible fat (table). A 100-gram (31⁄2-ounce) reference amount of raw grapes supplies 288 kilojoules (69 kilocalories) of food energy and a moderate amount of vitamin K (14% of the Daily Value), with no other micronutrients in significant amounts.

What ingredient is grape must? ›

“Must” is a term used to describe the natural, freshly pressed grape juice that is eventually fermented and turned into wine. The must contains the seeds, stems, and skins of the grapes. These solid components are called “pomace,” which refers to separating the fruit skins from the juice.

What makes grapes taste better? ›

"Just cut up grapes lengthwise and squeeze some lime juice over them," Wilson said. "You can add as much or as little as you want. I use green grapes since they're more sour than red grapes."

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.

What causes bitterness in grapes? ›

Bitter rot of grapes is caused by the fungus Melanconium fuligineum. The fungus overwinters in the vineyard on almost any plant debris, especially berry mummies.

How long do grapes last in the fridge? ›

If bought at optimal freshness, grapes will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Remember: counter storage is the quickest way for the fruit to spoil. Frozen grapes can be enjoyed for about a year after freezing. Much longer than that and you risk losing all or most of the fruit's flavor.

What do you do 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.

What can I do with too many grapes? ›

Excess grapes can be frozen, wash them and then freeze, they will last for up to 10 months in the freezer. There are also recipes for grape cake, which is very quick and easy to make. If all else fails, make grape syrup which makes a refreshing drink and can be added to flavour other dishes.

Why you should cut grapes in half? ›

Whole grapes are considered to be a choking risk for kids because they are round and a similar size to kid's throats. Plus, they are slippery and can be hard to bite into for little mouths. The best way to prevent any issues with grapes is to cut them—and also make sure the kids are sitting down when eating them.

When should grapes not be cut? ›

It's advised to cut up grapes for children up to five, as they have small airways that can easily be blocked by a grape. But primary school children may still have small airways, though they're better at chewing and swallowing. That's why there's no fixed cut-off age for cutting up children's grapes.

Do you soak grapes for in vinegar and water? ›

Yes, vinegar and water can be used as another method to wash produce. Simply add 2 tablespoons of distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar to the water bowl with your grapes. Swish the grapes around in the vinegar solution and then allow them to soak for 10 minutes.

Are grape stems made of wood? ›

The grapevine is a woody perennial plant (See Figure 1.1), which is differentiated into the above ground shoot system (e.g., trunk, leaves, flowers, and fruit) and the underground root system.

What are grapes filled with? ›

A cup of grapes contains over 121 g of water. They are also high in antioxidants, such as lutein and zeaxanthin. The skins of red grapes contain the phytochemical resveratrol, which appears to protect against several chronic diseases and conditions. The flavonoids myricetin and quercetin are also found in grapes.

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? ›

Most leafy vegetables that can be eaten raw are used: all varieties of lettuce, garden cress and watercress, endives, cabbage, spinach, escarole, romaine (cos), arugula, and fresh herbs. Other vegetables, raw or cooked—tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, beets, and so on—may garnish the green salad.

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