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A recipe for Easy Grape Salad. It’s sweet and creamy with loads of fresh grapes and crunchy nuts on top. Ready in just 5 minutes plus chilling time!
Grape Salad Ingredients:
- Grapes. Of course! Chilled red grapes (the sweetest you can find) preferably seedless. You can use tart green grapes, too, if that’s what you prefer.
- Cream cheese.
- Sour cream.
- Sugar.
- Vanilla.
- Brown sugar. For the topping.
- Walnuts. Chopped and toasted nuts taste incredible and add a delightful crunch. So do pecans!
How to make Grape Salad
- Before you begin, make sure the grapes are washed and dried. If little ones are eating, you probably want to slice them in quarters (the long way) for safety.
- Then make the dressing. The cream cheese should be nice and soft before you start, otherwise it could get lumpy. Mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla. (Save the brown sugar for the topping.)
- Next, gently fold the grapes in the cream cheese mixture, then top with a mixture of chopped nuts and brown sugar (walnuts and pecans both taste delicious–it’s entirely up to you).
How to soften cream cheese
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.
- 1 pound of seeded grapes contains about 2 cups of grapes.
How long do you chill grape salad?
Chill grape salad for at least one hour or overnight. Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.
How to make Grape Salad without sour cream:
Making grape salad with Greek yogurt is a smart way to skip the sour cream and lighten up the calories, too. Reduced calorie cream cheese is another way to keep Grape Salad calories lower.
So, what are some other favorite ways to eat Easy Grape Salad?
You asked for it, so here they are! Grape Salad with a twist…
- Grape Salad with Snickers. Yes, chopped up Snickers Bars are supposedly a must-have on this salad. Do what you must (but leave a comment about how it was!)
- Heath Bar. Same as above! Supposedly the toffee from a Heath or chopped Butterfinger candy bar on the grapes is over the top delicious.
- Grape Salad with strawberries. Natural, good-for-you fresh berries tossed in with the grapes, how can that taste anything but excellent?
- Three Musketeers. At the risk of going into the “what’s your favorite candy bar” debate, there are those out there who are very fond of using the chopped Musketeers as a topping for grape salad.
- Grape Salad with yogurt. Vanilla yogurt or plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt works just as well in this grape recipe.
- Graham crackers. Crushed graham crackers as a topping on grape salad add a little sweetness, with or without the brown sugar topping.
- How to 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. Don’t worry, they’ll be back for seconds!
The salad works served in a big bowl, but 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.
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Easy Grape Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened (see note 1)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 pounds red seedless grapes chilled (about 10 cups, see note 2)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped (see note 3)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, 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
- 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 toasted walnuts are great in this salad, or try toasted pecans instead.
- 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.
Nutrition
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.
Great salad. Used pecans and added extra and made it a hit
Thanks Amanda! Glad you enjoyed. – Meggan
I have made this many times. I prefer to mix the brown sugar and nuts in with the salad for a more uniform taste. It is still crunchy and people seem to love it.
Thanks Sharon, that sounds great too! Glad you liked it. – Meggan
If I am making this the night before, is it best to wait to put the topping on the next day an hour before it is served? Wasn’t sure if the nuts would get soggy if left overnight?
Hi Tiffany, it should be fine but if you are worried about it you can add them right before. Hope this helps! – Meggan
Several years ago, the NYTimes ran an article that shared traditional Thanksgiving dishes from all 50 states. Minnesota was assigned this grape salad, saying it was traditional and everyone served it. I’ve lived in Minnesota my whole life and never had even seen grape salad at a church basement funeral luncheon, let alone Thanksgiving.
Clearly, the NYTimes got that all wrong and it should have been assigned to Wisconsin…..
We had this exact recipe at a baby shower at my friends house in Hudson, WI and it was delicious. She used frozen grapes and it was so refreshing!
I have found that the brown sugar gets runny if you put it on when mixing. I usually let them put it on themselves. Especially if you are taking it somewhere & are unsure if Somerton has a nut allergy. I have been making this for years. Kids loved it & now grandkids love it.
Soo easy, soo tasty! Everyone loved it!
Hi Julie! I’m so glad everyone loved it! – Meggan
Love this salad It is easy to make and is very refreshing. I have a question – do you think it could be frozen?
Hi Iris, I’m so happy you love it! I don’t know for sure that it would freeze well due to the sour cream and cream cheese. Cream cheese definitely can separate some when it is frozen (I usually mix it well after I’ve frozen it to make it consistent and not lumpy.) I haven’t tried to freeze this, so I cannot say for sure it can. Sorry about that! – Meggan