Juicy grapes folded into a sweet cream cheese dressing with a crunchy brown sugar pecan topping: this old fashioned creamy grape salad is always a hit at holiday dinners and potlucks!
Creamy Grape Salad
This recipe comes to us courtesy of my Aunt Tina. She served her grape salad at our family Christmas dinner this year and it was a big hit! I’d never heard of grape salad before, but it was such a yummy addition to the dinner table. I think my oldest daughter had three servings!
This is a simple fruit salad recipe using both green grapes and red grapes. The big juicy grapes are folded into a sweetened cream cheese dressing, spread in a baking dish or serving bowl, and topped with a crunchy layer of brown sugar and pecans.
I love the contrast between sweet grapes and the sour cream and cream cheese. But it’s that crumbly topping that makes this salad so special! I like to make sure I get a little bit of the crumble in every bite.
If you’re a fan (like me) of those vintage fruit salads that can do double duty as a dessert and a side dish, you’ve got to add this to your recipe box!
— Stacey
Ingredients
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- 1 1/2 pounds Seedless Green Grapes
- 1 1/2 pounds Seedless Red Grapes
- 8oz Sour Cream
- 8oz Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Topping:
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Chopped Pecans
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Large Colander
- Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Mixer
Instructions
- Wash and dry the seedless green grapes and seedless red grapes in a large colander, then transfer to a large bowl or baking dish.
- Mix together the sour cream, softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract using an electric mixer. Taste and adjust the sweetness as needed.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture into the bowl of grapes and fold until everything is evenly coated in the dressing.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and chopped pecans, then sprinkle on top of the salad.
Prep Tips
- If you don’t have sour cream on hand, Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute.
- For nuts, we used chopped pecans, but chopped walnuts would also work well in this dish for the crunch topping.
- Storage: All leftovers should be transferred to an airtight container and kept refrigerated.
- Try the no-sugar added version of this recipe too! Details directly below the next photo.
Sugar Free Grape Salad Recipe
Interestingly, the original recipe given to me was a sugar free recipe! Because we don’t use a lot of artificial sweeteners in our cooking, I adjusted the ingredient list above to use regular sugars. However, if you’d like to try the no sugar added version, all you need to do is make the following substitutions:
- 1/2 cup Splenda (or similar low carb sweetener) instead of granulated sugar
- 1 cup Brown Sugar Splenda instead of brown sugar
The preparation and recipe directions remain the same. Keep in mind that grapes contain natural fruit sugars, so technically this is not a zero sugar recipe. However, making the above recipe variations lowers the carbohydrates significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Difference Between White Grapes and Green Grapes?
The only difference between white grapes and green grapes is the name. They’re actually the same fruit, so you can use either in this recipe.
Furthermore, you can use only one color of grapes if that’s what you have available. You don’t have to use both red and green grapes, but it does look pretty! The red grapes are also usually a bit sweeter, so it adds a variety of flavors. Just be sure that whatever grapes you use are seedless!
Can You Make Grape Salad Ahead Of Time?
Sure! Grape salad is perfect to make ahead because you can keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to serve. If preparing in advance, I recommend waiting until you’re serving to add the topping.
What Protein Pairs Well With Grapes?
Grape salad is such a unique recipe in that it can stand alone as a dessert, but also pairs well as a side dish to almost any type of protein or meat. Try grape salad with your holiday ham or turkey, pork roast or tenderloin, even a weeknight baked chicken!
More Old Fashioned Fruit Salad Recipes
Creamy Grape Salad Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Creamy Grape Salad
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- Large Colander
- Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Seedless Green Grapes
- 1 1/2 pounds Seedless Red Grapes
Dressing Ingredients:
- 8 oz Sour Cream
- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Topping:
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Chopped Pecans
Instructions
- Wash and dry the seedless green grapes and seedless red grapes in a large colander, then transfer to a large bowl or baking dish.
- Mix together the sour cream, softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract using an electric mixer.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture into the bowl of grapes and fold until everything is evenly coated in the dressing.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and chopped pecans, then sprinkle on top of the salad.
Notes
Nutrition
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