Grape Salad
33 Comments
Updated: 10/14/23
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Creamy Grape Salad is a classic Midwestern recipe that everyone loves for a side dish. Bursting with fresh, juicy grapes in a sweet and tangy cream cheese dressing that’s sprinkled with brown sugar and pecans. It’s makes the perfect easy side for a potluck, summer picnic or party!
I first made grape salad with cream cheese a few years ago after there was a big rage all over social media about it. As in, people were sort of losing their minds about it – a salad with cream cheese and grapes?
Like other dessert salads, it’s apparently a popular side dish here in the Midwest but at the time I had missed the boat because I had never tried it despite growing up in Minnesota. I thought I had tried all of our famous potluck dishes, but I guess I was wrong! Grape salad was a new one for me.
I’ve had my fair share of cookie salad and Snickers salad, but I’d never heard about grape salad. So, of course, I had to try a recipe for grape salad myself to see what all the fuss was about!
why you’ll love this recipe
- It only takes a few minutes to prep everything before you leave it in the fridge for at least an hour.
- The combination of the crisp grapes and creamy, sweet dressing is out of this world delicious!
- You will never have to take an extra second to think about what to bring to your next potluck again. The decision is easy: grape salad! Everyone will be thrilled to see this out on the serving table.
Ingredients for creamy grape salad
- Whole grapes – A mixture of green seedless grapes and red seedless grapes. You could use all of one kind, but it’s fun to have both for color.
- Cream cheese – Make sure the cream cheese is softened. It makes it so much easier to combine with the other ingredients. You could also use plain Greek yogurt for a healthier, high protein option.
- Sour cream – The base of the dressing the grapes are tossed in. You can also use plain Greek yogurt.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor in the salad dressing.
- Sugars – We use granulated sugar and brown sugar in the dressings to add depth and flavor.
- Pecans – Add the perfect crunch in the salad. Walnuts could also be used if you don’t have pecans or prefer walnuts.
How to Make Grape Salad
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth.
- Add washed and dried crisp grapes and toss to coat them evenly in the cream cheese mixture.
- Cover the bowl and chill the salad until you’re ready to serve it, at least 1 hour.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the brown sugar and pecans overtop.
Pro Tips!
- We recommend making sure the grapes are dry after rinsing them off so the dressing doesn’t get watery. Simply wash off grapes in a colander, then spread out on paper towels and blot of excess water.
- There are about 2 1/2 cups in a pound of grapes.
- If you have young kids, feel free to cut the grapes in half so it’s safer for them to eat.
- Instead of chopped pecans you can substitute another nut like walnuts or almonds. You can even use chopped candy bars like Butterfingers or Snickers!
- Do not use low fat cream cheese or sour cream! These low-fat versions are not as creamy and can turn the salad watery.
how to store leftover grape salad
Fridge: Store leftover grape salad (if there are any!) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. After that the grapes start to lose their crunch.
Freezer: Do not freeze this salad. When it thaws, it will come out very soft and mushy and not appetizing at all!
This creamy yet crisp salad is going to knock your socks off! You’ll be so glad you gave it a try.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Grape Salad
Classic salad that's bursting with juicy fresh grapes in a sweet and tangy cream cheese dressing that's sprinkled with brown sugar and pecans.
Video
servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sour cream or non-fat Greek Yogurt
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 pounds seedless red grapes
- 2 pounds seedless green grapes
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons chopped pecans
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, yogurt, white sugar and vanilla until blended. Add grapes and toss to coat.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with brown sugar blend and pecans just before serving.
Tips
- We recommend using the full fat versions of cream cheese and sour cream. If you use low-fat options the dressing isn’t as creamy and can get watery.
- We recommend making sure the grapes are dry after rinsing them off so the dressing doesn’t get watery. Simply wash off grapes in a colander, then spread out on paper towels and blot of excess water.
- There is about 2 1/2 c. in a pound of grapes.
- If you have young kids feel free to cut the grapes in half so it’s safer for them to eat.
- Instead of chopped pecans you can substitute another nut like walnuts or you can even use chopped candy bars like Butterfingers or Snickers!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 171kcal (9%), Carbohydrates: 25g (8%), Protein: 2g (4%), Fat: 8g (12%), Saturated Fat: 4g (25%), Cholesterol: 21mg (7%), Sodium: 54mg (2%), Potassium: 238mg (7%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 22g (24%), Vitamin A: 318IU (6%), Vitamin C: 3mg (4%), Calcium: 40mg (4%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
More great Potluck Recipes
- Everyone always goes crazy for classic deviled eggs. They are always one of the first things to go!
- Broccoli salad is a perfect summer salad that is quick and easy. You only need 15 minutes to make it.
- Layers of chopped lettuce, peas, celery, onions, bacon, cheese and dressing make up the crowd favorite traditional 7-layer salad.
- Light, fluffy and creamy Cottage Cheese Jell-o Salad is a Midwestern classic fluff salad that you definitely need to add to your repertoire!
- A good old fashioned classic Pea Salad is a favorite dish served cold and enjoyed all year long.
Antonia says
Hi Heather
I see 171 calories and 25 carbohydrates (&22 grams of sugar) in the Nutrition Information Box at the bottom of the recipe, just after “Tips”. Definitely NOT 74 and 15, so maybe it’s been updated?
According to the Serving Size indicator(on the right side of the page, below the Recipe Name Box), it says that the serving size for the recipe is 18!
Julie indicated that a pound of grapes is 2.5 cups. There are 4 cups of grapes in the recipe, which would be 10 cups of grapes total. Dividing 10 by 18 is about. 556, so a little more than half a cup would be 1 serving, if the number of servings identified is correct, which I assume that it is.
You could lower both carbs, sugar and calories a bit by substituting Splenda for the 1/2 c of sugar, but I’m not sure how much that will help. Grapes are naturally high in sugar, which bumps up calories and carb/sugar counts!
Obviously this would be a side dish… And a small serving at that if you are diabetic or worried about calories! It looks awesome, I want to try it, but it sure does look like desert!
I hope I helped you!
Ruth says
Your picture ingredients say cinnamon and not brown sugar.
Courtney says
Shoot, that needs to be fixed. Thank you for letting me know!
Sharon says
The people at church can’t wait till I bring it to a potluck.
Brenda Pomrenke says
What happened to the recipe for the light version with stevia? 3 tbls of stevia??
Julie Evink says
The back of the Stevia bag should have the equation for a substitution for sugar. Just follow that and then use the Greek Yogurt if you’d like to lighten it up.
Jackie says
Is there a secret to making the cream cheese, sour cream and sugar mix more creamy? Mine had small lumps in it. I heard it has to do with the order in which you mix things. Don’t get me wrong. It was till wonderful! How could this recipe not be good. Lumps or no lumps. 😃
Julie says
Make sure your cream cheese is completely softened at room temp. Cold cream cheese is your lump issue!
watercraft products says
I gotta bookmark this web site it seems extremely helpful handy
Julie says
Sounds good!
Deby says
This looks SO good, and am anxious to try. Question: in the instructions you say, “sprinkle with brown sugar blend” and I’m not sure what the blend is or if you just mean the brown sugar. Also, my family is not big on pecans or walnuts; so do you think almonds, peanuts, or cashews would be good? Thanks Julie.
Julie says
Yes, I’m not sure why it says brown sugar blend, it’s just plain brown sugar. I think any of those combinations would be a good nut substitute! Hope you enjoy it!
heather says
I saw nutrition facts, 15 carbs and 74 calories but I never saw a serving size. Can you tell me the serving size for those numbers? My mother-in-law LOVES grape salad but recently discovered she is diabetic and she is very precise with her carb/sugar counting. I would love to get good measurements and surprise her!
Lynne says
I’m in Minnesota & had never heard of this before & then when I was in Colorado a few weeks ago someone brought this to a gathering. It was wonderful.
Julie Evink says
Glad I’m not the only Minnesotan that had never heard of it!
ChrisK says
Don’t feel bad about this salad going under your radar. I think it’s made the regional rounds for years, case in point, I’ve heard this called California salad, Napa Valley Salad, Sonoma Salad as well as here in Tennessee; Southern Grape Salad. Sometimes with the addition of chicken and/or broccoli. Suffice it to say, it’s a great basic salad that can go many directions.
Julie Evink says
Really? I didn’t know it went by so many names and different areas put different twists on it!
Carole Blanchard says
Extremely hidden family recipes…
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
I have to admit, I have never heard of grape salad. It is very intriguing…I have to try this!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
“…but mix them together and I was terrified.” Lol! I have to admit, hearing ‘grape salad’ I was a little terrified, too. But this looks amazing and nothing to be scared of. In fact, I want a giant bowl!
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says
I’ve never had grape salad, but this sounds really unique! I love the nuts on top.
Becca @ Crumbs and Chaos says
Grape salad is the perfect summer side dish! The version I’ve had before includes crushed butterfinger candy bars, which is delicious but not quite as good for you as this one. Looks fantastic!
Danielle | The Creative Bite says
Yum, I only recently tried this salad a couple years ago, so I missed the Minnesota salad bandwagon too apparently. But my oh my, is it delicious!