Grape Salad Recipe

➤ Introduction for Grape Salad Recipe

A couple of summers ago, I tried this grape salad at a barbecue at my neighbor’s house, and I think I nearly licked the bowl clean. Since then, I have been making it all the time because it is one of those dishes that sounds odd, but tastes unbelievably good, like aregular grape went to dessert land.

So the whole dish is really a bunch of grapes with a creamy dressing made with cream cheese, and topped with some crunchy pecans and brown sugar. It sounds basic, but the flavor combination is habit-forming. The grapes are sweet, the cream is rich, and the nuts are crunchy – it all works together so well.

I think my favorite part is that it’s so easy to make. I am not exactly a great cook, and there is no skill involved in making this dish whatsoever. You just mix a few things together, dump it on grapes, and you are done! You never have to turn on an oven, there is no multiple-step process, and nothing can go wrong.

i aint kidding everytime I bring this anywhere people ask me for the recipe, and are always amazed at how simple it is when I tell them it took me no time at all. I never tell them that it looks like you spent hours making it, when I really just threw a few things together while watching TV. The grapes will do all the work by just looking amazing and fresh.

➤ Why I Love This Grape Salad Recipe

• I always make grape Salad  the night before because it really keeps getting better in the fridge. It lets the flavors buttery together, and I don’t have to worry about prep when people are coming over, and maybe not be too terribly stressed out.
• This works at literally every event – backyard barbecue, fancy dinner party, church potluck. Nobody questions bringing a “salad” that’s basically a dessert. And I’m not going to correct them.
• When I want something sweet but don’t want to feel like garbage afterwards, this hits the spot. It’s decadent, but it’s not that heavy, brick-in-your-stomach feeling from real dessert.

➤ Grape Salad Recipe Ingredients

here’s what you’ll need to whip up that grape salad:

•2 lbs red grapes—remove the stems, and rinse them
•2 lbs green grapes—same as above, and remove all the dirt and grit
•8 ot cream cheese (sit it out on the counter until it warms to a soft temperature)
•1 cup sour cream (full-fat. I don’t recommend going low-fat with this recipe)
•1/2 cup sugar (regular white sugar, not brown sugar or something weird)
•1 tsp vanilla extract (the real stuff, everyone knows the imitation stuff is weird)

For the topping:

•1 cup pecans, just roughly chopped—not pulverized, you’re not trying to make pecan dust here
•1/2 cup brown sugar, packed in there like you mean it
•1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (use the good stuff, not that ancient jar from the back of grandma’s cupboard)
•A pinch of salt, don’t skip it, I swear it’s the secret weapon

➤ How to Make Grape Salad Recipe

1 • Prepare the grapes:

•I rinse the grapes thoroughly under cool water and remove all of the stems, there’s always that one stem stubbornly hanging on. Next, I dry them off with paper towels thoroughly because wet grapes make everything slippery, and dump them in my biggest serving bowl.

2 • Make the dressing:

•I beat the cream cheese until it becomes smooth and fluffy, this takes a minute but is worth while so you’ll have all de lumps out. Now, I add the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla, and combine all until all is creamy.

3 • Prepare the topping:

•I mix the chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl. I stir around the topping until the sugar mixture has coated all of the pecans – they should look sweet, crunchy Heaven.

4 • Combine grapes and dressing:

•I pour the cream cheese mixture over the grapes and toss everything with a gentle hand so as not to smash the grapes. I make sure every grape is covered in good creamy stuff because nobody wants naked grapes.

5 • Add the topping:

•I pour that pecan mixture all over the grapes, then barely fold in half of it so there is a crunch in every bite. I leave some sitting on top because visually, it is way cleaner looking than just mixed mush.

6 • Chill the grape Salad :

•I put plastic wrap on the bowl and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This is time for everything to get friendly and stop dressing from being a watery mess.

7 • Final prep:

•About 15 minutes before people arrive, I take it out of the fridge so it is not ice-cold. I sometimes gently stir if everything has settled weird, but I do not want to damage the grapes.

8 • Plating:

•If I am feeling fancy, I will dump it into a fancier bowl and sprinkle on a few pecans again. I simply stick a serving spoon in it and watch people dive into it!

➤ Grape Salad Recipe Tips & Variations

• I always pick the firmest grapes I can find because if they’re soft and wrinkly, they will just be mushy when you mix them. No one wants grape baby food.
• Make sure the cream cheese is really soft before you begin – I’ve made the mistake of attempting to use cold cream cheese and ended up with a dressing that was chunky and lumpy and looked nasty.
• I don’t really question it – if I have walnuts instead of pecans? Sure. Almonds? Yes, of course. My sister-in-law goes above and beyond with adding toasted coconut. Weird, right? But no joke, it is bomb.

➤ Serving Suggestions for Grape Salad Recipe

• I love taking Grape Salad to potlucks—it’s quickly gone next to fried chicken and barbecue. There’s just something about that combination that is perfect for outdoor luncheons.
• guess what grape Salad has become my go-to for holiday dinners. I have served it with glazed ham and turkey so many times, and it never competes with the richness of either. In fact, my family expects me to bring it now.
• I have even started requesting to bring grape Salad  for weekend brunches along with quiche and fresh fruit. It balances out the other heavy dishes without being a heavy dish itself, just what I want with my more casual “come as you are” meal to start the day.

If you like this grape salad, you should try my Watergate salad recipe. That vintage pistachio flavor paired with the creamy texture always brings me back; it’s one of those nostalgic dishes that doesn’t go out of style and always puts a smile on people’s face when they see it on the table.

➤ Storage and Leftovers

• If the dip is sitting out at room temperature, I always try to serve it within 4 hours; after that point you are probably better off putting it away.
• In the fridge, it stores well for 3 days in an airtight container. I’ve suffered the consequences of texture by leaving it uncovered for several days – the covering does wonders for texture.
• I don’t freeze this one. The grapes come out mushy and watery and it ruins that nice crisp texture.
• What I do is pull it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before I am serving it. It tastes so much better when it is not ice cold; although, the flavor is pronounced at that slightly cool temperature.

➤ Grape Salad Recipe FAQs

Q: Can I just use all one color of grapes?

⤷ A: Absolutely! I mean, I appreciate the rainbow version for pictures, but frankly I have made this with just red grapes from Costco many times and it tastes just as good. Seriously don’t worry.

Q: My dressing always turns into soup – what am I doing wrong?

⤷ A: Yikes, I had the same issue for a while! The secret is: after you wash the grapes to make sure they are bone dry – I mean dry, dry, dry, like, pat them down with paper towels dry. And mixing the cream cheese? Mix it like you mean it, until it is totally smooth! Lumpy cream cheese = watery disaster later.

Q: I can’t do nuts – any other ideas?

⤷ A: Oh for sure! I actually love it with toasted coconut flakes better – it gives it an amazing texture. My sister puts crushed up graham crackers in it, which sounds bizarre, but its actually amazing. Mini chocolate chips work well too if you are trying to make it fancy.