Grape Salad
This Grape Salad is an easy fruit salad with a creamy dressing that is always a crowd pleaser and great for potlucks! Red and green juicy grapes with brown sugar, crunchy pecans or walnuts, cream cheese, and sour cream.
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EASY GRAPE SALAD RECIPE
This side dish has been around for decades. I actually made this amazing creamy grape salad for Tablespoon back in 2011 for the first time and thought 11 years later I should finally share it with you. A delicious recipe for a hot summer day.
To be honest, the recipes that have been around forever are my absolute favorite.
All of my grandparents on both sides are no longer with us an haven’t been for a while. Grandparents are just so darn wise.
Just like I wish my kids could skip the learning curves and learn all of their life lessons solely from what I tell them, it’s just not possible. We learn line upon line, precept on precept. There’s no other way around it.
I thought I knew everything in my 20’s. Now in my 30’s, I realize I know nothing. I wish I could sit down with my grandparents one more time and soak up all of their knowledge and wisdom.
INGREDIENTS
- WHOLE GRAPES – This recipe calls for four cups of grapes which makes a lot. Any type of grape will work but I like a different colored fresh grapes to mix it up. Seedless green grapes and seedless red grapes are what I use just make sure they’re crisp grapes. Make sure you wash them and dry them on a paper towel.
- CREAM CHEESE – Cream cheese dressing is the base of the creamy grape salad recipe. It helps cut the sweetness of the brown sugar. Sure you can use low-fat cream cheese for a lighter version of the cream cheese mixture.
- SOUR CREAM – For those who don’t like sour cream, plain Greek yogurt can be substituted in place of the sour cream or vanilla yogurt for a healthier option. I know it sounds weird but the flavors work.
- VANILLA EXTRACT
- WHITE AND BROWN SUGAR – This is definitely a dessert salad. White sugar goes in the creamy sauce and a little bit of light brown sugar on top of the salad. If your grapes are really ripe than just add enough sugar to taste. I mean there are 4 pounds of grapes so for each pound of grapes it doesn’t end up being that much sugar.
- PECANS OR WALNUTS – Chopped pecans or walnuts give this a great crunch.
If for some reason you haven’t had this Grape Salad, you best be making this as soon as you can.
I know we’re taking the word “salad” and using it very liberally. Kind of like this Strawberry Pretzel Salad. Nothing leafy or green about it but still, can we count it? Or this Snickers Apple Salad that has candy bars in it?
I know the dressing sounds strange, sour cream and cream cheese, but it really works here. You can use pecans instead of walnuts. It’s always a hit with a crowd. This recipe has been around for decades because it’s good!
STORAGE
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Sugar will melt into the sauce and create liquid the longer it sits.
OTHER SALAD RECIPES
- Crunchy Pea Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Corn, Avocado, Tomato Salad
- Grape and Feta Kale Salad
- Frito Corn Salad
- Chicken Salad
- Red Potato Salad
OTHER FRUIT RECIPES
- Easy Fruit Dip
- Poppy Seed Fruit Salad
- Grape Walnut Salad
- Peach Cobbler Recipe
- Fruit, Avocado, and Feta Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Fruit Pizza
- Snickers Apple Salad
- Apple Crisp Pizza
Grape Salad
Ingredients
- 2 lbs green seedless grapes
- 2 lbs red seedless grapes
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Rinse grapes and pat to dry. In a large mixing bowl, mix softened cream cheese, sour cream, white sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer or hand mixer. You can use a mixer or mix by hand with a spatula. Add the grapes to the cream cheese mixture and stir thoroughly to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl.
- Sprinkle brown sugar over the grape mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Right before serving sprinkle nuts on top.
- Tip: For a healthier version you can substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream. Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container.
U Forgot to mention the grapes need to be DRY! WASH night before leave in colander in frig overnight.
Uncovered.
Make the “Cream” that night, the flavor developed and is wonderful.
Can the grapes be cut in half? Would doing so make it too juicy? Has anyone tried it with the grapes cut in half?
I think that would be just fine
I wouldn’t. Grapes need to be dry when blended in.
I Like to put pomegranate in the salad when in season. It gives a nice crunch and a little burst of flavor. I like pomegranates
I add chopped pretzels in addition to the pretzels and everyone loves it. Seems good enough for a dessert
Yum!
Grape salad is a staple at our daughter’s birthday party every Summer. This stuff is addicting! Like, hide in a corner with the bowl and a spoon addicting!!! No, it’s not healthy, but for a once in a while treat, who cares! Seeing this recipe makes me want to start planning her birthday party…
Haha yep!
Vanilla yoghurt isn’t healthier than plain Greek yoghurt because it’s full of sugar, but you insinuate it is.
OMG!!! You need to read her statement again. It states that you can substitue Greek yogurt because using Greek yogurt is a healthier option.
I’m in my mid-50’s and had never eaten this salad. But at a recent visit to The Chicken Salad Chick, I chose this as a side dish and fell in love!
So, I found this recipe on this site and made it at home so I could have as much as I wanted, when I wanted!
I like this recipe better! It has more toppings!
Yay! That makes me happy!
I don’t make many desserts but I had Grape Salad my mom used to make and I thought my husband and I would love this. He’s diabetic but I use sugar substitute for any required sugar.
I thank you for having the recipe. It’s going to bring back good memories. I appreciate you having
it on line.
You’re welcome!
Has anyone tried this using only brown sugar no white sugar. I thought it might add to the flavor.
I have. Brown sugar is great.
That’s a lot of sugar for a grapes salad.
Makes it less healthy.
Yes, we aren’t going for healthy here.
Delicious, we add crushed butterfinger candy bars….
Oh my! That is a party!
love love love this side dish and so does my family last time added strawberries even more delicious
So happy to hear that!
Have made this many times. It is always a hit with the little children.
Thank you!
This lists vinegar in the ingredients, but doesn’t say what to do. I’m a little scared to put vinegar in the ingredients.
I’m so sorry, I don’t see vinegar in the ingredients?
Oh, my gosh, this was delicious. I e-mailed this recipe to my sister because she was looking for an easy dish to bring to a party. She dropped a small portion by my house and though my husband was skeptical he helped me make short work of it. When I go shopping on Monday I’m picking up the ingredients to make a batch for us. Thanks for the yummy, easy and summery recipe.
Thank yoU! It’s an oldie but goodie.
This looks good! Can’t wait to try this recipe but switching out a few items to save calories. 😉
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I would make this with the Greek yoghurt instead of the sour cream, as a matter of taste. But I have to say I can’t imagine why it needs half a cup of sugar sprinkled over. It’s a salad, so doesn’t need to be sweet.
I guess I like things sweet.
I know I’m years late on this but salad doesn’t necessarily equal healthy. A salad is just a combination of different foods together. Also, have you ever even had grape salad before? It’s supposed to be pretty sweet. Her measurements are on point.
Thank you Stephanie!
Reminds me of good old fashioned Waldorf Salad, except without the celery and apples. Think I might stick to the Waldorf to get more veg and fruit in the family. Thanks.
Oh my gosh, you are SO right about wishing you could sit down with your grandparents just one more time. I’m past my 30’s now (60, eek!) and have so many questions I’d love my Nana to answer for me! Even if it’s just to sit and write down her wonderful “all in her head” recipes that I grew up eating and loving! I miss her so very much! Thankfully, I do have some of them, thanks to my mom and a little insight I must have possessed back in the day to actually watch her make food for us.
This grape salad is new to me, looks awesome, and just right for summertime! I’m going to make it soon! Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing that with me Donna. I agree. It’s hard to put in words but I feel like a part of me is missing sometimes.
My mom used to make a grape salad somewhat similar to this, forgot all about it until now, looks delicious!
This is a favorite of ours at family gatherings — a relative of my husband’s makes it. I need to make it myself to eat here at the house!! That way maybe we can have it more than twice a year 😉
Yes, it’s definitely an heirloom recipe!