Frog eye salad is like the dessert salad rendition of classic nostalgia. It’s one of those cold creamy salad recipes with a sweet pop of flavor and enough fruit to make it one of the best summer, spring, and Easter side dishes ever.
Taking a walk down memory lane, you may recall the yummy Watergate salad of the ’70’s. I have fond memories of my sweet grandma showing up with her famous concoction. Now I like whipping up my yummystrawberry pretzel salad and strawberry cheesecake salad, alternating with this delicious recipe.
You’ll definitely want to put this one in the spring and summer rotation!
Let’s make this!!
What I Love About This Recipe
- Kids of all ages adore this!
- Totally flexible recipe.
- Light-n-fluffy texture.
How To Make Frog Eye Salad Recipe
Whipping up this frog eye salad is so super simple. Remember it requires overnight refrigeration so plan accordingly!
Add cooked pasta to the pudding mixture and fold gently until combined. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, add cold fruit, cool whip, mini marshmallows, and coconut to the pasta mixture and fold to combine.
- Serve in a large bowl or individual serving dishes.
**See the full instructions below.
Frog Eye Salad Recipe + Ingredient Notes
- Chilling: You’ll want to blend your pudding mixture with your acini di pepe and let it firm up in the fridge overnight. Chill your fruit in a separate container overnight in the fridge so it’ll all be cold and creamy when you serve it.
- Acini de Pepe – To cook it, you’ll boil a big pot of water, with just a touch of salt, just like you would when cooking any other type of pasta. The difference for this particular recipe is that I’m going to break all the rules and laws when it comes to cooking pasta and tell you to overcook it.
- Yes, this is one of the few times I suggest cooking the pasta past al dente since I want it to be nice and soft in this salad. We’re NOT looking for mushy here, but you want to boil it for a good 10 minutes to make sure the final texture adds to the creamy consistency of the salad instead of creating that “bite” you’re usually after when you cook pasta. Once it’s perfect, rinse it under cold water to preserve that texture without going into the soggy froggy zone.
- Serving up this sweet salad doesn’t require any crazy ingredients. The acini di pepe may sound out of the ordinary but it’s really quite common. It’s a small pasta similar to couscous which is often used in soups and salads.
- Pineapple Juice: You’ll want to reserve the juice from your crushed pineapple because you’ll use it to blend up your vanilla pudding. It is Ah-ma-zing!
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Your sweet delicious salad will keep for 3-4days in the fridge once it’s assembled and ready to go.
- Can You Freeze This? Unfortunately, frog eye salad doesn’t freeze well but it’s so incredibly simple to make you really don’t need to think about freezing it. It only takes a few minutes to assemble and you’re on your way to creamy dreamy bliss!
- Make-Ahead Tips: Since you need most ingredients chilled before blending together, it’s easy to split this into steps. Simply slide your pasta/pudding mixture into the fridge along with your fruit in a separate container. They can be prepped a day or two ahead of time. When you’re ready to serve, pull it out, and blend it all together with the other goodies. Easy Peasy! Just remember after the pasta is cooked, the pudding mixture is made, and the canned fruit is opened, it will last a total of 3-4 days.
- Storing Tips: I prefer to blend the acini di pepe with the pudding and store it separately from the mixed fruit in the fridge. Then, I mix it all together and add the other goodies just before serving time.
Serving Recommendations
I like to serve this with a dollop of whipped cream topped with a maraschino cherry. My Grandma always had an extra jar of them in her pantry so every grandchild got one on top of their dessert.
Serve with more of my favorite warm weather sides likeKFC coleslaw, pasta salad with Italian dressing, authentic Hawaiian macaroni salad, Broccoli Salad, and/or 7 Layer Salad.
More Warm Weather Side Dishes
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Carrot Salad
- Antipasto Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Pea Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- Tortellini salad
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Frog Eye Salad Recipe
Frog Eye Salad is a sweet fluffy rendition of a fruity dessert salad with cool whip, instant pudding and plenty of extras to make you go Mmmm!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time25 minutes mins
Servings: 12 people
Author: Kathleen
Ingredients
- 1 cup Acini di pepe
- 1 (3.5-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
- 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained with juice discarded
- 1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained with juice discarded
- 2 (15-ounce) cans fruit cocktail, drained with juice discarded
- 3 cups colored mini marshmallow
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 (8-ounce) container cool whip thawed
- Reddi wip
Instructions
Cook pasta (1cup) in lightly salted rapidly boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain well.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together Instant pudding mix (1 box), 1/4 cup of reserved pineapple juice, sugar (1/2cup), and milk (1 1/4cups) for 2 minutes.
Add drained pasta to pudding mixture and fold gently until combined. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Place all drained fruit in a bowl or a 1-gallon resealable bag and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to serve, add cold fruit (1 can crushed pineapple + 1 can pineapple tidbits + 1 can mandarin oranges + 2 cans fruit cocktail), cool whip (1 container), mini marshmallows (3cups), and coconut (1cup) to pasta mixture and fold to combine. Serve in a large bowl or individual serving dishes. Top with Reddi Wip if desired.
Fans Also Made:
Easy Old Fashioned Million Dollar Pie Recipe
Grape Salad
Heaven On Earth Cake
Pineapple Delight
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Notes
- Chilling:You’ll want to blend your pudding mixture with your acini di pepe and let it firm up in the fridge overnight. Chill your fruit in a separate container overnight in the fridge so it’ll all be cold and creamy when you serve it.
- Acini de Pepe –To cook it, you’ll boil a big pot of water, with just a touch of salt, just like you would when cooking any other type of pasta. The difference for this particular recipe is that I’m going to break all the rules and laws when it comes to cooking pasta andtell you to overcook it.
- Yes, this is one of the few times I suggest cooking the pasta past al dente since I want it to be nice and soft in this salad.We’re NOT looking for mushy here, but you want to boil it for a good 10 minutesto make sure the final texture adds to the creamy consistency of the salad instead of creating that “bite” you’re usually after when you cook pasta.Once it’s perfect, rinse it under cold waterto preserve that texture without going into the soggy froggy zone.
- Serving up this sweet salad doesn’t require any crazy ingredients. Theacini di pepemaysoundout of the ordinary but it’s really quite common. It’s a small pasta similar to couscous which is often used in soups and salads.
3. Pineapple Juice:You’ll want toreserve the juice from your crushed pineapplebecause you’ll use it to blend up your vanilla pudding. It is Ah-ma-zing!
Nutrition
Serving: 1/12 of the recipe | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
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Reader Interactions
Comments
JoAnn Berry says
I LOVE this recipe!!! I have made it many times and it is always well received.
Reply
Kathleen says
Yaaay! I’m glad it was a hit 🙂
Thanks for the positive feedback!Reply
Lynda Duthler says
The recipe and instructions were great. But your Pinterest page is so cluttered that it is unusable. I had to screen shot sections in order to follow it. Take down some of that horribly intrusive advertising.
Reply
JoAnn says
Loved this easier version!! I didn’t use fruit cocktail but used 2 cans of pineapple tidbits and 2 cans of mandarin oranges and it is amazing!! Will use it many more times.
Thanks for the recipe.Reply
Kathleen says
Hi, JoAnn! That sounds so yummy! I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Reply
Velva says
It blows my mind thee is tiny pasta in this delicious dessert. Love it! This is really nice ending on a warm day. Saving it!
Velva
Reply
Kathleen says
Thanks so much Velva! Who ever would have though that pasta would make such a delicious dessert pasta salad! <3
Reply
Debbie says
I have been making this salad for years. I don’t add the coconut though. My niece’s daughter loves this so much & every time I see her she tells me how much she loves it when I make this (hint, hint) lol! Such a easy, yummy salad.
Reply
Kathleen says
Hi Debbie! My kids love this too!
Reply
April says
Has anyone used coconut pudding and not flaked coconut?
Reply
Cheryl Beard says
This is one if my favorite salads to eat that my mom used to make! Only hers was harder to make! Thanks for sharing an easier recipe!
Reply
Kathleen says
I love to hear its a family recipe. It’s such a fun sweet salad. I’m so happy to hear that my version is easier, Cherly! I hope it becomes a new family tradition! <3
Reply
Cheryl B says
It will definitely become a tradition for me! I love it! Thank you so much!
Reply
Kathleen says
I love hearing that Cheryl! You’re very welcome!
Reply
Marina says
Is it calling for one cup of Cooked if the pasta stuff, of 1 cup uncooked?
Reply
Kathleen says
Hi Marina! One cup of boiled pasta 😀 Hope this helps!
Reply
Mary says
I am making this right now for New Years Day!
Reply
Kathleen says
I’m so happy to hear that Mary. I truly love this funnily named salad! <3
Reply
Emmy says
Is it 1 cup and 1/4th milk or just 1/4 cup of milk?
Reply
Kathleen says
Hi Emmy, it’s 1 and a 1/4 cup of milk <3
Reply
Abby says
I am so happy I made this frog eye salad. It was so delicious and creamy. I am excited to make it again this summer!
Reply
Kathleen says
I’m so glad you liked this Frog Eyed Salad! It’s a great summer salad <3
Reply
Momof3boys says
Trying this on Easter, can’t wait! The pudding and pasta are mixed and ready to go! Thanks
Reply
Kathleen Smith says
Hope its a big hit!
Reply
Laure says
It says 13.5 oz box of instant pudding? That seems like a lot. Do you mean 3.5 ounce box ?
Reply
Kathleen Smith says
Hi Laure. Thank you so much for pointing this out. I added parentheses for clarification. <3
Reply
Katherine Lundin says
It says 1-(3,5 oz) box Instant Vanilla Pudding , read it over again!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
debbie lowe says
A little snarky aren’t we?
Reply