Frog Eye Salad
This Frog Eye Salad is a retro salad recipe from the 1960s that’s still popular in potluck culture today. I love that I can make it ahead of time, even the day before, for a sweet, light and creamy tropical flavor, almost like rice pudding!
Whether you grew up with Frog Eye Salad or not, you’re in for a treat! This was one of those deliciously sweet and creamy nostalgic salad recipes I’d always see at one of my church potlucks. It’s similar to rice pudding, using a pasta base, that’s combined with a homemade creamy custard.
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That mixture is chilled and mixed with tropical pineapple, coconut, and cherries for the most delicious bite. The best part is it uses pantry staple ingredients and is not difficult to make, even my niece loves to help me make this! If you love retro salads, my Orange Jello Salad and Frozen Fruit Salad are two others to try.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Fun, retro salad recipe for any potluck gathering. This will feed a crowd as a side dish or dessert and has flavors all ages love.
- Easy to make in advance. It’s simple to do and prep when entertaining since everything can be made and assembled ahead of time.
- Perfect to customize with other ingredients. This is the classic recipe, but you can make it your own with other ingredients and mix-ins.
ingredients
Scroll Down to the Bottom of this Post for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Printable Recipe Card
Pasta and Dressing:
- Acini di pepe pasta: The pasta base to this sweet salad that almost makes it like a rice pudding.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the base of the frog eye salad.
- All-purpose flour: Helps thicken the salad custard to the correct consistency.
- Pineapple juice reserved from cans below: Adds more nice tropical sweet flavor.
- Large eggs: Helps to make the pudding-like sauce for the frog eye salad.
- Salted butter: The fat that adds richness to round out the custard base. Use unsalted if you prefer.
- Lemon juice: Adds a touch of acid to brighten the flavors.
- Vanilla extract: Always use pure extract here to make sure the caramel and floral flavors shine through.
Mix-Ins:
- Crushed pineapple: Drain the pineapple but reserve the juice.
- Canned pineapple tidbits: A second type of pineapple for different texture. Make sure you reserve the juice after draining here as well.
- Canned mandarin oranges: Adds nice citrus flavor that is also sweet.
- Miniature marshmallows: Regular or fruity flavor, these give it little bit of chewy texture and pop of sweetness.
- Sweetened shredded coconut: Adds more texture and tropical flavor.
- Maraschino cherries: Drain them well so they don’t bleed. Adds that rich cherry taste and a pop of color.
- Frozen whipped topping or homemade whipped cream: For the light and airy texture. Store-bought or homemade both work great.
Tools You’ll Need
how to make frog eye salad
- Cook the acini di pepe pasta according to package directions until just al dente. Drain well, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt. Add the beaten eggs and pineapple juice and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 8–10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Allow the custard to cool completely to room temperature before proceeding.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cooled custard dressing, drained crushed pineapple, pineapple tidbits, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, coconut, and maraschino cherries. Stir until combined.
- Gently fold in the whipped topping until everything is light and evenly combined. Do not overmix.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 more hours before serving to let the flavors meld. Garnish with extra maraschino cherries and marshmallows on top if desired. Serve cold.
expert tips
- Drain and rinse the pasta well to stop the cooking. Similarly to pasta salad, you don’t want to overcook the pasta or it will be mushy. By running it under cold water this will stop the cooking to keep the texture and thicken the salad correctly.
- Make sure the pudding mixture thickens correctly. This is the base that forms the texture of the salad, so if you don’t cook it enough on the stovetop to start, it will be too thin after stirring all the ingredients together.
- Cool the custard before stirring it with the pasta. Make sure you cool the custard before tossing it with any other ingredients or it will continue to cook or melt and not allow the salad to set.
- Don’t over-mix the salad after adding the whipped topping. You don’t want to deflate it, so it’s best to gently fold to keep every bite light and airy.
Swaps and Variations
There are lots of versions of Frog Eye Salad depending on where it’s made. Here are some alternatives to consider when you make it your own:
- No Coconut: Not a fan of coconut? Simply leave it out. The salad is just as delicious without it.
- Add Fruit: Fresh or canned fruit works beautifully here. Diced peaches, fruit cocktail, or sliced strawberries are all great additions.
- Swap the Pasta: Can’t find acini di pepe? Orzo or ditalini pasta are the closest substitutes and work just as well in this recipe.
- Add Nuts: Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for a little crunch and texture.
- Tropical Twist: Add diced mango, toasted macadamia nuts, and a splash of coconut cream to the dressing for a more tropical flavor profile.
- Cherry Swap: Not a maraschino cherry fan? Substitute with fresh halved grapes or dried cranberries for a different pop of color and flavor.
- Cool Whip Substitute: Fresh whipped cream can be used instead of Cool Whip. In a large bowl on high speed, blend together 3 cups heaving whipping cream or heavy cream, 1/2 cup powered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. Do not add to the dessert until ready to serve within 2-4 hours.
- Make It Lighter: Substitute the frozen whipped topping with light whipped topping and use light canned fruit in juice instead of syrup for a lighter version.
storage
Store any leftover Frog Eye Salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I don’t recommend freezing the salad as it will change the texture and become watery once it thaws.
It’s the perfect dish to make in advance since it needs many hours to chill in the fridge for the best flavor. I like to make it a full day in advance to make sure I have enough time for the custard to set.
Frequently asked Questions
Yes, it’s said to be popular in Mormon culture for gatherings, funerals and family occasions. It’s also a part of the Midwestern United States’ potluck menus as a popular recipe in the 1960s and 1970s.
It’s very fruity with tropical flavors as well as creamy. Some even say it tastes like a creamsicle thanks to the mandarin oranges and whipped cream.
You can use other types of canned fruit and even add chopped nuts if you desire.
more quick salad recipes
Frog Eye Salad
Ingredients
Pasta and Dressing
- 1 1/2 cups acini di pepe pasta dry
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups pineapple juice reserved from cans below
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix-Ins
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple drained (reserve juice)
- 20 ounce can pineapple tidbits drained (reserve juice
- 11 ounce can mandarin oranges drained
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries drained and halved
- 16 ounce container frozen whipped topping thawed (or homemade whipped cream see note)
Instructions
- Cook the acini di pepe pasta according to package directions until just al dente. Drain well, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt. Add the beaten eggs and pineapple juice and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 8–10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Allow the custard to cool completely to room temperature before proceeding.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cooled custard dressing, drained crushed pineapple, pineapple tidbits, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, coconut, and maraschino cherries. Stir until combined.
- Gently fold in the whipped topping until everything is light and evenly combined. Do not overmix.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 more hours before serving to let the flavors meld. Garnish with extra maraschino cherries and marshmallows on top if desired. Serve cold.
Notes
Expert Tips
- Drain and rinse the pasta well to stop the cooking. Similarly to pasta salad, you don’t want to overcook the pasta or it will be mushy. By running it under cold water this will stop the cooking to keep the texture and thicken the salad correctly.
- Make sure the pudding mixture thickens correctly. This is the base that forms the texture of the salad, so if you don’t cook it enough on the stovetop to start, it will be too thin after stirring all the ingredients together.
- Cool the custard before stirring it with the pasta. Make sure you cool the custard before tossing it with any other ingredients or it will continue to cook or melt and not allow the salad to set.
- Don’t over-mix the salad after adding the whipped topping. You don’t want to deflate it, so it’s best to gently fold to keep every bite light and airy.
Nutrition
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
