This Frog Eye Salad is such a unique fruit salad that always has everyone coming back for more. It’s made with tiny pasta, pineapple, coconut, pudding, marshmallows, and whipped cream. It’s a little sweet, a little tropical, creamy, and super delicious! This recipe makes at least 12 servings, so it’s perfect for holidays, potlucks, and bigger gatherings.
How did this acini di pepe fruit salad end up with the name “frog eye salad”? Who knows. The best theory is that it’s because the tiny pasta looks like frog eyes. But don’t let that be off-putting. Trust me, everyone loves this recipe and always wants seconds!
Regardless of how it got the name, this frog eye salad is a classic. It’s similar to ambrosia, though it’s made with slightly different fruit, and ambrosia isn’t made with pasta. There’s a little bit of everything in this salad – canned fruit, pasta, shredded coconut, whipped cream, pudding, marshmallows, and more. It’s quick and easy to prepare with overnight chilling, and always a hit whenever I make it.
Tips & Variations
- Other pasta options. Acini di pepe is a teeny-tiny pasta often used in soups and salads and is usually available in most grocery stores. However, an Israeli-style large pearl couscous or large tapioca pearls also work in this recipe. Just note the cook times on the package, as they may be different.
- Reserve the pineapple juice. Only 1/4 cup pineapple juice is needed, but I like to reserve the juice from both the crushed pineapple and tidbits, just to make sure I have enough.
- Chill the fruit. Before combining all of the ingredients, chill the fruit. I like to do this overnight and then combine it with the pasta and pudding just before serving.
- Fresh whipped cream or Cool Whip. I prefer the flavor and texture of homemade whipped cream but it can be replaced with Cool Whip if desired.
- Toast the coconut. For more of a nutty, tropical flair and flavor, you can lightly toast the coconut flakes. Just be sure to toast them ahead of time and let them cool completely before adding them to the salad.
- Make ahead. Frog eye salad is definitely a recipe that needs to be made ahead of time. I really prefer to make it the night before. The pudding and the cooked pasta both need to firm up, plus the salad itself should be served cold and creamy.
Frog Eye Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry Acini di pepe pasta
- 1 3.5-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 & 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple , drained with juice reserved
- 1 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits , drained with juice reserved
- 1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges , drained with juice discarded
- 2 15-ounce cans fruit cocktail , drained with juice discarded
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 cup shredded coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened)
- 1 & 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- piped whipped cream , for serving, optional
- maraschino cherries , for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add in 1 cup dry Acini di pepe pasta and cook for 10 minutes, then immediately drain and rinse under cold water. Shake gently to get any excess water out.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine a 3.5-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix powder, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 & 1/2 cups milk, and 1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
- Add drained pasta to the mixture and gently fold together until incorporated. Cover tightly and chill in the fridge for at least a few hours (or overnight.)
- Place fully drained 8 ounces crushed pineapple, 20 ounces pineapple tidbits, 11 ounces mandarin oranges, and 15 ounces fruit cocktail in an airtight container and chill for a few hours (or overnight), as well.
- Once everything is chilled, add all the cold fruit, 1 cup mini marshmallows, and 1 cup coconut flakes to the pasta mixture.
- In a separate bowl beat together 1 & 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until it reaches stiff peaks (you should have about 3 cups.)
- Fold the fresh whipped cream into the fruit/pasta mixture and gently fold to combine.
- Serve in a trifle dish, large bowl, or individual dessert cups. (If serving in dessert cups, consider topping with a bit of piped whipped cream and a maraschino cherry, if desired.)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Other Notes
Serving Suggestions
Frog eye salad can either be served in a trifle dish or large bowl, where everyone can scoop a spoonful or two for themselves, or in individual dessert cups. I usually go with the trifle dish option for potlucks. When serving them in dessert cups, I like to add a bit of piped whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.
How To Store Leftovers
Leftover frog eye salad will last for up to 3 days in the fridge. Just keep it tightly covered with plastic wrap or transfer it to another airtight container. This salad does not freeze well.
More Sweet Salad Recipes
- Ambrosia Salad
- Grape Salad
- Creamy Waldorf Salad
- Delicatessen Fruit Salad
- Walking Strawberry Pretzel Salad
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Celebrated Mother’s Day a day early due to schedules and travel. Made this recipe and it was the hit of the brunch – everyone loved it! Such a strange thing to add pasta to a creamy fruit salad but it works. It was amazing. Thank you for sharing!
My grandmother made this recipe but with rice. She called it glorified rice
Yes it is yummy.