With its minimal prep time and crowd-pleasing appeal, Grape Salad is the cool, crunchy, and surprisingly refreshing dish you want at your next gathering. Juicy grapes, crisp apples, and toasted pecans are coated in a luscious vanilla, cream cheese, and Greek yogurt dressing.
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Sure, it sounds a little weird, but boy does it hit the spot!
If you’ve attended a potluck in the Midwest, you know we use the term “salad” pretty loosely around here.
While I will always be drawn to more vibrant, veggie-loaded salads (like this Roasted Vegetable Salad), grape salad is an old-school recipe for which I have an exceptional weakness.
This grape salad recipe has a few Well Plated tweaks. We skip the sour cream and marshmallow cream, opting instead for Greek yogurt, which provides the same creaminess and moderate tang.
I also cut down on the sugar by…a lot. I add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon honey. (Some recipes call for as much as a cup of sugar, which I truly cannot imagine!)
Don’t worry, though—this healthier grape salad is still quick and easy to make and I promise it’s going to be a crowd-pleaser!
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
Grapes. I like to use green and red for variety, but you can use a single color.
Apple. While not traditional to grape salad, I love the burst of crispness that the apple provides. In place of the apple, you can use additional grapes. OR give this salad an autumn twist by using a combination of apples, pears, and grapes.
Cream Cheese. I opted to use low-fat cream cheese, which helps keep this salad on the lighter side. Do not start the recipe until you have softened cream cheese. If the cream cheese is too cold, the dressing will be lumpy.
Greek Yogurt. Adds further creaminess and a delightful tang.
Pecans. Toasted pecans add a nice crunch and nuttiness to the salad. If you prefer, you can swap the pecans for walnuts.
Honey. Not only does honey add extra sweetness, but it also adds wonderful flavor. Maple syrup would work well too.
Vanilla and Cinnamon. The somethin’ somethin’ that makes this dish truly addictive.
Grape Salad Toppings
We enjoy this grape salad without the addition of other toppings, but you can certainly add them if you’d like.
Candy Bars. Crushed candy bars are a popular grape salad topping. Try diced Snickers or Heath bars.
Graham Crackers. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the top of your salad. (Finish with a pinch of brown sugar for extra cozy flavor.)
5 Star Review
“This recipe is simple and amazingly delicious. I made it for a holiday and everyone kept grabbing the bowl for seconds and thirds.”
— Mary —
How to Make Grape Salad
Toast the Pecans. Keep a close watch on them as they bake. Once pecans burn, there’s no salvaging them!
Make the Dressing. Beat together the cream cheese dressing in a large bowl. For ease, I typically choose to beat the cream cheese dressing with a hand mixer, but you could do it by hand if necessary.
Add the Fruit and Nuts. Stir in the grapes, apples, and part of the chopped pecans. While we choose to leave our grapes whole for this salad, you could cut yours in half if you prefer. This may be a good option if you’re making the grape salad for kids.
Serve. Sprinkle the remaining pecans over the top and ENJOY!
What to Serve with Grape Salad
This is an easy side salad you can serve with brunch, lunch, and dinner. You can even make it a dessert!
Chicken. Creamy grape salad is delicious with Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders for a kid-friendly dinner.
Crepes. For a scrumptious brunch, serve this recipe with Strawberry Crepes.
Eggs. Another delightful brunch pairing is Egg White Frittata or Spinach Quiche with this salad.
Casserole. Serve this recipe with Ham Casserole to make it a meal.
Other Salads. Enjoy this recipe with everything from Avocado Egg Salad to Chicken Pasta Salad.
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Grape Salad
Grape salad is a refreshing potluck favorite you can make year-round! Red and green grapes, apples, and pecans in a sweet, creamy dressing.
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 0 minutesminutes
Total Time 15 minutesminutes
Servings 8– 10 servings
Calories 255kcal
Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated
Ingredients
1cuppecan halves
1poundseedless red grapesabout 2 ½ cups
1poundseedless green grapesabout 2 ½ cups
2medium sweet-crisp applessuch as Gala, Fuji, or Honeycrisp, diced (or an additional 1 pound mixed grapes)
4ouncesreduced fat cream cheeseat room temperature
½cupplain nonfat Greek yogurt
2tablespoonsgranulated sugar
1tablespoonhoney or pure maple syrup
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
½teaspoonground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast until golden and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes. DO NOT WALK AWAY. Nuts love to burn at the last second. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth and creamy.
Place the grapes and apples in the bowl with the cream cheese. Roughly chop the pecans and add about 2/3 of them to the bowl.
Stir to combine, using a big spoon to coat the fruit evenly.
Sprinkle the remaining chopped pecans over the top. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
TO STORE: Refrigerate grape salad in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
TO MAKE AHEAD: Up to 1 day in advance, toast the pecans and beat the cream cheese mixture together. Cover and refrigerate the cream cheese mixture, and place the toasted pecans in an airtight storage container at room temperature.
