Frog Eye Salad is a retro side or dessert “salad” with canned fruits, acini de pepe pasta, and whipped topping–and a silly name!
This salad is a holiday classic that pairs perfectly with other side dishes like Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Vegetables, Brussels Sprouts, and/or a Sweet Potato Casserole!
Frog Eye Salad
As a born and raised Utahn, I’m no stranger to Frog Eye Salad. In fact, this salad was a staple in my home growing up! My aunt or mom made it (or this Watergate Salad) for every family potluck meal or holiday dinner.
And this brings us to the question everyone is eager to know…
Why do they call it a Frog Eye Salad?
While there isn’t necessarily a documented original story (that I know of), Frog Eye Salad is named after the acini de pepe pasta — it looks like tiny little frog eyes in this salad.
Despite the (slightly) creepy name, this salad is truly a unique pasta salad. It’s a sweet salad that can easily pass as a dessert, but in Utah, we like to call it a side salad to save room for 7 Layer Bars, Carmelitas, and Lemon Bars. 🙂
What Is Frog Eye Salad?
This is not necessarily a healthy salad, but here are a few ideas to make it a better-for-you choice:
- Make sure the canned fruit is canned in JUICE not syrup.
- Use a whipped topping alternative like Truwhip® OR whip your own cream (higher calories, but fewer chemicals), or for simply fewer calories use a “lite” whipped topping.
- Try coconut sugar in place of white sugar — it gives this salad a more coconut-y flavor.
Main Dishes that pair well with this salad:
Frog Eye Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup acini di pepe pasta or pastina pasta
- 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits in JUICE (not syrup) drained but RESERVE THE JUICE
- 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple in JUICE, drained but RESERVE THE JUICE
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon white flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cans (15 ounces EACH) mandarin oranges in JUICE
- 1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping completely thawed (Note 1)
- Optional: 1/3 cup miniature colored marshmallows, 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta according to package directions to cook it al dente. Drain and rinse the pasta in very cold water. Place in a large bowl in the fridge.
- Drain the pineapple tidbits to get 1 cup pineapple juice. Use more juice from the crushed pineapple if needed.
- Remove 1 tablespoon of the pineapple juice and pour in a small bowl. Pour the remaining pineapple juice into a medium-sized pot and set over medium heat. Briskly whisk in the egg. Add the flour to the reserved tablespoon of pineapple juice and whisk with a fork until smooth like a paste -- add to the egg and pineapple juice mixture, whisking constantly. Add in the salt and white sugar.
- Cook over medium heat until the mixture has thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and allow to cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Pour over the pasta and return the bowl to the fridge until both the pasta and the pineapple juice mixture are completely chilled.
- Meanwhile, open the cans and drain the mandarin oranges, the crushed pineapple, and pineapple tidbits. Make sure all the canned fruits are VERY well drained or your salad will be watery.
- Add the drained fruit into the cooled pasta mixture and gently stir together.
- Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until all the ingredients are well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
- If desired, stir in colored miniature marshmallows and shredded coconut right before serving.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My grandma called it Rosemarino… no idea where the name came from but it was pretty much the unhealthy version of your salad.
I love that name!! A lot prettier than “Frog Eye” salad 🙂
This is a very delicious treat.. my sister inlaw introduced me to it..I thought it was made with tapioca but she told me it was pasta. Our Family absolutely loves this and devours it every time.
We call it fruit pasta salad 😊❤
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Dee! 🙂
I’ve never heard about this salad before, but I love your healthy version. Love the pictures too 😉
Thank you Olivia!! 🙂
I love the name! Haha. The stars definitely make it less scary – but its almost Halloween so it’s all fun and games. When I was younger my aunt made a similar salad with pistachios and called it Goosebumps salad. I was terrified! This looks delicious 🙂
Haha!! A goosebumps salad sounds crazy and fun! 🙂
This is such a fun salad! I’ve never heard of it before but I love all the healthier swaps you made 🙂 The colors are so pretty too!
I’ve made this since my children were young. One of their playmate’s mom’s gave me her recipe in the 1980’s. Recipe lost long ago so I wing it. I use the liquid from the pineapple, fruit cocktail, and the oranges and thicken it similarly to your recipe . After mixing (lots of marshmallows) I referigerate it overnight and add the whipped topping and mix well.
Not knowing the name, I called it “Magic Salad, to intrigue young appetites. My oldest ( now a mother of many will eat every bite I make, morning, noon, and night .
It’s fun ,too, to surprise people with the magic ingredient. Nobody ever guesses pasta. And, yes , I went to 3 stores before finding Acini di Pepe. Thanks for the recipe!
Delish! It’s such a nostalgic dish for me as well! Enjoy! 🙂
Honestly this si the first time I have seen this type of salad, but hence I moved to US only 8 years ago lol wow pasta in a sweet salad, count me in, I can’t wait to try this one!
How have I never heard of frog eye salad before?? I feel so uncool! haha I love the healthier swaps that you made here!
Haha!! I don’t know how common it actually is so definitely don’t feel uncool 🙂 I’m sure I wouldn’t have heard about it without my mom making it ha! Thank you so much Ashley!!
I’ve never heard of this salad! I’ve never used pasta for anything sweet before, but I definitely want to try!
Frog Eye Salad (Tiny Stars Salad) will definitely be appearing on my Thanksgiving table this year. I think it sounds absolutely delicious! I am going to have to purchase the healthier version Truwhip and coconut sugar; those are 2 new products I haven’t tried yet. Thanks for the tip!
Hello there,
I’m planning a Witches Afternoon Tea and I’ve been looking up Watergate salad & variations and your recipe caught my eye. However, one of the ingredients pictured in your recipe is not listed as an ingredient- cherries or some other dark red fruit I assume ?
Thank you in advance and what a fun recipe ….
I can’t say that I’ve heard of Frogs Eye Salad, but I bet that would totally freak me out if I didn’t know there were mini marshmallows in here! I am all about a lighter salad with colorful marshmallow goodness! Looks great girl!
I’ve never heard of this salad before! But now that I know what’s in it, I’m intrigued. Sounds like a great Thanksgiving side dish!
One bit and you’re hooked. You’ll never look at fruit salad the same. i’t s sweet and sparkly and fun. Hard to find Acini de Pepe anymore though. I had to order mine from Amazon. We’ve had this dish at every majou holiday for 10years now. it’s a family favorite for sure.
One bite!! Not one bit
Try couscous instead!
This salad is so awesome we will eat it for breakfast, midnight snack n its great at potlucks, formal dinner, on holidays, with turkey dinner or no matter what the main course is, the sky is the limit, with this salad.
I am so thrilled to hear this! I agree, the sky is the limit with this salad! Thanks Lorinda! 🙂