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.
I made this for years to take to our extended family Thanksgiving dinners & became known for it❣️My frog eye salad is not the same, though, if I don’t include tons of sweet pomegranate berries, conveniently right in season at this time if year❣️
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Susie! 🙂
For the pasta is it 1 cup of cooked pasta or is it 1 cup of dry pasta cooked?
Measure 1 cup dry pasta and then cook according to package directions
You don’t say to drain the oranges? I did.
You don’t say how much of the pineapple juice to use – I looked up another recipe and it said one cup so that’s what I used. I used the mini marshmallows- turned out very good and I’ll make again.
Hey Shannan, not sure what you’re seeing, but both of those instructions are in the instructions in the recipe card. Step 5 says to drain mandarin oranges really well and step 2 says to get 1 cup of pineapple juice
Hello! This looks so yummy! I was wondering if I could substitute tapioca bubbles for the pasta?
I believe that would thicken it too much unfortunately!
I have actually made something similar many times using tapioca pearls and less sugar and a dash of vanilla. The pearls are a pain because it is a cook and rinse and repeat many times to get them the right consistency but when you are gluten free and this is a childhood favorite it is worth it.
Delish!!
I would love your gluten free prep instructions if you would share! Frog eye salad is a great favorite in our house and we recently had to change my daughter’s diet to gluten free; so many years have been shed over the loss of this particular recipe.
If I can get the pasta here fast enough I will make this for our Thanksgiving Dinner. I need to make for 40 people. How would it be if I x4 but substitute in different fruit for x3 of the recipe?
What fruit are you wanting to use?
Hi Chelsea,
I’m looking forward to making this. I’m wondering if I add sugar to the whipping cream if I whip my own?
Thanks
Just depends on the cream you are using and how sweet you’d like it; if you want it to more closely imitate Cool Whip, then yes I’d add a few tablespoons powdered sugar 🙂 Enjoy!
I love this salad I just made it for Thanksgiving I make it every year
How can I cut this in half?
I’d halve all the ingredients and use just an egg yolk 🙂
DO YOU HAVE SOME RECIPES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SALT FREE AND SUGAR FREE DIETS?
Absolutely! Most of my recipes call for salt, but feel free to admit the salt. I also have a lot of sugar-free recipes as far as dinner meals, but most of my desserts do contain sugar.
I assume you add the pineapple tidbits with the rest of the fruit?
Yes, thanks for catching that Tracey! I’ve updated the recipe 🙂
Your Frog Eye Salad looks pretty! I know it’s delicious because my mother-in-law used to make it for special occasions. I make it occasionally, and people are always amazed that it is made with pasta.
Thank you so much Angie!! Yes it’s crazy to think it’s pasta!!