Easy Grape Salad with Cream Cheese

Easy, old-fashioned Grape Salad is full of plump, juicy grapes, buttery toasted pecans, and a tangy dressing made with cream cheese, sour cream. This whimsical side dish only takes minutes to prepare; it makes a lovely presentation, and it is a light and refreshing sweet ending to any meal.

Easy Grape Salad is a Southern classic. You can almost always find a big bowl at potlucks and backyard neighborhood barbecues.  And, it is one of the first dishes to run out. This Grape Salad makes a lovely side dish for an Easter or Mother’s Day Brunch or ladies luncheon. It is also a make-ahead wonder and every time I have taken it anywhere, I am always asked for the recipe. It’s that good!

My sister Nancy first brought this “salad” to a birthday party for my daughter several years ago.  I fell in love with it and have been making it ever since.

Here’s what you will need:

• Red and green grapes – grape salad is delicious with any kind of grape; half and half is more colorful, but feel free to use just green or just red.  
• Cream cheese – is the base of this dressing and provides a tangy creaminess. 
• Sour cream – combines with the cream cheese to make a luscious “cheesecake” rich and creamy dressing.
• Granulated sugar – is also part of the dressing and is what makes it sweet. 
• Vanilla extract – enhances all of the other flavors in the dressing and brings them all together.
• Brown sugar – combines with the pecans to provide another layer of deliciousness to this dish.
• Toasted pecans – add a rich buttery crunch to the topping and combined with the brown sugar takes this dish to the next level. 

Here’s how to make it:

1. Wash the grapes in a colander under cold water and spread them out on a clean kitchen towel to dry. Remove any bruised or damaged grapes. 
2. Add the softened cream cheese to another bowl and whip with an electric mixer until the cream cheese is smooth and creamy with no lumps. Add the sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla and mix until everything is combined. 
3. Spoon the cream cheese-sour cream mixture over the grapes and toss gently until they are coated.
4. Combine the brown sugar and toasted pecans and sprinkle evenly over the top of the grape salad. Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least one hour or until you are ready to serve it. 

Frequently asked questions:

Is grape salad a dessert?

Grape salad is certainly more of a dessert than a salad. I’m not sure why it’s called a “salad” because it includes sour cream, sugar, and cream cheese. But, I’m more than willing to go along with it in the name of “health,” especially since it also includes grapes!

Why is my topping lumpy?

To prevent lumps, be sure your cream cheese is soft and beat it until it is smooth, and creamy before adding the sour cream or any other ingredients.

What kind of grapes?

You can use any seedless grapes you like. I usually like to mix it up and use red and green grapes because it looks more colorful. But, you can use all red or all green. The most important thing is to make sure they are seedless.

How to buy grapes?

When buying, look for grapes that are firm, plump, and vibrant in color. And, make sure that the stems are green and full. The stems of older grapes will be dry and brown. 

How to store them?

Fresh grapes will stay fresh much longer if you don’t wash them when you bring them home. Store them in the fridge in the bag they came in and they should last at least a week or more. 

How to store leftovers?

Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. Do not try to freeze it, it will not go well. 

Variations:

• There are lots of different variations to this recipe, but this one is my favorite. I have not tried any of these substitutions, but I’m listing them here in case you want to reduce the number of calories in this recipe or are out of an ingredient and need a substitute. If you do try any of these substitutes, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. 
• I use regular cream cheese in this recipe. You can save a few calories by using reduced-fat cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese. 
• For sour cream, I also recommend the full-fat version. Substitutes include reduced-fat sour cream, vanilla yogurt, or unsweetened Greek yogurt. You can also substitute frozen whipped topping or marshmallow cream. 
• Stevia or your favorite sugar substitute can be substituted for granulated sugar. 
• For the topping, instead of the brown sugar and pecans, you could try chopped-up Heath Bars, Snickers, or Butterfingers. I have also seen folks top their grape salad with crunchy granola. 

Sharon’s tips:

• This recipe as written makes a lot. Feel free to scale it up or down to suit your needs. 
• Occasionally, grapes, especially green ones, are a little tart. If that’s the case with your grapes, feel free to add a tablespoon or so more of the granulated sugar. 
• If your grapes are large, feel free to cut them in half or quarters. 
• To soften the cream cheese, unwrap it, and place it in a microwave-safe container—microwave for about 30 seconds. 
• This salad can be made ahead of time and is even better the second day after the flavors have had a chance to come together.
• To toast your pecans, if they are halves, put them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes. If they are pieces, they will cook faster, so only cook them for six to eight minutes. Check often and stir to make sure they don’t burn. I usually toast one pound of pecans at a time and then store them in the freezer until I need them.
• Since you only need a small number of pecans, you can also toast them in the microwave. To do this, place them in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate and microwave them in one-minute intervals until they are browned and toasty. This will take from four to six minutes for pecan pieces. 

More old-fashioned “Salad” recipes:

If you like these types of old-fashioned “salads,” you might also like these popular recipes:

• Amazing Pistachio Pudding Salad,
• Old-Fashioned Southern Ambrosia, and
• Make-Ahead Frozen Fruit Salad.

Click here if you would like to take a peek at all of my salad recipes: 

**This post was originally posted on August 15, 2015. Reposted today to update the text, add step-by-step video, and update the images.