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This Easy Grape Salad recipe is loaded with fresh grapes, sweetened cream cheese, and a crunchy, nutty topping. It’s ready in just 5 minutes plus chilling time.
Grape Salad another one of those classic Midwestern desserts that we pass off as a salad (similar to Snickers Salad or Strawberry Pretzel Salad). It’s a sweet and nutty side dish with a creamy sauce and a crunchy topping.
It’s easy to make: mix up cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla, then add chilled grapes and top with brown sugar and walnuts. That’s it!
It’s kid-friendly, and I love it too because I can eat it as a dessert and still feel light and full of energy afterwards. What a great summer side dish!
Table of Contents
- Recipe ingredients
- Ingredient notes
- Step-by-step instructions
- Recipe tips and variations
- Recipe FAQs
- Easy Grape Salad Recipe
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Cream cheese: If the cream cheese is not softened to room temperature, the cream cheese and sour cream won’t combine well (the mixture will be lumpy). If this happens, stir it quickly with a whisk.
- Grapes: Chilled red grapes (the sweetest you can find), and preferably seedless. If you know small children will be eating the salad, consider quartering the grapes.
- Walnuts: Chopped and toastedwalnuts are great in this salad, or try toasted pecans instead.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Carefully fold in the grapes and gently toss until evenly coated. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix brown sugar and walnuts.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on top of the grapes. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Serve cold.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes at least 12 cups Grape Salad, enough for 12 servings, 1 cup each.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (the salad may get watery over time but is still safe to eat).
- Make ahead: This salad is best enjoyed the day you make it. However, you can get a head start by pulling the cream cheese out of the refrigerator a few hours before you make it.
- Grape Salad with Snickers: Yes, chopped up Snickers Bars are supposedly a must-have on this salad (reminiscent of Snickers Salad).
- Grape Salad with strawberries. Natural, good-for-you fresh berries tossed in with the grapes, how can that taste anything but excellent?
- Grape Salad with graham crackers. Crushed graham crackers as a topping on grape salad add a little sweetness, with or without the brown sugar topping.
Recipe FAQs
How do you soften cream cheese fast?
Unwrap your block of cream cheese completely (discarding the cardboard box and inner foil wrapper). Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for about 15 seconds per 8 ounces of cream cheese.
How many cups are in a pound of grapes?
1 pound of seedless grapes contains about 2 ½ cups of grapes. If the grapes have seeds, 1 pounds of seeded grapes contains about 2 cups of grapes.
How do you serve grape salad?
This salad is at its best when placed on the table when its icy cold. Sprinkle the toppings on and serve with a spoon so everyone can help themselves. For a better topping-to-grape-ratio, assemble grape salad in a shallow casserole so people don’t fight for the crunchy nuts and brown sugar.
More summer sides
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Easy Grape Salad
By Meggan Hill
This easy Grape Salad recipe is loaded with fresh grapes, sweetened cream cheese, and a crunchy, nutty topping. It's ready in just 5 minutes plus chilling time.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Servings 12 servings (1 cup each)
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Calories 341
5 from 147 votes
ReviewPrint
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened (see note 1)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 pounds red seedless grapes chilled (about 10 cups, see note 2)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped (see note 3)
Instructions
In a large bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla and stir to combine.
Carefully fold in the grapes and gently toss until evenly coated. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix brown sugar and walnuts.
Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on top of the grapes. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Serve cold.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Cream cheese: If the cream cheese is not softened to room temperature, the cream cheese and sour cream won’t combine well (the mixture will be lumpy). If this happens, stir it quickly with a whisk.
- Grapes: Chilled red grapes (the sweetest you can find), and preferably seedless. If you know small children will be eating the salad, consider quartering the grapes.
- Walnuts: Chopped and toastedwalnuts are great in this salad, or try toasted pecans instead.
- Yield: This recipe makes at least 12 cups Grape Salad, enough for 12 servings, 1 cup each.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (the salad may get watery over time but is still safe to eat).
- Make ahead: This salad is best enjoyed the day you make it. However, you can get a head start by pulling the cream cheese out of the refrigerator a few hours before you make it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 341kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 4gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 72mgPotassium: 400mgFiber: 2gSugar: 43gVitamin A: 475IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
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