Everyone always loves this creamy, fluffy Frog Eye Salad made with acini de pepe, pineapple, coconut, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, and bananas.

Overhead photo of a bowl of frog eye salad made with acini de pepe, bananas, pineapple, and mandarin oranges.

I’m sure many of you know this salad as the one that your grandmother brought to family parties. It’s super old school, but some of those old school recipes will always be classics, am I right?!

But, can we all agree that “Frog Eye Salad” is the worst name ever? It totally makes me laugh. The last thing I want to be thinking when I’m eating this is “ooh, those acini de pepes are just like little frog eyes!”.

I don’t know who came up with the name but it’s so weird.  Did you grow up calling this “Frog Eye” Salad or something else?  We usually called it Acini de Pepe Fruit Salad.

Trifle cups filled with acini de pepe fruit salad and topped with a maraschino cherry.

Well, whatever you called it, this bowl of fluffy, fruity goodness is the best! It’s basically dessert and not a salad at all. But who am I to put up a fight when a big bowl of dessert is served as a side dish? 🙂

The traditional version of this salad uses a container of thawed cool whip, but I use freshly whipped cream instead and it makes the biggest difference. Beating the cream takes just as much time as thawing a container of cool whip, but it tastes SOO much yummier!

How to make Frog Eye Salad:

In a saucepan, heat sugar, pineapple juice, egg yolk, salt, and cornstarch and whisk until combined.  Bring the mixture to a boil and wait for it to thicken slightly.  Remove it from heat.  Cook the acini de pepe noodles separately.

Four process photos for cooking acini de pepe noodles to make frog eye salad.

Combine the acini de pepe and the sugar mixture and refrigerate overnight or for at least two hours.  When you’re ready to serve the salad, combine the pineapple, oranges, coconut, bananas, and marshmallows.  Then add the fruit mixture to the acini de pepe noodles. Fold in the fresh whipped cream and serve!

Overhead view of a bowl with the ingredients for frog eye salad including acini de pepe, crushed pineapple, bananas, mandarin oranges, marshmallows and coconut.

How do you cook acini de pepe noodles?

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the acini de pepe noodles, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 6 minutes or until al dente.

Close up photo of a glass mixing bowl with acini de pepe frog eye salad in it and a white spatula spoon for serving.

Consider trying these fruit salad recipes:

 

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Recipe

Close up photo of a glass mixing bowl with acini de pepe frog eye salad in it and a white spatula spoon for serving.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Refrigeration 2 hours
Total 2 hours 25 minutes
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Ingredients
  

  • 20 ounce can pineapple tidbits , drained and juice reserved
  • 10 ounce can crushed pineapple , drained and juice reserved
  • 1 cup reserved pineapple juice
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup acini de pepe noodles
  • 15 ounce can mandarin oranges , drained
  • 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 banana , sliced
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Drain the pineapple cans and reserve the juice. Reserve the pineapple fruit in the fridge for later.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat combine the pineapple juice, sugar, egg yolk, salt and cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
  • Cook until mixtures comes to a low boil and thickens slightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  • Cook acini de pepe noodles according to package instructions. Drain and cool.
  • Combine the acini de pepe and the thickened sauce in a tupperware. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
  • Once the acini de pepe mixture has chilled add it to a large bowl with the pineapple, mandarin oranges, coconut, marshmallows, and bananas.
  • In a separate bowl beat the cream and sugar together until stiff peaks. Fold fresh whipped cream into the acini de pepe mixture. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 76mgPotassium: 292mgFiber: 3gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 715IUVitamin C: 22.9mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 0.8mg

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I have used the frog eye salad recipe many many times. It’s easy and not expensive to make at all. The only problem I had was figuring out which sugar to use with what step. Other than that easy, peasy tyvm. I am now hooked on it

  2. 5 stars
    Really valuable about this recipe is using the drained juice. I had already bought pineapple juice ($2.69) but did a taste test ( very similar) & used the drained juice.

  3. It drives me nuts when people call ANY pasta “noodles”. Call it acini de pepe pasta.
    Noodles are flat strips of pasta.
    That said, the recipe is fine and we call it Frog Eye Salad.

    1. your comment is unnecessary. didn’t your mom teach you, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all?”

  4. In Kansas we DO NOT PUT coconut, bananas or marshmallows in Frog Eye! Our family loves it!!! We always have this at Thanksgiving & Christmas. Leftovers are better with frog eye.

    1. I don’t put coconut or bananas in mine either. I think bananas would turn it brown and would not stay fresh as long.

      1. I cut the bananas in the pineapple or mandarin orange juice then drain the bananas, the bananas don’t turn brown for 3 or 4 days

  5. 5 stars
    Love this salad my good friend made it and I just had to have this recipe 🐸👀🥗💛💖💙❤️💜

  6. 5 stars
    Wonderful, wonderful recipe! We made it with colorful marshmallows and it was an instant hit with my four teenagers.

  7. Great Recipe! I added diced peaches & maraschino cherries to mine in addition to all the other yummy fruit.
    This is always a hit at any gathering!!

  8. When I tell People its Frog eyes They don’t want to eat it But they love it when they finally taste it. A very refreshing Summer dessert/

  9. 5 stars
    I made this and it was simple to make and tasted delicious!!! I will definitely be making this again and again.

    Thank you!

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