Frog Eye Salad

If you're looking for the perfect crowd-pleasing, fun-to-eat side dish that's perfect for gatherings, potlucks, and family dinners - this Frog Eye Salad is a must-make. Despite its quirky name, there are no frogs involved - just tiny pasta pearls (acini de pepe), juicy fruit, fluffy whipped topping, fluffy marshmallows, and a creamy sweet pineapple juice dressing that ties it all together.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword acini de pepe salad, creamy fruit salad, frog eye salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 7

Total Time 7 25

Servings

Calories 317kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

3 cups cooked acini de pepe pasta (see notes)
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple in pineapple juice drained well with juice reserved
1 can (20 oz) pineapple tidbits in pineapple juice drained well with juice reserved
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip thawed
1 can (15 oz) mandarin oranges drained well
3 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

In a large pot of salted water, over high heat, cook the acini de pepe pasta according to the package directions to al dente or softer; depending on your preference. When done, drain the pasta and set it aside for later. Do not rinse it, just drain it.
^{* Al dente gives the pasta a ton of chewy texture and slight crunch, I highly recommend cooking the pasta to a very soft texture. The box says 9 minutes, but I always cook mine closer to 12 minutes.}
3 cups cooked acini de pepe pasta
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the reserved pineapple juices (from the cans - about 2 cups worth), granulated sugar, egg, and cornstarch. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, while stirring frequently for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
½ cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Transfer the pineapple juice mixture into a bowl or other container, and then stir in the cooked acini de pepe pasta and stir until everything is well combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour so it can chill.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta mixture (that was in the fridge), crushed pineapple, pineapple tidbits, Cool Whip, mandarin oranges, and mini marshmallows. Stir everything together until it's well combined.
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple in pineapple juice, 1 can (20 oz) pineapple tidbits in pineapple juice, 1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip, 1 can (15 oz) mandarin oranges, 3 cups mini marshmallows
Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate for at least 6 hours; or up to overnight.
When ready to serve, stir the salad well and serve the creamy salad chilled from the fridge, and enjoy!

Notes

Acini de Pepe Pasta : This pasta is very small in the shape of tiny balls. It comes in a 16 ounce box but you won't use all of it. For 3 cups cooked pasta use about 1 ½ cups dry pasta. You will have a bit leftover, but I always like to be safe than sorry. And if you prefer more pasta in the side dish, then use a heaping 3 cups cooked acini de pepe pasta (this is what I do).

Pasta Cooking Tip : The box says to cook the acini de Pepe pasta for 9 minutes; however, this is very al dente with quite a bite of texture/crunch to it still. I always cook the pasta for closer to 12 minutes for that softer texture that will soak up all that creamy sauce and whipped topping. Make sure to salt the pasta water; I use about 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt when boiling any kind of pasta.

Pineapple Juice : Once drained you should have about 2 cups of pineapple juice from the cans of tidbits and crushed pineapple. If you have significantly less, then that means you probably did not properly or adequately drain all the juices. So strain the fruit again and try to get more juice.

Draining Fruit : To prevent the salad from being watery make sure that all the fruit is drained really well. This is usually where the extra water/liquid in the frog eye salad comes from. A tip I have is to take some paper towel and just blot the pineapple tidbits and mandarin oranges with it to soak up any excess water. When draining the crushed pineapple, use the back of a spoon to press and push on the pineapple to ensure all the juices come out.

Tip : Don't turn the heat higher than medium when cooking the pineapple juice + cornstarch mixture. It will take several minutes to start thickening, but once it does, it happens quickly so make sure you are stirring frequently to avoid scorching the bottom. Use a spoon to stir and you will know it's ready when the sauce coats and stays on the back of the spoon rather than just sliding right off. It won't be like thick and creamy, but rather a thicker consistency but still clear/liquid looking. About 10 minutes total is how long it takes me to cook this mixture.

Nutrition