This Easy and refreshing Grape Salad is a must-make! So simple, yet perfect for Easter, picnics, BBQs, and cookouts! Juicy grapes smothered in cheesecake and topped with crunchy granola! Only 10 minutes to make!
Enjoy these summer salads, 20-minute Pesto Pasta Salad with Avocado and Cobb Pasta Salad when you need something easy to make!
No question, juicy grapes are delicious, popped in your mouth, and eaten on their own but make them into a dessert salad, and you’ve got something special you’re gonna want to share!
This easy Grape Salad is perfect for picnics, potlucks, or family gatherings you attend. Or whenever you want something delectably sweet and refreshing. It's a crowd pleaser.
This Strawberry Balsamic Flatbread and Watermelon Punch are easy and fun ones too, and constantly in rotation at our house during the warmer months.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- QUICK & EASY. You'll only need 10 minutes to whip this salad together.
- It's REFRESHING. The fresh grapes and light and creamy dressing make the perfect combo for your tastebuds!
- FEEDS A CROWD. This is an easy fruit salad to bring to gatherings and potlucks. It's also one of the best side dishes for warmer weather.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Our delicious grape salad only requires a few simple pantry ingredients. Nothing complicated here.
- Grapes - the main ingredient, grapes, give this salad its crisp, refreshing texture. You can use seedless green grapes, red grapes, or a combination of both.
- Cream Cheese - the cream cheese is the base of the creamy dressing and adds a mild but rich taste. We use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor, but you can use light cream cheese.
- Sour Cream - Because it's a little more acidic, it helps cleanse the palate after each creamy bite. It also complements the cream cheese, providing a little tang to offset the sweetness of the salad. You can use greek yogurt or vanilla yogurt instead of sour cream or marshmallow fluff for a sweeter option.
- Granulated Sugar - this adds sweetness to the recipe. Brown sugar can be substituted if you prefer.
- Vanilla Extract - vanilla brings all the flavors of the recipe together. We prefer pure vanilla extract as it has the best flavor.
- Lemon Juice - the citrus flavor balances the sweetness in the recipe and keeps it fresh. If you don’t have a fresh lemon on hand, it can be omitted. However, it does add a nice complement to the sweetness.
- Granola - the crunch of the granola is perfect with the creaminess of the dressing and pairs perfectly with the grapes. You can substitute roasted crunchy pecans, Heath Bars, Butterfinger candy bars, or walnuts for the granola.
Topping Ideas
The topping choices for this salad are endless. Try any one of these:
- Add a little a few tablespoons of brown sugar on top for added sweetness.
- Instead of the granola, you could use smashed Butterfinger candy bars, smashed heath bars, chopped walnuts, or chopped pecans.
- Chopped Pretzel pieces would add a nice crunch as well.
- Crushed graham crackers are nice atop this dessert salad.
Step-By-Step Instructions
You could say this dessert salad is a one-bowl-wonder! You can mix your creamy cheesecake base and then add your grapes into the same bowl, add toppings, and be ready to serve it to guests.
STEP 1 - You want to first wash and dry your grapes. We find doing this ahead of time and letting them sit on the counter to dry while I do something productive is a good way to go.
And 4 pounds of grapes sound like a lot, but it’s the perfect amount to feed a group.
STEP 2 - Next, in a large bowl, with a hand mixer, you’ll mix the room-temperature cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and splash of fresh lemon.
PRO TIP: To quickly soften cream cheese, take it out of the box, take off the foil wrapper and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 15 seconds (per 8-ounce box).
Erin
STEP 3 - Then add your crisp grapes and mix those in. Transfer to a serving bowl (if using one) and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Top with granola, and enjoy!
How to Make a Grape Salad with Cool Whip
This delightful, creamy summer salad can also be made with Cool Whip instead of sour cream. Just follow the recipe and swap the sour cream out and replace it with cool whip.
Then, enjoy it as usual.
Grape Salad with Butterfinger
Some may be saying add Butterfinger to a salad. What? That can't be! And others will be saying, yes, please!
If you're in the latter group, follow the recipe as written, but omit the granola and add ½ cup crushed Butterfinger as the topping. It really is a treat 🙂
Tips for Making A Grape Salad
- The flavor and color combination of red and green grapes is wonderful, but feel free to use one kind or the other.
- You can make this salad ahead of time (some say it’s even better the next day) and top it when ready to serve.
- Making Easy Grape Salad for a potluck recipe to share with friends? Click print and then select the servings you need on the recipe card to adjust the ingredients to match how many you’re feeding—the recipe does the math for you. It’s that easy.
Storing
If you have leftover grape salad, store it in an airtight container for 1-2 days. However, it will lose its fresh taste and may become watery.
Recipe FAQs
Grape salad does not freeze well, so we don't recommend it. When thawed, the consistency and texture would not be right.
Yes, if you're feeding little ones, cutting the grapes in half or quarters to prevent a choking hazard is a wonderful idea.
A pound of seedless grapes is about 2.5 cups of grapes, and a pound of seeded grapes is about 2 cups of grapes.
You have to try this simple and fast recipe, but be prepared to get asked for the recipe again and again and again!
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This recipe originally appeared on The Slow Roasted Italian.
Printable Recipe
Easy Grape Salad
Equipment
- large bowl
- Spatula or cooking spoon
- serving bowl
Ingredients
- 4 pounds seedless red or green grapes (or a combination)
- 8 oz package softened cream cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup granola
Instructions
- Wash and dry grapes, set aside. In a large bowl mix together softened cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar with electric mixer until smooth. Add vanilla and fresh lemon juice and beat at low speed until just combined.
- Add grapes to cream cheese mixture and stir until well coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Just before serving, place in a large serving bowl if desired and sprinkle with granola.
Katie says
I LOVE grape salad! So excited to try your recipe!
Erin Henry says
Awesome, Katie! It's such a wonderful summer treat!
Jen says
This salad is always a hit! I always make it when I get the big batches of grapes from Costco. It's so creamy and delicious and the granola is the perfect amount of crunch.
Erin Henry says
Yes, Costco grapes are perfect to make this recipe! The crunch and creamy texture is perfect!
Natasha says
This was a lovely and delicious salad especially for summer. I will for sure make it often for my family and friends. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Erin Henry says
Glad to hear it was a hit! It really is the perfect summer recipe!
Holly says
This looks so creamy and delicious! I love the savory cream cheese flavor paired with the sweetness of the grapes - yum!
Erin says
Hi Holly, it's a great combo and easy to throw together when you need an easy recipe to entertain!
KRISTEN says
My mom just had grape salad at a restaurant and begged me to find her the recipe...thanks friend. She just made this and loves it.
Erin says
Perfect timing then, Kristen!! I'm so glad she liked it!!