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If you think a salad is just about leafy greens, this Grape Salad recipe will change your mind! It’s a mix of green and red grapes with a creamy blend of cream cheese and Greek yogurt, all mixed together with a drizzle of honey and a bit of vanilla. Grape salad is unexpectedly refreshing and can swing between being a sweet side or a light dessert!
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Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: No-Cook
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Fresh and Sweet
Skill Level: Easy
- Healthy and refreshing: The honey and Greek yogurt in the dressing creates a wonderful creamy consistency without being overly heavy. Grapes aren’t the number one thing people think of making for dessert, but this salad will have you making it again and again!
- Quick and easy: Everything is done in one bowl, and it comes together in minutes. The hardest part is waiting for it to chill in the fridge.
- Perfect for all summer gatherings: Whether you’ve been tasked to bring a side to a potluck or host a big cookout, this grape salad with Greek yogurt is an excellent summer dish for all occasions.
Ingredients to Make Grape Salad
- Grapes: A combination of seedless green grapes and red grapes is the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. When buying grapes, avoid the large variety and look for small to medium-sized grapes.
- Creamy dressing: A blend of cream cheese, Greek yogurt, honey for a touch of sweetness, and vanilla extract complements the grapes.
- Chopped pecans: Sprinkled on top for a delicious nuttiness – they add a rich, slightly buttery crunch to the salad.
- Brown sugar: Slightly caramel in flavor, brown sugar pairs well with the pecans but feel free to skip if you find the salad is sweet enough for you already.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Adjust the sweetness: Depending on how sweet the grapes are, you may want to tone down the honey or skip the brown sugar topping. Similarly, if your grapes are a little on the tart side, feel free to increase the honey. I recommend starting with a little and increasing as needed.
- Other nuts: Chopped pecans go well on top of this grape salad, but you can swap that out with another crunchy topping like toasted almonds or sunflower seeds, or skip the brown sugar and use candied walnuts or roasted cashews with coconut.
- Fresh add-ins: Add citrus zest, like orange or lemon zest, to brighten the flavors of this grape salad. Or garnish with a sprig of mint or chiffonade basil for a herby pop of flavor.
How to Make Grape Salad
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add cream cheese, Greek yogurt, honey, and vanilla extract.
- Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add cleaned and dried grapes.
- Fold them together with the dressing until combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set in the fridge for a few hours.
Tips for Making the Best Grape Salad With Yogurt
- Start with room-temperature ingredients. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature to make it easier to mix. Similarly, it’s best to avoid using chilled grapes as that will instantly harden the dressing.
- Make sure your grapes are dry. Moisture will dilute the salad dressing and make it harder to combine everything, and the dressing will fall off the grapes. So, make sure your grapes are washed and completely dried before adding them to the sweet cream cheese mixture.
- Chill the salad. Transfer the salad to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight, to help the flavors meld together and the salad to set properly.
- Add crunchy topping last. Sprinkle the top of the salad with chopped pecans and brown sugar just before serving so it retains the crispy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Transfer leftover grape salad to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It may be stored longer than that, but the grapes will soften over time and become mushy.
No, I recommend keeping the grapes whole. Cutting them will cause the grapes to release moisture, resulting in a watery salad. That’s why it’s important that you look for grapes that are on the smaller to medium size so they are perfectly bite-sized.
If the salad is too runny, it might be due to excess moisture in the grapes or the yogurt not being thick enough. Make sure your grapes are dry after washing them, and use Greek yogurt, which is thicker than regular yogurt. If it’s still too runny, you can strain the yogurt beforehand to thicken it further.
If the dressing feels too thick, you can thin it by adding a little more Greek yogurt or a splash of milk. Stir it well and adjust gradually until you reach the desired consistency.
Tasty and refreshing, this grape salad is a delicious summer dish. The subtle sweetness from the honey and that perfect tang in the Greek yogurt make this dessert with grapes an easy must-make. And that crunchy pecan topping takes this salad to a whole new level!
More Fruit Dessert/Fruit Salad Recipes:
- Summer Fruit Salad
- Watermelon Fruit Pizza
- Grilled Fruit Kabobs
- Watermelon Cucumber Salad
- Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza
- Watermelon Blueberry Salad
- Fruity Ice Cubes
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Grape Salad
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup 2% Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups seedless grapes cleaned and dried
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add cream cheese, yogurt, honey, and vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- Add grapes and fold together until combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle the top with pecans and brown sugar.
Notes
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature to make it easier to blend into other dressing ingredients. Similarly, it’s best to avoid using chilled grapes as that will instantly solidify the dressing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
