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An overhead picture of the finished Frog Eye Salad recipe in a clear serving bowl.
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5 from 7 votes

Frog Eye Salad (Acini de Pepe Fruit Salad)

Frog Eye Salad, or Acini de Pepe Fruit Salad, is a sweet vintage pasta salad served as a side dish or dessert during holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Summer BBQs.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chill Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: mini marshmallows, pasta salad, pineapple
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 388kcal
Author: Adapted from Food Folks and Fun
Cost: $7.33

Equipment

  • mixing bowls
  • whisk
  • rubber scraper
  • large bowl
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • measuring cups
  • large pot
  • Colander

Ingredients

PASTA:

  • 16 ounces acini di pepe pasta

PINEAPPLE PUDDING:

  • 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding
  • 2 cups pineapple juice use the drained juice from the pineapple chunks and crushed pineapple

FRUIT AND FLUFF:

  • 8 oz container Cool Whip
  • 1 cup marshmallow creme
  • 20 ounce can pineapple tidbits drained juice is used earlier in the recipe
  • 20 ounce can crushed pineapple drained juice used earlier in the recipe
  • 15 ounce can mandarin oranges drained
  • 3 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

GARNISHES (all optional):

  • Additional Cool Whip
  • Additional mandarin slices
  • Maraschino cherries
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

COOK AND COOL PASTA:

  • Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Then drain pasta rinse under cold water. Place pasta in a large Tupperware to cool.

MAKE PINEAPPLE PUDDING:

  • Add the pudding packet to a medium bowl. Pour in pineapple juice. Whisk until combined. Chill for 10 minutes.
  • Once the pasta has cooled, add the pudding to the pasta and stir to combine.
  • Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but overnight is better.

ADD IN FRUIT AND FLUFF:

  • Add Cool Whip to a medium bowl and whisk in the marshmallow creme until incorporated.
  • Transfer the pasta mixture to a large serving bowl. Fold in Cool Whip mixture, drained fruit, marshmallows, and coconut.

GARNISH AND SERVE:

  • Garnish with piped cool whip, mandarin slices, and maraschino cherries (all optional). Serve or chill until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 547IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg