Creamy Grape Salad (One Bowl)

Quick and easy creamy grape salad recipe that's ready in 10 minutes, using simple ingredients. It's sweet, creamy and packed with nuts.

In  general, I don't care for salads except for this one. Those juicy grapes mixed with all that creamy mixture and crunchy nuts and brown sugar is to die for! There is no baking, no cooking and everything just comes together in in one bowl! Now, I just want you all to know that this recipe is not the same as chicken grape salad, which is savory and does not use any sugar or whipped cream. It's a sweet and creamy salad that usually served at picnics, potlucks, brunches and dinner parties as a side dish and sometimes, even dessert. If you like creamy recipes, be sure to also try my Creamy Cucumber Recipe, Creamy Cranberry Salad, or this Creamy Coleslaw.

Key ingredients for best creamy salad

• Cream cheese- This adds to the creaminess of the salad.
• Sour cream- Balances out the sugar and also adds to the creaminess.
• Granulated and brown sugar- You will need both for the perfect sweetness.
• Vanilla Extract- Adds a bit of warmth and compliments the other ingredients.
• Red and green grapes- Brings in a variety of flavor and color.
• Pecans- Be sure they are roughly chopped.
• Coconut- This is optional, but adds some texture and flavor.

Variations

• Use only one type of grape- Like green grapes only to make green grape salad or just red grapes to make red grape salad.
• Add in different fruit- Such as some chopped apples or pears.
• Add some small broccoli florets- Make sure they are steamed first and cut into small pieces.
• For healthy version- Use full fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and also use low fat cream cheese. The salad will have a bit of a tangy flavor, though.
• Try other nut toppings- Such as chopped walnuts, pistachios, peanuts or even macadamia nuts.
• Cool Whip- You can add 8 oz to make more of a "fluff salad."
• Marshmallow cream/ fluff- Try this to bring in a new flavor and texture. You can even add mini marshmallows into the mix.
• Butterfingers- Many people like to put these in for some extra crunch and sweetness.
• Pretzels- Put in some chopped pretzels to add in a salty crunch.
• Add different nuts- Traditionally, pecans are used but you can use any other nuts you like, such as peanuts, walnuts, or pistachios. Just make sure they are unsalted but toasted.
• Adjust ingredient quantities- This recipe can easily be doubled, and if you enjoy more nuts, less coconut, or an addition of mini chocolate chips then you can! It is easy to adjust.

How to make easy creamy grape salad recipe from scratch in one bowl?

1. In a large bowl, mix together- Cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla.
2. Toss in grapes and chopped pecans- Then mix together until grapes are fully coated.
3. Top it off with brown sugar and pecans- And let it chill. Enjoy!

What to serve with this salad?

Because this is more of a side dish or dessert, you will want a high protein main dish to go along with it, such as Slow Cooker Ham, Roast Turkey Breast, Easy pot roast recipe, Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers, Pepper Steak Recipe, Chicken and Broccoli, or Black Pepper Chicken.

Tips and techniques

• Don't cut the grapes in half- Because that releases too much water and makes the creamy consistency thinner and you don't want that to happen.
• Use full fat ingredients- I highly recommend using full fat sour cream and cream cheese for maximum creaminess.
• You must chill this salad- For at least 1 hour because it tastes better when it's cold.
• Coconut is optional in this recipe- But I recommend it because it adds a subtle chewiness, which is amazing. Sweetened or unsweetened coconut can be used!
• You need both granulated and brown sugar- For this recipe in order to get the right sweet flavor.
• Use a variety of grapes- For variety in color, flavor, and texture. The higher quality the grapes, the better the salad will be.
• Pounds to cups- You will need approximately 4 cups of seeded grapes to equal the 2 pounds needed for this recipe. Make 5 cups for seedless grapes.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

• Room temperature- Don't leave out more than 1-2 hours max because this salad is best cold and the dairy ingredients won't last.
• Refrigerate- It can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze- I don't recommend freezing this salad because of the dairy products that will separate upon thawing and you will lose the creamy consistency.
• Make ahead- You can make this dish, put it in a sealed container, and place it in the fridge up to 3 days before serving.

More one pot salad recipes

• Ham Pasta Salad
• Cucumber Radish Salad
• Carrot Raisin Salad
• Asian Cabbage Salad
• Tabbouleh Salad

Recipe