Description
Frog Eye Salad is a delightful and refreshing fruit and pasta salad featuring acini di pepe pasta, a sweet pineapple-flavored dressing, mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, marshmallows, and coconut. This chilled dessert salad is perfect for potlucks, picnics, and holiday gatherings, offering a unique combination of creamy, fruity, and sweet flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Dressing
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1–3/4 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Main Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounces) acini di pepe pasta
- 3 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained
- 2 cans (20 ounces each) pineapple chunks, drained
- 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
- Maraschino cherries, optional (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small saucepan, combine sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually stir in pineapple juice. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Take a small amount of the hot mixture and stir it into the lightly beaten eggs to temper them. Return all to the saucepan, stirring constantly. Bring back to a gentle boil and cook for 2 minutes longer while stirring. Remove from heat and gently stir in lemon juice.
- Cool the Dressing: Transfer the dressing to a large bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature without stirring to maintain smoothness. To prevent a skin from forming, cover the surface directly with waxed paper and refrigerate until well chilled.
- Cook the Pasta: Cook the acini di pepe pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta thoroughly and rinse it under cold water to stop cooking and cool it down.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a very large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, drained mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, crushed pineapple, miniature marshmallows, and shredded coconut.
- Mix in Dressing and Whipped Topping: Pour the chilled dressing over the salad ingredients and mix gently to coat evenly. Fold in the thawed whipped topping carefully to preserve the light, fluffy texture.
- Chill and Serve: Cover the salad and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least a couple of hours. Before serving, optionally garnish with maraschino cherries for a colorful touch.
Notes
- Ensure the egg mixture is tempered carefully to prevent curdling while combining with hot liquid.
- Use waxed paper directly on the dressing surface to avoid a skin forming during cooling.
- Rinsing the pasta in cold water after cooking stops the cooking process and cools it for the salad.
- This salad improves in flavor when chilled for several hours or overnight.
- Maraschino cherries as garnish add a festive look but are optional.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/24 of recipe (~150g)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
