Grape Salad – WellPlated.com


With its minimal prep time and crowd-pleasing appeal, Grape Salad is the cool, crunchy, and surprisingly refreshing dish you want at your next gathering. Juicy grapes, crisp apples, and toasted pecans are coated in a luscious vanilla, cream cheese, and Greek yogurt dressing.

Grape salad with pecans and apples

Sure, it sounds a little weird, but boy does it hit the spot!

cookbook author erin clarke of well plated

If you’ve attended a potluck in the Midwest, you know we use the term “salad” pretty loosely around here.

While I will always be drawn to more vibrant, veggie-loaded salads (like this Roasted Vegetable Salad), grape salad is an old-school recipe for which I have an exceptional weakness.

This grape salad recipe has a few Well Plated tweaks. We skip the sour cream and marshmallow cream, opting instead for Greek yogurt, which provides the same creaminess and moderate tang.

I also cut down on the sugar by…a lot. I add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon honey. (Some recipes call for as much as a cup of sugar, which I truly cannot imagine!)

Don’t worry, though—this healthier grape salad is still quick and easy to make and I promise it’s going to be a crowd-pleaser!

Key Ingredients

You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.

  • Grapes. I like to use green and red for variety, but you can use a single color.
  • Apple. While not traditional to grape salad, I love the burst of crispness that the apple provides. In place of the apple, you can use additional grapes. OR give this salad an autumn twist by using a combination of apples, pears, and grapes.
  • Cream Cheese. I opted to use low-fat cream cheese, which helps keep this salad on the lighter side. Do not start the recipe until you have softened cream cheese. If the cream cheese is too cold, the dressing will be lumpy.
  • Greek Yogurt. Adds further creaminess and a delightful tang.
  • Pecans. Toasted pecans add a nice crunch and nuttiness to the salad. If you prefer, you can swap the pecans for walnuts.
  • Honey. Not only does honey add extra sweetness, but it also adds wonderful flavor. Maple syrup would work well too.
  • Vanilla and Cinnamon. The somethin’ somethin’ that makes this dish truly addictive.

Grape Salad Toppings

We enjoy this grape salad without the addition of other toppings, but you can certainly add them if you’d like.

  • Candy Bars. Crushed candy bars are a popular grape salad topping. Try diced Snickers or Heath bars.
  • Graham Crackers. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the top of your salad. (Finish with a pinch of brown sugar for extra cozy flavor.)

5 Star Review

“This recipe is simple and amazingly delicious. I made it for a holiday and everyone kept grabbing the bowl for seconds and thirds.”

— Mary —

A white bowl with healthy grape salad

What to Serve with Grape Salad

This is an easy side salad you can serve with brunch, lunch, and dinner. You can even make it a dessert!

Grape salad is a refreshing potluck favorite you can make year-round! Red and green grapes, apples, and pecans in a sweet, creamy dressing.

Prevent your screen from going dark

  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 1 pound seedless red grapes about 2 ½ cups
  • 1 pound seedless green grapes about 2 ½ cups
  • 2 medium sweet-crisp apples such as Gala, Fuji, or Honeycrisp, diced (or an additional 1 pound mixed grapes)
  • 4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese at room temperature
  • ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey or pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • TO STORE: Refrigerate grape salad in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. 
  • TO MAKE AHEAD: Up to 1 day in advance, toast the pecans and beat the cream cheese mixture together. Cover and refrigerate the cream cheese mixture, and place the toasted pecans in an airtight storage container at room temperature.

Serving: 1(of 8)Calories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgPotassium: 377mgFiber: 3gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 186IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 1mg

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