Mom’s Frog Eye Salad Recipe

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5 from 2 votes
Published: November 12, 2021Author: Lauren
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Mom's Frog Eye Salad, also known as Acini Di Pepe Salad, is my all time favorite food. It is so sweet and full of fruity flavor. This salad is always the first to be gone at potlucks and family dinners. Once you try it, you will see why.
Mom’s Frog Eye Salad Recipe

Our mom made this Frog Eye Salad growing up and it was always a hit at parties and potlucks.

Mom’s Frog Eye Salad in individual serving cups

It has the perfect amount of sweet and fruity flavor to it. It’s incredibly easy to make, and is the ideal side dish for any occasion.

If you are looking for a quick, simple, and delicious salad recipe, this is one you most definitely have to try.

If you like this Frog Eye Salad you might also like our 5 Minute Jello Salad, Raspberry Jello Salad, or our Orange Fluff Jello Salad!

Below is a list of things you need for this delicious frog eye salad recipe:

Frog Eye Salad Recipe Ingredients:

  1. Acini De Pepe Pasta
  2. Pineapple juice
  3. Sugar
  4. Flour
  5. Salt
  6. Egg
  7. Lemon Juice
  8. Mandarin Oranges
  9. Pineapple Tidbits
  10. Crushed Pineapple
  11. Miniature Marshmallows
  12. Coconut
  13. Cool Whip
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A few items you will need to make this recipe:

  1. Stock Pot (THIS one is great for cooking your pasta)
  2. Mixing Bowl (You will love THIS 7 piece set)
  3. Saucepan

How to make frog eye salad:

Making Frog Eye salad takes a few simple ingredients found in your fridge and pantry.

Ingredients for Mom’s Frog Eye Salad Recipe

Cook the Acini De Pepe pasta according to package directions. When done, rinse under cold water in strainer. Let cool. You may want to use a fork to stir the noodles a bit, or else they will get a little clumped together. To prevent this, a lot of the directions explain to add a little bit of salt to the noodles when boiling.

Cooked Acini De Pepe pasta in a bowl
  • In a saucepan over medium high heat stir together pineapple juice, sugar, flour, salt and egg. Cook and stir constantly until mixture thickens and is smooth.
    This process may take about 5-7 minutes before you really see it thicken. You don’t want it to come to a roaring boil, but just until the mixture has obviously thickened.
  • Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let cool, and set aside. You will want to remove it from the stove, because even if it is off, the heat is still getting to it, taking it longer to cool down.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the pasta and thickened mixture. You will want to be sure both the mixture and noodles have completely cooled, or they will melt your cool whip, and make your salad runny.
  • Gently fold in the mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, pineapple tidbits, marshmallows and coconut. You will then fold in cool whip. Continue to fold until fully combined.
Folding in remaining ingredients in glass bowl
  • Refrigerate until serving. This recipe makes quite a bit, but can easily be doubled. You may want a second bowl, or use an extremely large bowl, if you plan to double.
Mom’s Frog Eye Salad Recipe in a white bowl

Helpful items used in this Frog Eye Salad recipe

  1. 3 Quart Saucepan – We love this pan for boiling pasta.
  2. Mixing Bowl Set – This mixing bowl set is so pretty you can serve your salad in it too.
  3. Spatula – A great spatula set for stirring and folding in ingredients.
  4. Electric Can Opener – This electric can opener will help make your life so much easier! 🙂

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Looking for more salad recipes? Here are a few of our favorites:

Serves: 12

Mom’s Frog Eye Salad Recipe

5 from 2 votes
Mom's Frog Eye Salad, also known as Acini Di Pepe Salad, is my all time favorite food. It is so sweet and full of fruity flavor.
Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces  Acini De Pepe pasta
  • 1 cup pineapple juice (reserved from pineapple tidbits)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg beaten
  • ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 22 ounces mandarin oranges drained
  • 20 ounces pineapple tidbits 1 can, (drained and reserve juice)
  • 8 ounces crushed pineapple 1 can, drained
  • 1½ cups miniature marshmallows
  • ¾ cup shredded coconut
  • 8 ounces cool whip 1 container

Instructions

  • Cook the Acini De Pepe pasta according to package directions. When done, rinse under cold water in strainer. Let cool.
  • In a saucepan over medium high heat stir together pineapple juice, sugar, flour, salt and egg. Cook and stir constantly until mixture thickens and is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the pasta and thickened mixture.
  • Then gently fold in the mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, crushed pineapple, marshmallows and coconut. Fold in Cool Whip.
  • Refrigerate until serving.
  • This recipe can easily be doubled.

Notes

  • Store covered in refrigerator. 

Nutrition

Calories: 260 kcal · Carbohydrates: 55 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 4 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 17 mg · Sodium: 89 mg · Potassium: 240 mg · Fiber: 3 g · Sugar: 35 g · Vitamin A: 441 IU · Vitamin C: 22 mg · Calcium: 56 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

  • strainer
  • Saucepan
  • Large Mixing Bowl

Recipe Details

Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Mom’s Frog Eye Salad served in an individual cup with a spoon

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  1. Teri Hall says:
    May 20, 2014
    My family has loved Frog Eye salad since we first tasted it at a family reunion in the 1980's. I adapted it for my families liking taking out the coconut :( that the kids did not like and using fruit cocktail instead of the oranges. Now that they are older, I use the oranges but they still do not like the coconut. I have used this salad for large groups, feeding band 150 band kids, pot lucks, etc. I make my pasta, pineapple mix the day before. If you double that you can freeze that mixture and use later. I personally don't care for the frozen, thawed texture of the pasta mix.
    Reply
  2. Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile says:
    May 20, 2014
    First I want to say, I LOVE your Mom. What a beautiful lady inside and out! This Frog Eye Salad looks scrumptious. It was a favorite at our family get together's too! My daughter asked me to make it just the other day, I pinned to use your recipe. Hugs, Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile
    Reply
    • Andrea says:
      July 6, 2020
      How much does this make? I need to serve 30
      Reply
  3. Stephanie says:
    May 21, 2014
    I had no idea anybody else knew what Frog Eye Salad was but my family! It has been made for special events for as long as I can remember. First my grandma making it, them my mom, now us. It was always funny to watch someone's face when you told them what it was called. :)
    Reply
  4. Robbin Clark says:
    June 13, 2014
    Unless you are familiar with Frog Eye Salad you probably don't know what Acini De Pepe is. It is a tiny little pasta that reminds me of tapioca. It is found in the pasta section, usually on the top shelf! If you find it, buy 2 because they don't always have it when you look for it. My family loves Frog Eye Salad, but sometimes it grosses the little kids out when you call it that, so sometimes we call it Acini De Pepe salad. They have no clue what that is, but at least it isn't frog anatomy! I usually make a double batch, enough for an army. Somebody always wants to take some home, and it gets better by the hour. We do leave the coconut out and nobody misses it.
    Reply
  5. Kerry says:
    September 29, 2014
    How long is this good in the refrigerator for?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      September 30, 2014
      It's good for a day or too. Sometimes some liquid could gather at the bottom of the bowl, you can just drain it off!
      Reply
    • Stacey. Tucker says:
      September 10, 2017
      I just came across this recipe but mine is very similar. When the recipe was given to me, it has right on it that it would keep for 2 weeks. It never lasts this long though!
      Reply
  6. Kelly says:
    December 19, 2015
    This was always a favorite but I haven't made it or had it since having to go gluten free ? wondering if tapioca would work or if it would make it gummy? !
    Reply
  7. Maralynne Johnson says:
    April 22, 2016
    My sauce isn't thickening ? Please help?
    Reply
  8. Karleen says:
    August 10, 2016
    How many does this feed?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      August 10, 2016
      It serves about 12 people.
      Reply
      • PHYLLIS J. McCAWLEY says:
        December 22, 2018
        With each person taking seconds and thirds.
        Reply
  9. Kylee Ruth Estrella says:
    November 24, 2016
    I just made this and it was delicious, I remember the first time my mom made this and from then it was my desired but rarely had dish. This was a great recipe to me.
    Reply
  10. Verna Holtz says:
    December 20, 2017
    There is a company that makes gluten free acini de Pepe so we can all enjoy. It is called Quantobimi. Their pastas are all very good!
    Reply
  11. Kathy says:
    July 15, 2018
    Thank you so much for the recipe for the Frogeye Salad. Very delicious.
    Reply
  12. Beth says:
    December 1, 2018
    Thank you for this quick, easy, forgiving recipe for frog eye salad. So yummy! I also left out the coconut, but that’s just because that’s how we have always made it.
    Reply
  13. Barbara says:
    December 3, 2018
    How many servings does this recipe make? What size are the servings servings?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      December 5, 2018
      This recipe serves about 12 and they are generous size servings.
      Reply
  14. Barbara Linn says:
    December 12, 2018
    I love your version of this wonderful salad. I make it often. I live by myself and it lasts quite awhile. I have made it at my sister's home and for Thanksgiving. I first had it at my mother in law's home and always loved it. It just never occurred to me to make it myself. I am so happy I found your recipe!
    Reply
    • Barbara Linn says:
      December 12, 2018
      I often add extra oranges, more fruit cocktail. Today I made a really large batch and used 8 cans of fruit. I haven't even added the coconut and marshmallows yet. Yikes!
      Reply
  15. Karen Manasco says:
    September 25, 2020
    Though some of the ingredient measurements are slightly changed, I've used this same recipe for years, from the American Beauty pasta company. It is always a favorite in my family.
    Reply
  16. CeeCee says:
    December 31, 2021
    I figured out a neat little trick so it’s quick to put together the day of. I put the fruit in the fridge and I make the sauce and cook the pasta the night before. Everything is cold and ready to toss together. I ended up with little bits of cooked eggs that I didn’t like (ocd?). It’s a little bit more hassle but if you whip up your egg until the yolks disappears completely, warm up the rest of the liquid until it is hot but not boiling and slowly stir it into the hot liquid that warms it up slowly so it won’t be as likely to cook. Like I said OCD. Love the recipe, as you can see, I’ve made frog eye salad many times over the years,but this is the best recipe yet. I just wish I’d found it sooner.

    5 stars

    Reply
  17. goofygal says:
    May 5, 2022
    My family is not a lover of mandarin oranges so we started using fresh strawberries or any other fresh fruit that catches our eye. So far we have tried cut up strawberries, nectarines, plums and raspberries

    5 stars

    Reply
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