Frog’s Eye Salad has a quirky name but it’s a nostalgic dessert salad full of mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, whipped cream, and tiny pasta pearls.
This is a no-egg version of the classic, similar to ambrosia but made with acini de pepe (or another small pearl pasta) instead of just fruit. Rather than pudding mix, the recipe uses a simple thickened sauce made from the fruit juices to bind everything together. I often make it with stabilized cream cheese whipped cream, sometimes add coconut, and usually skip marshmallows—though you can adapt it however you like.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Taste: Sweet and creamy with a bright tartness from the pineapple and mandarin oranges.
- Simple to make: Cook the tiny pasta, thicken the fruit juices, whip the cream, and combine.
- Quick: About 15 minutes active time to cook the pasta and prepare the sauce and whipped cream. Under 30 minutes total.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta: Acini de pepe or small pastina is ideal to get the classic “frog eye” look. Couscous works as a substitute; tapioca is different in texture.
- Thickener: Cornstarch gives a clear, light-thickened fruit sauce without using pudding or eggs.
- Fruit: Canned mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple keep the recipe simple and reliably sweet and juicy.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and the full printable recipe.
Substitutions & Variations
- Lower-fat option: Use cooked couscous, swap half the whipped cream for plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, or use Cool Whip in place of heavy cream. Choose no-sugar-added canned fruit if desired.
- Fruit swaps: Canned peaches, fruit cocktail, or diced mango work well.
- Pasta swaps: Pastina or other small pearl pastas are fine substitutes if acini de pepe isn’t available.
- Add-ins: Sweetened coconut, mini marshmallows, vanilla pudding, or sliced almonds are all common additions—try what you like.
Instructions
- Step 1. Bring a large pot of salted water (about 2 L) to a boil. Add acini de pepe and cook according to package directions, about 9 minutes, until tender.
- Step 2. While the pasta cooks, drain the mandarin orange juice and reserve some pineapple juice so you have about 1 cup (240 mL) combined. Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch into the juices, heat to a boil, and cook 1 minute until thickened. Remove from heat and cool completely—it should set to a loose jelly-like sauce.
- Step 3. Drain the cooked pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool the pearls quickly.
- Step 4. In a mixing bowl combine 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whip with an electric mixer 4–5 minutes until firm peaks form. You can use a cream cheese-stabilized whipped cream if you prefer a firmer result.
Tip
Drain the crushed pineapple well while saving a small amount of juice for the sauce. Removing excess liquid prevents the salad from becoming soggy.
- Step 5. In a large serving bowl combine the drained mandarin oranges, well-drained crushed pineapple, cooled acini de pepe, cooled fruit sauce, optional coconut, and about half the whipped cream. Gently fold to combine, then fold in the remainder of the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Troubleshooting
- Runny salad: Ensure the pasta and the orange-pineapple sauce are fully cooled to room temperature (or chilled) before mixing with the whipped cream. Also drain the fruit well to avoid adding excess liquid.
Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips
- Make the cooked pasta and fruit sauce ahead of time and refrigerate them (without the whipped cream) for up to 24 hours.
- Whip the cream the day you plan to serve and fold it in just before serving for best texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Small pastina, couscous, or other small pearl pastas are good substitutes. They give a similar mouthfeel if acini de pepe isn’t available.
Yes. Many people find the flavors meld and improve after chilling overnight. Leave the whipped cream out and fold it in right before serving to keep the texture light.
Excess liquid from canned fruit can cause separation. Drain fruit well and cool the pasta and sauce before mixing. If it becomes watery, gently drain some liquid and fold in more whipped cream or stabilized whipped topping to restore creaminess.
Serving Ideas
- Serve as a sweet side or dessert at brunch alongside savory sandwiches.
- Bring it to potlucks and BBQs as a retro, crowd-pleasing fruit salad.
- Pair with holiday mains like glazed ham and green beans for an easy, nostalgic dessert option.
More Fruity Dessert Recipes
Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies-
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream (no churn)
-
Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
-
Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating and a comment on the recipe card. I love hearing from readers—comments help others choose recipes and are always appreciated.
Printable Recipe
Frog’s Eye Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz uncooked acini de pepe (about 1 cup uncooked)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 15 oz can mandarin oranges, drained (reserve juice)
- 20 oz can crushed pineapple, well drained (reserve a little juice)
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Optional: 1/2 cup sweetened coconut
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add acini de pepe and cook according to package directions, about 9 minutes.
- Reserve about 3/4 cup mandarin orange juice and 1/4 cup pineapple juice (or enough to equal about 1 cup). Whisk cornstarch into the juices, heat to a boil and cook 1 minute until thickened. Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Drain the cooked pasta and rinse under cold water to cool and stop cooking.
- Whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until firm peaks form, 4–5 minutes. (You can use a cream cheese-stabilized whipped cream if you prefer.)
- In a large bowl combine the drained mandarins, well-drained pineapple, cooled pasta, cooled fruit sauce, optional coconut, and half the whipped cream. Gently fold to combine, then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Cover and chill until serving.
Notes
Drain the pineapple thoroughly but save a little juice for the sauce to avoid a soggy salad. Make sure pasta and sauce are cooled before mixing with whipped cream to prevent a runny result.
Nutrition
Calories: 403 kcal • Carbohydrates: 47 g • Protein: 6 g • Fat: 22 g • Saturated Fat: 14 g • Sugar: 25 g
Hi, I’m Sara!
Registered nurse by day and food blogger on weekends. I love testing recipes, sharing simple tips, and helping readers make delicious, approachable food.