I don’t know if Frog Eye Salad is a Utah thing, or an American thing, or just a plain old family thing, but I love the stuff. Chewy, delicious pasta soaked in sugary pineapple syrup and coated with coconut, marshmallows and cream? Yes, please.
Here are your ingredients for Frog Eye Salad: {isn’t the name nasty? I know}
- -1 & 2/3 cups Acini-de-Pepe pasta, uncooked
- 1 can {20 ounces} pineapple chunks, drained {reserve 1/4 cup of the juice for later}
- 1 can pineapple tidbits
- 1 can {8 ounces} crushed pineapple, drained
- 2 cans {11 ounces each} mandarin orange segments, drained
- 3 cups miniature marshmallows
- 1/2 cup coconut
- Whipped Cream or Cool Whip
Okay, before you get started with any of the ingredients, cook the pasta for about 6 minutes. Rinse it with cold water, and drain. Pour 1/4 cup of lemon juice over it, and chill in the fridge. You’ll need it later.
Now you’re going to make the sauce.
Mix 1/2 cup sugar,
1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of flour in a saucepan.
Add 1 cup pineapple juice. At this point, you probably want to turn on the stove. I’m just saying.
Stir it around and cook it until it gets thick and bubbly.
Once it’s all bubbly and syrupy pull it off the stove and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Let it get really really cool.
Once it’s chilled pour it over your cooked pasta, cover it, and put it in the fridge overnight. Truly.
Now, once it’s cooled and soaked in all the sugar in your kitchen for 24 hours, pull it out and add the fruit.
Now the coconut.
And the marshmallows.
Can you hear your blood sugar screaming yet? No? Give it some time.
Okay, now add the whipped cream, cool whip, whatever dairy confection you so desire, and mix it around.
Dish up to serve in individual serving dishes, or cover and take to your next barbecue. I put it in my thrifted vintage dessert glasses so my kids wouldn’t sugar load like they’re headed into the apocalypse, but do whatever makes you happy.
Trust me, this stuff will sell like hotcakes.
— I made the syrup on my new Frigidaire stove. I love that thing like it’s nobody’s business. This is the last post in my Frigidaire series, and man those appliances rock the hiz-ouse.
Allison
Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!
Frog eye salad is a family favorite for us too. My sister in laws family in CA calls it “Mormon salad”
Seriously, it kind of is a Mormon salad.
We have had a similar salad in my family for at least 3 generations (must be a lds/Utah connection?). No pasta, drain the fruit, and swap out cool whip for sour cream. Yum-o.
Holy cow, I’m licking my lips just thinking about it.
My mom makes this stuff – and it is the only way I will eat marshmellows. lol. Thanks for sharing!
I don’t need to be asked twice to eat marshmallows, but this combination isn’t terrible.
An intense game of “Fluffly Bunny” my second year of girl’s camp really ruined marshmallows for me! Now I limit it to a s’more every other year, and frog-eye salad at Thanksgiving!
Love me some Frog Eye!
I love me some too, all the way to and from the barbecue!
My SIL makes this all the time! I’ve never made it but I’ve eaten my share!
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
It was good to get to know you on Camille’s blog.
Ha, no problem!
Thanks so much, I need to go read the article!
Awesome to finally have a recipe! I loved Apple Spice Junction JUST for this salad!
I know, I always wondered what was in the stuff to make it so good, now we all know!
Well, I’m from the South and I’ve never heard of such a thing…but you can bet I’ll be making some this weekend! Sounds super yummy! Now, this made me curious, are ya’ll familiar with dirt cake?
Ali, is dirt cake the one with Oreos and ice cream? If not, I need the recipe, it sounds fabulous!
Okay, I’m from Alabama and I have alot of “dirt” in my history, and THOUGHT I knew every frog in the county…BUT never knew you could eat the EYES!!! This recipe post is Def not a “southern thang”. Is this a typical Utah/Morman Halloween tradition or something?
Ha! I think it must be. And probably a West Coast Mormon thing, by which I mean Utah/Idaho. How funny, I had no idea it was such a cultural recipe.
Looks so tempting it makes me hungry..gotta try this recipe soon.
Try it, and let me know. It’s divine.
West Coast Jew here. Never heard of it, by name nor by ingredient combo. The whole idea and the comments that followed made me laugh. Thanks for sharing, Allison!
Utah Mormon, totally had it my entire life.
:)