Frog Eye Salad

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Frog Eye Salad

🥣 Ingredients (approx. 12–16 servings)

Pasta Base

  • 1 package (about 16 oz / ~450 g) small round pasta, e.g., Acini di Pepe.
  • 3 quarts (≈2.8 L) water + ~1 Tbsp salt (for boiling)
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil (optional, to help prevent sticking)

Custard/Dressing

  • ~1 cup (≈200 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt (plus a small extra depending on recipe)
  • ~1¾ cups (≈420 ml) pineapple juice (unsweetened) — you can reserve juice from canned pineapple.
  • 2 eggs, beaten (or sometimes just the egg yolks)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Fruit & Other Mix-ins

  • 2 cans pineapple tidbits or chunks (drained)
  • 1 can mandarin oranges (drained)
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
  • 1 container (≈8 oz or ~225 g) frozen whipped topping (thawed) OR heavy whipping cream whipped to stiff peaks.

🔪 Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta: Bring your water to a rolling boil, add salt and oil if using, then add the acini di pepe pasta. Cook until al dente (check package instructions; often ~6–8 minutes) then drain and rinse under cold water. Let drain thoroughly.
  2. Make the custard/dressing: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk sugar + flour + salt. Gradually add pineapple juice and beaten eggs, stirring continuously. Cook until thickened (a few minutes) then remove from heat, stir in lemon juice. Let cool.
  3. Combine the base: In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta + the custard (dressing) and mix until well coated. Then fold in the drained pineapple and mandarin oranges (and coconut if using). Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight for best flavor.
  4. Finish and serve: Just before serving, gently fold in the whipped topping (or whipped cream) and mini marshmallows. If using coconut, you can also fold that in now or use as a topping. Serve chilled.

✅ Tips & Variations

  • Some versions swap or add bananas, or use different fruit cocktails.
  • If you can’t find acini di pepe pasta, you can sometimes substitute a very small pasta or even Israeli couscous though the look/texture will differ.
  • For a lighter version, you could use light whipped topping or less sugar, but the retro style is fairly sweet.
  • Store covered in the refrigerator; it keeps okay for 2–3 days though the pasta will absorb more moisture over time.

📝 Why it’s called “Frog Eye Salad”

The tiny round pasta (acini di pepe) when cooked looks somewhat like little pearls or “frog eyes”, hence the playful name.

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