Description
A creamy, refreshing grape salad featuring sweetened cream cheese and sour cream base mixed with juicy red seedless grapes, topped with a crunchy brown sugar and toasted nut mixture. Perfect as a dessert or side dish, chilled to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Base
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 pounds red seedless grapes, chilled (about 10 cups)
Topping
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Make the Creamy Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir well until smooth and evenly blended; use a whisk if needed to remove lumps.
- Fold in Grapes: Gently fold chilled red seedless grapes into the cream cheese mixture, tossing carefully to coat the grapes without bruising.
- Prepare the Topping: In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar with toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans until fully combined.
- Assemble and Chill: Sprinkle the brown sugar and nut mixture evenly over the grape salad. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight to allow flavors to meld and the salad to set.
- Serve: Spoon the chilled grape salad into individual portions and serve cold as a delicious dessert or side dish.
Notes
- Use red seedless grapes for best color and flavor, but green grapes can be substituted if preferred.
- Toast nuts lightly in a dry skillet to enhance their flavor before chopping.
- Chilling the salad overnight intensifies the flavors and improves texture.
- For a nut-free version, omit nuts or substitute with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- This salad is best served cold and fresh within 2 days for optimal taste and texture.
