Mohamed Shili Pioneer Woman Frog Eye Salad is a classic American fruit salad side dish. This chilled mixture combines acini di pepe pasta and whipped topping with mandarin oranges, pineapple, marshmallows, and shredded coconut.
I’ve made this several times and the first time I messed up by not cooling the custard long enough. If you add the fruit and whipped topping while that cooked base is still even slightly warm, everything turns into a thin soup. Now I always let that pineapple juice and egg mixture sit in the fridge until it’s cold to the touch. It makes the final texture much thicker and holds the pasta better.
Acini di pepe pasta is doing more work than you’d think here because it acts like little sponges for the custard. Without that specific round shape, you lose the signature look that gives the salad its funny name. I’ve found that using the lemon juice at the very end of the cooking process keeps the flavor bright instead of it getting lost in the sugar. It’s the one thing that balances out all those sweet marshmallows and pineapple bits.
Pioneer Woman Frog Eye Salad Ingredients
For the Custard Base:
- 1 3/4 cups (415ml) unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1 cup (200g) white sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons (16g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Pasta:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 16 ounces (450g) acini di pepe pasta
For the Salad:
- 3 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained
- 2 cans (20 ounces each) pineapple tidbits, drained
- 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
- 8 ounces (225g) frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 cup (50g) miniature marshmallows
- 1 cup (75g) shredded coconut
How To Make Pioneer Woman Frog Eye Salad
- 1. Prepare custard mixture: Combine the pineapple juice, sugar, beaten eggs, flour, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk this constantly over medium heat until the liquid thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Take it off the heat as soon as it thickens. If you keep going too long, the eggs might scramble and leave you with tiny yellow lumps in your sweet sauce.
- 2. Cook the pasta: Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons of salt before dropping in the acini di pepe pasta. Let it boil for 5 to 7 minutes until the pasta is soft but hasn’t turned to mush. Drain it and rinse well under cold running water to wash away excess starch.
- 3. Combine ingredients: Find your largest mixing bowl and stir together the cooked pasta and the cooled custard mixture. Fold in the mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, crushed pineapple, and the thawed whipped topping. Use a large rubber spatula so you don’t break the orange segments while you mix.
- 4. Chill: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Leave it there for at least 8 hours so the pasta can soak up the custard and the whole thing sets up firmly.
Don’t try to speed this up. The salad needs that full rest time in the cold for the juices to settle, otherwise it’ll be too runny when you go to serve it.
- 5. Final touches: Just before you’re ready to eat, gently mix in the miniature marshmallows and the shredded coconut. Stirring these in at the last second keeps the marshmallows from getting too soft and prevents the coconut from losing its texture.
Recipe Tips
- Drain the fruit thoroughly: Use a colander and let the oranges and pineapple sit for at least ten minutes to get rid of every drop of syrup. If you skip this, the extra liquid will water down the whipped topping and make the salad soggy.
- Rinse the pasta well: You need to get all that extra starch off the acini di pepe with cold water. If the pasta stays sticky, it’ll clump together in giant balls instead of mixing evenly with the fruit and custard.
- Watch the custard heat: Keep the burner on medium or even medium-low and don’t stop whisking while it cooks. You’re looking for a smooth, glossy consistency that looks like a thin pudding.
- Add marshmallows at the end: If you put the marshmallows in before the long chill, they’ll dissolve into the mixture. Stirring them in right before serving keeps them bouncy and helps them hold their shape.
- Plan for a head start: This dish actually tastes better if you make the pasta and custard a day early. Storing them separately in the fridge overnight ensures everything is ice cold before you build the salad.
- Use a large bowl: The volume of this salad grows quite a bit once you add all the fruit and whipped topping. Pick a bowl that’s bigger than you think you’ll need so you have room to toss everything without spilling.
What To Serve With Pioneer Woman Frog Eye Salad
A big plate of fried chicken or some smoked pulled pork works great with this. The cool fruit and creamy dressing help balance out salty, savory meats from the grill.
If you’re bringing this to a potluck, try serving it alongside a green bean casserole or some buttery cornbread. It fills that spot on the plate that’s halfway between a side dish and a dessert.
Storing & Reheating Tips
- Fridge: Keep the salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The marshmallows will start to soften after the first day, so it’s best eaten sooner rather than later.
- Reheat: You don’t reheat this dish as it’s meant to be served very cold. If the mixture has thickened too much in the fridge, give it a quick stir with a splash of pineapple juice to loosen it up.
- Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this because the whipped topping and cooked pasta will change texture when they thaw. The fruit also releases too much water after being frozen, which turns the salad into a watery mess.
Pioneer Woman Frog Eye Salad Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 12):
- Calories: 340 kcal
- Protein: 5g
- Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 520mg
FAQs
What is the best way to cook the pasta for Pioneer Woman Frog Eye Salad?
Boil the acini di pepe for about 6 minutes in salted water with a little oil to keep the small bits from sticking. Make sure you rinse it with cold water immediately after draining to stop it from overcooking and becoming gummy.
Can I use a different type of pasta if I can’t find acini di pepe?
No, you really need that specific tiny round shape to get the right texture for this salad. If you absolutely have to swap, use the smallest star-shaped pasta or maybe a very tiny couscous, though it won’t be quite the same.
How long does Pioneer Woman Frog Eye Salad need to chill?
It needs at least 8 hours in the refrigerator, but leaving it overnight is even better. This time allows the pasta to absorb the pineapple custard so the salad becomes thick instead of liquid.
Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned?
Yes, you can use fresh fruit, but you’ll still need the canned pineapple juice for the cooked custard base. If you use fresh, make sure it’s very ripe and chopped into tiny pieces so it matches the size of the pasta.
Is it possible to use homemade whipped cream instead of the frozen topping?
No, because real whipped cream will deflate and turn back into liquid after sitting in the fridge with the fruit juices. The stabilized frozen topping is what keeps the salad fluffy for several days.
Try More Recipes:
Pioneer Woman Frog Eye Salad
Description
Pioneer Woman Frog Eye Salad is a classic, sweet-and-savory “dessert salad” famous for its unique texture. The dish centers on acini di pepe pasta (the “frog eyes”) which is tossed in a homemade, pineapple-infused egg custard. Folded with juicy mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, and crushed pineapple, the mixture is lightened with whipped topping and finished with mini marshmallows and shredded coconut. A mandatory overnight chill allows the small pasta pearls to fully absorb the tropical custard, resulting in a firm, creamy, and refreshing potluck staple.
Ingredients
For the Custard Base:
For the Pasta:
For the Salad:
Instructions
- Prepare custard mixture: Combine the pineapple juice, sugar, beaten eggs, flour, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk this constantly over medium heat until the liquid thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Cook the pasta: Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons of salt before dropping in the acini di pepe pasta. Let it boil for 5 to 7 minutes until the pasta is soft but hasn’t turned to mush. Drain it and rinse well under cold running water to wash away excess starch.
- Combine ingredients: Find your largest mixing bowl and stir together the cooked pasta and the cooled custard mixture. Fold in the mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, crushed pineapple, and the thawed whipped topping. Use a large rubber spatula so you don’t break the orange segments while you mix.
- Chill: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Leave it there for at least 8 hours so the pasta can soak up the custard and the whole thing sets up firmly.
- Final touches: Just before you’re ready to eat, gently mix in the miniature marshmallows and the shredded coconut. Stirring these in at the last second keeps the marshmallows from getting too soft and prevents the coconut from losing its texture.
Take it off the heat as soon as it thickens. If you keep going too long, the eggs might scramble and leave you with tiny yellow lumps in your sweet sauce.
Don’t try to speed this up. The salad needs that full rest time in the cold for the juices to settle, otherwise it’ll be too runny when you go to serve it.
Notes
-
Drain the fruit thoroughly: Use a colander and let the oranges and pineapple sit for at least ten minutes to get rid of every drop of syrup. If you skip this, the extra liquid will water down the whipped topping and make the salad soggy.
Rinse the pasta well: You need to get all that extra starch off the acini di pepe with cold water. If the pasta stays sticky, it’ll clump together in giant balls instead of mixing evenly with the fruit and custard.
Watch the custard heat: Keep the burner on medium or even medium-low and don’t stop whisking while it cooks. You’re looking for a smooth, glossy consistency that looks like a thin pudding.
Add marshmallows at the end: If you put the marshmallows in before the long chill, they’ll dissolve into the mixture. Stirring them in right before serving keeps them bouncy and helps them hold their shape.
Plan for a head start: This dish actually tastes better if you make the pasta and custard a day early. Storing them separately in the fridge overnight ensures everything is ice cold before you build the salad.
Use a large bowl: The volume of this salad grows quite a bit once you add all the fruit and whipped topping. Pick a bowl that’s bigger than you think you’ll need so you have room to toss everything without spilling.
