Acini di Pepe Salad Recipe
Tiny acini di pepe pasta cooks up soft enough to blend right in with the fruit, and a cooked pineapple-juice custard (instead of plain sugar or bottled dressing) gives the salad real body so it clings to every bead of pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 285 min
- Servings
- 12
Ingredients
- 16 oz acini di pepe pasta
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice, reserved from canned pineapple
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained (juice reserved)
- 11 oz can mandarin orange segments, drained
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 8 oz whipped topping, thawed
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, halved
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 497
- Protein
- 8g
- Carbs
- 101g
- Fat
- 9g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the acini di pepe according to package directions, about 8-10 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and set aside.
- 2In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, beaten egg, pineapple juice, and lemon juice until smooth.
- 3Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, for 8-10 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil, or the egg will scramble.
- 4Remove from heat and pour the warm custard over the cooked pasta in a large bowl. Stir to coat evenly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until fully cooled.
- 5Once cooled, fold in the crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, and coconut.
- 6Fold in the whipped topping gently, just until combined, keeping the mixture light rather than stirring it flat.
- 7Top with the halved maraschino cherries, cover, and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before serving.
Tips & variations
- Reserve the pineapple juice as soon as you open the can, since the custard base needs 1 1/2 cups and a single can of crushed pineapple usually doesn't yield quite enough on its own; top it off with a splash of the mandarin orange juice if needed.
- Swap the mini marshmallows for a handful of quartered large marshmallows if that's what's on hand; the texture is the same, just fewer, bigger pockets of sweetness.
- For a lighter version, use light whipped topping and reduce the sugar in the custard to 3/4 cup; the pineapple and mandarin juices already add plenty of sweetness.
Storage & reheating
Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days; the salad actually improves after the first full day as the flavors meld. This salad is served cold and is not meant to be reheated. It does not freeze well, since the whipped topping and pasta both turn watery and grainy once thawed.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- The salad tastes noticeably better on day two, so if serving for a gathering, make it the night before rather than the same morning.
- Draining the canned fruit thoroughly, even pressing it gently in a strainer, keeps the salad from turning watery after a day or two in the fridge.
FAQ
What is acini di pepe pasta?
Acini di pepe means "peppercorns" in Italian and refers to a tiny, round pasta shape about the size of a peppercorn, traditionally used in broth-based soups but also common in cold fruit salads like this one because it blends in rather than standing out.
Can I make acini di pepe salad ahead of time?
Yes, and it's actually recommended. Make it at least a few hours ahead, ideally the night before, so the pasta has time to absorb the custard dressing and the flavors have time to meld.
Why did my acini de pepe salad turn out watery?
Watery salad almost always comes from underdrained canned fruit or from adding the whipped topping while the custard base is still warm; make sure the pasta-custard mixture is fully cooled before folding in the fruit and topping.
Can I use fresh pineapple and oranges instead of canned?
Fresh fruit works, but the recipe relies on the reserved canned pineapple juice for the custard dressing, so keep at least one can of pineapple on hand for the juice even if using fresh fruit for the rest.
