Pineapple Walnut Salad is a unique Southern treat featuring the creamy texture and sweet flavors of crushed pineapple, cream cheese, Cool Whip, and walnuts.
A true Southern favorite, this cool little “salad” is great for the HOT Southern summer. If you’ve ever had the Pineapple Walnut Salad at a Lambert’s Cafe (you know – home of the throwed rolls), this one is pretty dang close to it. And, you don’t have to travel all the way to Foley, Alabama to enjoy this delicious dessert! You can easily whip this up right in your own kitchen in only 15 minutes!
Now, I’m not sure why it’s called salad, because it’s certainly more of a dessert than a salad. But, I supposed that’s what us Southerners do… throw salad in the name to keep people on their toes! I guess since salads are healthy though, you can just eat more of this. I won’t tell anyone!
Where does Pineapple Walnut Salad come from?
As I mentioned above, Pineapple Walnut Salad is best known as a featured dessert on the menu at Lambert’s Cafe. If you’ve never eaten at Lambert’s, you really should make it a point to stop by if you are ever near the Alabama Gulf Coast. And yes, they do actually throw rolls. It’s a whole experience.
But I digress, their Pineapple Walnut Salad is one of my absolute favorite desserts. It has the consistency and texture of ambrosia or watergate salad. It features loads of pineapple flavor with a creamy vanilla consistency. Now I’m sure my version isn’t their exact recipe, but I think it’s pretty darn close. Give it a try!
Simple Substitutions in Pineapple Walnut Salad
Fresh pineapple in place of canned crushed pineapple – If you want to go the fresh route, you definitely can opt for fresh pineapple. You will want to crush it in a food processor and drain the pineapple juice well. After doing that, you want to make sure you end up with about 5 cups of fresh crushed pineapple.
Pecans in place of walnuts – Don’t care for walnuts, or just prefer pecans? No problem! Simply substitute in pecans using the same suggested amount detailed in the recipe below.
Vanilla extract or vanilla flavoring – I didn’t specify whether you should use vanilla extract or vanilla flavoring, it just says to use vanilla. Here’s the reason why (in my quietest voice…) there’s not much of a difference flavor wise. I know you’re shocked, but it’s true! We even tested it! So, just use whichever you have on hand!
Fat-free whipped topping in place of regular whipped topping – While I much prefer the richness of the regular variety, if you are a bit more health conscious you can definitely make this substitution.
Other Unique Southern Dessert Salads
While I’m sharing a unique southern dessert salad, this delicious Pineapple Walnut Salad, I thought it would be fun to share a few other quirky southern dessert salad recipes I have here on the blog.
Southern Pear Salad – Now, I do actually serve this up on my plate while I’m assembling my main course spread, but you could definitely put this Southern Pear Salad on your dessert table. It is a vintage recipe that combines canned pears, mayo, cheese, and cherries into a dish that’s as quirky as it is delicious.
Southern Ambrosia – Southern Ambrosia is a quick, easy, and refreshing side dish or dessert. The simple ingredients and recipe make this a trusty crowd-pleaser for any table and definitely a conversation starter.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad – More of a dessert than a salad, this Strawberry Pretzel Salad features a baked crunchy, sweet, and buttery crushed pretzel base, covered in a sweetened cream cheese and whipped topping mixture, and topped with a strawberry gelatin top layer. The combination of flavors and textures is like a party in your mouth!
Creamy Grape Salad – Creamy Grape Salad is a refreshing dish for any crowd. Throw it together with a handful of simple ingredients – grapes, cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla extract, sugar and pecans.
Ingredients
- 2 (15 to 20-ounce) cans crushed pineapple
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cup walnuts* coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Drain pineapple well in a mesh strainer.
- Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Gently fold in whipped topping.
- Fold in the pineapple and walnuts.
- Chill several hours and serve cold.
Notes
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
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This is a nice, light dessert. I substituted Stevia for the powdered sugar. It tasted great. Not too sweet.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Just made this today and it is wonderful. I will be making it again soon! I think I would like to use bananas and add brown sugar. Then make a crepe with it. Thanks you for your wonderful recipes.
You’re so welcome, Sue!
Love this recipe but I have tweaked it slightly. I use pecans because we have them readily available and i use one can of crushed pineapple and one can of pineapple tidbits. I make my own whipping cream sweetened with honey and add mini marshmallows. It’s amazing and now something I crave. Great refreshing dessert for warmer weather!
Thanks for sharing your tweaks, Moriah! So glad you’ve enjoyed it!
Delicious! Thanks you so much for including the nutritional information. It really helps for those of us who have family members watching sodium, sugar, etc.
Thanks, Frances!
Just a comment about Lambert’s. There is also a Lambert’s in Ozark, MO, which is very close to Branson, MO. Going for a meal there is truly “an experience”. Everybody should go at least once. Just bring cash; no credit or debit cards … Fun for the whole family!
Thanks, Caroline!
Tis was easy and delicious
Thanks!
You got to try. Good
Hope you’ll enjoy!
I have a question about draining the pineapple do u just drain in a strainer or put pineapple apple in cheesecloth and squeeze all juice out?
I typically just drain it well in a strainer and press it a little to get extra liquid out, but I think doing the cheesecloth will work even better if you want to go that route.
I am new but I can’t wait to try it out I think I am going also add cherries to it !
Welcome, Jen! That sounds like a delicious addition! Cherries will add a nice touch. Enjoy making it!
I made this just like the recipe the first time, it is delicious and so creamy!!!
The next time I added unsweetened shredded coconut – SO GOOD!!!!! Goes so well with the pineapple flavor and adds to the texture!!
I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Maggie! Adding shredded coconut sounds like a fantastic twist.
My first time to make this salad/dessert. It was wonderful; fast, easy and delicious.
Thanks, Carolyn! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
We loved this salad and will be making it again..Ty
Glad to hear it, Jane!
I am going to make a small portion of this for Thanksgiving. Sounds familiar and yummy.
I’m 72.
Sure hope you’ll enjoy it!
My sister loves pineapple but doesn’t care for nuts. What could I substitute for the walnuts? I may make one WITH nuts and one WITHOUT! Thank you.
I think you could just leave the nuts out. Hope y’all enjoy it!
Sandy, One of my family loves salads like this with lots of nuts, but another can not eat nuts. Sooo, I set a side dish of chopped nuts on the table beside the salad! Win-win!
This is a blast from the past! Love it and all the other retro ones you listed! Thank you for posting them. My grandchildren fix them too.
It’s great to hear that your grandchildren are getting into the retro vibe too.
Won’t the enzyme’s in fresh pineapple break down the protein in the cream cheese and make it slimy? Isn’t that why you can’t use fresh pineapple in jello?
Not immediately. It’ll take a while before that happens.
Was going to make a Texas Trash Pie for sharing, but why turn on the oven? I made this “salad” instead and Oh my! That is a wonderful dish! Thanks, love your recipes and stories behind some of the recipes! ♥
Thanks so much, Raleigh! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
This is almost the same recipe as my “Pineapple Cheesecake Fluff”. I use cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix, and one can of crushed pineapple and one can of tidbits. Roasted, salted pecans offset some of the sweetness, too. One of our favorite “No Bake” desserts.
I combine the pudding mix with the undrained crushed pineapple. Then add that mixture to the cream cheese mixture, along with drained tidbits and whipped topping.
Sounds great, Lisa-Jo!
This is as delicious as every recipe of yours that I have made! You never disappoint and I turn to you for my next “keeper”
Thank you so much, Karen! That means the world to me!
Will be made many times this summer as I love a nice cool dessert in the hot days of summer.
Love hearing that! Couldn’t agree more!
This is sooo tasty and refreshing…. My favorite ingredients! Keep posting… I enjoy all of them immensely! Your recipes are my go to! Thanks!
Thanks, Cricket! Appreciate the confidence in me!
Hi, Kim. I have made this with the pistachio pudding mix in it. Yummy! I’ve also made it with fresh pineapple and the trick there is making sure the pineapple is really ripe. Divine grub there. 🙂 The addition of the pistachio pudding makes it “Watergate Salad.” I love all variations from the pudding mix to fresh pineapple to pecans to just about anything you want to substitute or add. This is one of those recipes that’s hard to goof up!
I make this every year for our family thanksgiving. It is sweet enough for a dessert and loved the ideas and using a graham cracker crust and making it a pie filling. I also add miniature marshmallows to mine.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.
Thank you!
Please email me same recipe adding jello to the mix. My aunt used to make it and would love to do that one!
Looks like something I want to make, but has anyone tried this using fresh pineapple instead of canned?
Fresh pineapple works perfectly!
It’s becoming a tradition to have a “ Southern Bite “ dish at our gatherings, whipped this up for pre Christmas lunch with our kids Sunday afternoon and it definitely didn’t disappoint !!! Not a drop left , thank you so much for such easy real recipes, Merry Christmas Little Family
I’m so honored! Merry Christmas to y’all, too!!
The best and easist dessert to make , and delicious. Made half a receipe. It was just enough for 3 to 4 servings,
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Wonderful recipe! Made with pecans. I also used a graham cracker pie shell and added cherries to the top for both presentation and added flavor.
Yum! Sounds great! Glad you enjoyed it!
Did you mention how many it serves or did I miss it. I always like know serving number especially I take it to a function.
This is one of those things that really depends on how hungry you are. You could serve 4 folks who really love it or 6 to 8 folks with smaller portions.
I made this and put it in a graham cracker pie shell. I also made one with a pretzel crust like is used for the strawberry salad. The sweet and salty combo is excellent.
Awesome! What great ideas!!!
I just made this for our cookout tomorrow, I believe it will go great with the ham we are having.
Sounds great! Hope y’all will enjoy it!
The mixture in step 3 & 4 looks yellow from the pineapple, but the finished product is “white”? Just wondering if you used chunk on that one.
It’s all the same mixture, I just added a few tidbits to the top for the picture. The crushed is all mixed in.
Just returned from store with ingredients. Can’t wait to make this. Sounds so cool and refreshing!
Sure hope you’ll enjoy it!!
Oohhhhh Farmer Jacks used to sell this as Pineapple walnut delight. I never could find a recipe for it and my experiments were never close enough. THANK YOU for giving me a new one to try.
Hope you enjoy it!
how many servings??
It depends on the serving size. I would say 4 to 5.
How would pecans be in this instead of walnuts?
Absolutely!!!
Being from the South I always use pecans, yum. I also add 1/2C mayonnaise n whip fresh cream w/powdered sugar. My mom made this as far back as I can remember & that’s at least 74 years!
This recipe sounds so good! Does this make a lot or should I double it for a family cookout? Thanks for sharing it looks yummy!
Thanks, Cheri! If it were me, I would probably double it just to be sure.
Thank You,Stacey!
I love this salad! Made it for our family beach trip and we all enjoyed it! Just made another batch and I’m going to take some to my mother in law! Thanks so much for sharing!
I love hearing that folks liked a recipe enough that they made it again. Now THAT is the ultimate compliment!
Yum, this sounds so good! I am a new fan of yours. Cooking is my passion and I love to try new recipes! Thanks for sharing.
Welcome, Teresa! 🙂
My husband loves pineapple. I made this and put it in a graham cracker crust for dessert last night. My husband ate HALF the pie. It is delicious. It made two pies so one is in the freezer ,but it won’t be there for long.
What a GREAT idea!!! So glad he enjoyed it! Way to get creative.
Great idea! I’m going to try that as well!
I added a cup of coconut to this and used the walnuts for garnish on top, to take to a potluck where I work. Calling it Pina Colada Salad. Maybe next time I’ll add a little rum flavoring instead of the vanilla. Just didn’t think of it in time.
Sounds like a fun idea!
On the way to grocery store to make this…yummy!!
Awesome! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Do you know the nutrition facts for this?
NO, I don’t often keep up with it based solely on the variation between different brands of ingredients. You could always use low fat cream cheese and fat free whipped topping.
This looks delicious and so easy to make. gonna try this!
Those are the best kinds of recipes! Hope you’ll like it!
I think my Grandma used to make something similar to this, except she added a box of instant pistachio pudding to the mix. I haven’t had that in years! Looks like I’m off to Kroger tonight, Lol!
LOL! Happy shopping! I hope you enjoy it!
I made this for our family 4th of July gathering and it certainly was liked by all. My cousin, the hostess, insisted on keeping the leftovers. I expect she’ll enjoy it for the rest of the week. I make something similar with cherry pie filling, that we call Pink Fluffy Stuff. We will now be adding your White Fluffy Stuff to our events. Thanks!
That’s wonderful! I love to hear stories about these recipes being enjoyed by families!!
Looks delish!! will try this tomorrow! Thank You! 🙂
Thanks, Norma! I hope you enjoy it!
Tried this salad, wonderful. Going to make half a recipe and use Fat Free Cool Whip and Light Cream Cheese to make it Weight Watcher points friendly. I may omit the nuts and right before serving top with a little granola or a sugar free cookie crumbled up!
Those are some great ideas, Carol! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Carol
I’m on the blue plan. How many ww points would it be per serving?
This salad is really good.
My husband is going to love this recipe! Yum!
Mmmmmmm…delish! I can’t wait to try this. Thanks!