Meet Copper Pennies: The ‘Good Old Tried-and-True’ Side Dish I'm Making Over and Over Again

Pennies aren't just for tossing into wishing wells or dropping into the "take a penny, leave a penny" dish at the cash register. There's another take on these tiny copper discs—and this one is edible. If you haven't heard of copper pennies, let us introduce you to this retro dish, made with sliced carrots (which resemble pennies, hence the name) marinated in tomato soup and sugar. It's vibrant, tangy, and, as one Allrecipes member calls it, "A good old tried-and-true recipe that's been around for at least 60 years. No need to jazz it up, it is what it was intended to be: tangy, sweet, and DELICIOUS!" No wonder it's the nostalgic side salad I'm making over and over again.

What Is Copper Penny Salad?

Although there are few details on the origin of copper pennies—sometimes called copper penny salad—the side dish has appeared in countless Southern and Midwestern cookbooks. According to food blogger Lana Stuart, she believes copper pennies came about during the 1940s or 1950s. “That’s when the Campbell’s Soup company started producing the condensed tomato soup used in the recipe,” Stuart wrote. “And it was a long-time favorite of my grandmother, who would have been in her 30s around that same time.” 

The blogger behind Cents for Cooking says she first discovered a recipe for copper pennies while looking through vintage cookbooks. She makes the dish often because it’s budget-friendly and tasty, which might contribute to why the recipe has stayed around over the years. In fact, according to another Allrecipes member, this recipe is "still as yummy as it was in the '60s!" It's hard not to love this recipe. The ingredients are inexpensive, the cooking method is uncomplicated, and you can easily scale up to feed a crowd, making it the perfect companion to parties and potlucks.

How to Make Copper Penny Salad?

As mentioned, this recipe is incredibly easy to make. When I tried it in my own kitchen, I sliced two pounds of peeled carrots into discs and boiled them for about 10 minutes until softened. To make the marinade, I brought a can of condensed tomato soup, sugar, and vegetable oil to a boil in a small saucepan, then moved it off the heat to cool. After boiling the carrots, I combined the drained carrots, tomato marinade, and diced vegetables (green bell pepper, celery, and onion) in a large mixing bowl. I let the whole thing marinate in the fridge for about eight hours, but you can also let it marinate overnight as a make-ahead recipe.

What Does Copper Penny Salad Taste Like?

The dish is sweet—its marinade reminded me of SpaghettiOs sauce, especially with the starchiness of the carrots—and has an acidic hint from the tomato soup. The onion, celery, and bell pepper provide a crunchy contrast to the soft carrots. Paired with kielbasa sausage and mashed potatoes, this recipe made a pretty delicious Sunday dinner for my family.

Some Allrecipes members serve their copper pennies with steak or over greens as a salad dressing. The dish can be enjoyed hot or cold, highlighting its versatility. TikTok and country singer Hannah Dasher shared her version of copper pennies on the platform, calling the dish “one of my grandma’s favorite recipes.”

“Y’all don’t even know,” said Dasher in the video. “Make them a day or two ahead, and they’ll keep for a month.”