Orange Jello Salad

Name: Old Fashioned Orange Jello Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 1 cup cottage cheese (excess moisture drained ); 3 ounce box orange Jello mix; 1 cup drained crushed pineapple; 15 ounce can mandarin oranges (drained); 8 ounce Cool Whip; 1/4 cup maraschino cherries (halved)

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Are you craving a delightful and refreshing dessert or side dish? Look no further than delectable 6-ingredient Orange Jello Salad! Made in less than 10 minutes with cottage cheese, it's a great make-ahead recipe that bursts with tangy citrus flavors with a smooth, and creamy texture.

A picture of an orange jello salad. It’s light orange and white with accents of maraschino cherries

Orange Jello Salad is incredibly easy to make with six ingredients, requires no baking, and can be prepared ahead of time. There’s never a shortage of salad dishes at one our family get togethers, and this fruit salad is always in the starting lineup! It’s quick, creamy, cool, and super yummy!

I have to be honest, cottage cheese has never been one of my favorite foods. However, the fullness and texture it gives this side dish and the way it melds with the other flavors makes it delicious! If you’re like me and don’t typically prefer it, believe me, made this way...it’ a game changer!

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A little history on Jello salads since we are such fans! They were created as early as the 1920s and gained in popularity over the years. The 1960s they gained the strongest growth in popularity. Jello-based salads come in all types of flavors, forms and textures.

A couple more family favorite Jello sensations I would encourage you to try are my Pistachio Fluff Salad (similar to Watergate salad) and Green Jello Salad! They're also light, fluffy, and easy to make! Perfect for Easter, a summer barbecue, Christmas Dinner and any holiday dinners in between!

Table of Contents

Why You’ll like this Recipe

Nostalgic Treat: Old fashioned orange Jello salad brings back fond memories of family gatherings and potluck dinners. It's a traditional dish for many folks.
Easy Recipe: Orange Jello fluff takes less than 10 minutes to mix together before refrigerating! It's also a great recipe to transport to potlucks and parties.
Basic Ingredients: This delicious side dish or dessert salad takes minimal preparation with only six simple and affordable ingredients.
Incredible Textures: The perfect balance of smooth jello, thick cottage cheese, creamy Cool Whip, and lots of fruit makes this a refreshing salad you can't say no to! It's a guaranteed crowd favorite.

Laura Ashley's Tip: We use orange jello here, but you can use any fruit flavor you like! We love strawberry, raspberry, or lemon too.

Ingredients

Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Cottage Cheese: Adds a creamy texture and a subtle tangy flavor. Small curd cottage cheese is what we prefer, but any size works.
Orange Jello: The star of the show, it binds the salad and gives it its vibrant color and sweet, citrusy flavor.
Crushed Pineapple: Adds a juicy, tropical sweetness that complements the orange flavor perfectly. Pineapple tidbits can also be used.
Canned Mandarin Oranges: These juicy little segments add a burst of flavor and a nice texture.
Cool Whip: Gives the salad its light, fluffy texture and creamy consistency.
Maraschino Cherries: A classic garnish that adds a pop of color and an extra touch of sweetness.

What you need to make orange Jell-O salad: Cool Whip, crushed pineapple, mandarin, oranges, maraschino, cherries, cottage, cheese, orange Jell-O.

Tools You’ll Need

How to Make Orange Jello Salad

In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese and orange Jello mix. Stir until the Jello is fully incorporated into the cottage cheese.

Cottage cheese blended with orange Jell-O mix in a bowl

Gently fold in the drained crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges into the Jello mixture, mixing until evenly distributed.

Mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, being blended into cottage cheese, and orange Jell-O mix.

Add the Cool Whip and maraschino cherries to the mixture, folding it in gently to maintain its fluffy texture.

Picture of orange Jell-O salad, and a clear bowl completely made.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours, or until it’s well chilled and set. Before serving, top with additional maraschino cherries.

Pro Tips and Substitutions

Low-Fat and Sugar-Free Options: Use low-fat cottage cheese and light Cool Whip to make a lighter version of this dish. Sugar-free Jello can be used in place of regular.
Different Flavors: Experiment with other Jello flavors like strawberry, raspberry, or lemon for a fun twist.
Additional Mix-Ins: Add 1-2 cups mini marshmallows or ½ cup-1 cup chopped nuts for extra texture and flavor. Toasted and cooled pecans and walnuts are a popular choice.
Fruit Tips: Drain and pat dry the tropical crushed pineapple pieces and juicy mandarin oranges before blending into the mixture. You can also choose to use fresh oranges and pineapple. If doing so, make sure to peel, segment, and drain any excess juice.
Moisture Control: Orange Jello salad separates a bit as it chills. Simply pour off any excess moisture and give it a stir before serving. Also, some cottage cheese brands have more moisture content than others. Make sure to drain excess moisture before blending.
Homemade Whipped Topping: While Cool Whip is a popular choice, you can use homemade whipped cream as a more natural alternative.
- Simply whip together 1 ½ cups heaving whipping cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. The salad will keep for a couple days.

3 salads on a counter: orange jello salad, macaroni salad and cornbread chicken salad.

Storage

This orange cottage cheese jello salad is the perfect make-ahead salad recipe. Store leftovers in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate up 3 to 4 days.

We don't not recommended to freeze and thaw as it will compromise the texture of the salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make orange jello salad ahead of time?

Yes! This mandarin orange jello salad recipe is perfect for making ahead. Prepare it the night before and refrigerate it overnight for the best texture and flavor.

Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip?

While Cool Whip is a popular choice, you can use homemade whipped cream as a more natural alternative. Simply whip together 1 ½ cups heaving whipping cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. The salad will keep for a couple days.

What if I don’t like cottage cheese?

If you’re not a fan of cottage cheese, you can substitute it with an equal amount of ricotta cheese or Greek yogurt for a similar texture and tanginess.

How do I keep the fruit from sinking to the bottom?

Make sure to fold the fruit gently and evenly into the mixture. The Cool Whip helps to suspend the fruit throughout the salad, but if it sinks, you can give it a gentle stir before serving.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yes, orange jello salad made with the ingredients shown above in my recipe is gluten-free.

Can I make orange jell-o salad with sugar-free Jello?

Yes, you can substitute regular Jello for sugar-free. There will still be carbohydrates/sugar in the salad, primarily from the fruit.

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4.90 from 19 votes

Old Fashioned Orange Jello Salad

Orange Jello Salad is made in less than 10 minutes and it bursts with tangy citrus flavors with a smooth, and creamy texture.

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Total Time2 10

Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: holiday

Servings: Servings

Calories: 106kcal

Ingredients

1 cup cottage cheese excess moisture drained
3 ounce box orange Jello mix
1 cup drained crushed pineapple
15 ounce can mandarin oranges drained
8 ounce Cool Whip
¼ cup maraschino cherries halved

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese and orange Jello mix. Stir until the Jello is fully incorporated into the cottage cheese.
Gently fold in the drained crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges, mixing until evenly distributed.
Add the Cool Whip and maraschino cherries to the mixture, folding it in gently to maintain its fluffy texture.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours, or until it’s well chilled and set. Before serving, top with additional maraschino cherries.

Video

Notes

Pro Tips and Substitutions

Low-Fat and Sugar-Free Options: Use low-fat cottage cheese and light Cool Whip to make a lighter version of this dish. Sugar-free Jello can be used in place of regular.

Different Flavors: Experiment with other Jello flavors like strawberry, raspberry, or lemon for a fun twist.

Additional Mix-Ins: Add 1-2 cups mini marshmallows or ½ cup-1 cup chopped nuts for extra texture and flavor. Toasted and cooled pecans and walnuts are a popular choice.

Fruit Tips: Drain and pat dry the crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges before blending into the mixture. You can also choose to use fresh oranges and pineapple. If doing so, make sure to peel, segment, and drain any excess juice.

Moisture Control: Orange Jello salad separates a bit as it chills. Simply pour off any excess moisture and give it a stir before serving. Also, some cottage cheese brands have more moisture content than others. Make sure to drain excess moisture before blending.

Homemade Whipped Topping: While Cool Whip is a popular choice, you can use homemade whipped cream as a more natural alternative. Simply whip together 1 ½ cups heaving whipping cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. The salad will keep for a couple days.

Nutrition

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Comments

4.90 from 19 votes (9 ratings without comment)

Orange Jello Salad

Save The Recipe!

Why You’ll like this Recipe

Ingredients

Tools You’ll Need

How to Make Orange Jello Salad

Pro Tips and Substitutions

Storage

Frequently Asked Questions

More Salad Recipes Like This