No matter the holiday or celebration, having make-ahead dishes to serve to family and guests is always a great idea! This Old Fashioned Orange Jello Salad was a staple at family parties when I was growing up and disappeared quickly from holiday tables. Sweet and delightful, with a creamy topping, it brightens any buffet.
Easy Traditional Jello Salad
Even though the Orange Jello Salad is made with very simple ingredients, the recipe is perfect to add to your holiday menu or any special occasion. It complements a wide range of other side dishes, salads, and main courses.
Special Toppings
The base for the Orange Jello Salad is a very typical fruit jello mixed with canned fruit, recipe. But the topping and grated cheese sprinkled on top are what makes it unique. Some may balk at the idea of cheese sprinkled on top, but the salty touch is actually very tasty!
If you don’t care for the cheese on top, try sprinkling one of these alternatives. The pop of color, added texture and flavor make it extra special.
- toasted coconut
- chopped pecans
- pomegranate seeds
- orange zest
Old Fashioned Orange Jello Salad
Old Fashioned Orange Jello Salad, a cool, hydrating summer salad, can be served as a dessert or a side dish. Simple ingredients are used in this time-honored orange fluff recipe, which comes together quickly. Although they make frequent appearances on Holiday tables, the summer is also an ideal time to enjoy some of these traditional “salads,” which essentially allow you to eat dessert with your meal rather than after. The inclusion of small marshmallows, which expand while the salad sets up in the refrigerator, gives the orange jello salad a fluffy and light texture.
What Makes Old Fashioned Orange Jello Salad Special?
It is the ideal dessert to liven up your BBQ because it’s creamy, fluffy, and sweet. Everyone will enjoy it whether you serve it as a side dish or an after-dinner dessert. This easy-to-follow recipe for vintage Orange Jello Salad is excellent! Orange jello is flavored with citrus oranges, smashed pineapple, and a delicious vanilla pudding icing. Orange jello, orange freshly squeezed juice, and citrus oranges all combine for the triple orange flavor. This dish gets even sweeter and more delicious when the tropical crushed pineapple pieces and juice are added. This dessert salad is rich without feeling heavy because of the zest of the juicy citrus oranges topped with sweet cream. This traditional Orange Jello Salad is cool and refreshing on a hot summer day.
Jello Salad Recipe Tips
- When you initially combine everything, the salad can seem liquidy, but it will thicken as it rests in the refrigerator.
- Plan to make this recipe 1 day ahead of time to give the Jello salad time to chill and set properly.
- The creamy top layer can also be made using Cool Whip or Dream Whip and instant vanilla pudding if you are short on time, but don’t skip the creamy topping. Each bite has extra flavor thanks to the hint of vanilla in the velvety, sweet flavors of whipped topping.
Why You’ll Love Orange Jello Salad?
Simple and Quick: We use basic ingredients to make this Jell-O salad, so it comes together quickly in one bowl. A quick stir gets everything going!
No Cooking: You do not need to bake the Jell-O, just heat the water before combining with the powdered jello.
Plays Well With Others: This recipe gets along well with all sorts of dishes and makes friends with all the holidays. Jello salad is a delicious complimentary side dish to serve with turkey and all the fixings or for Christmas dinner or an Easter meal. You can also vary the flavor and fruit you add to the jello to adapt it for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or any holiday! It pairs excellently with a mandarin orange holiday salad.
Want More Delicious Gelatin Recipes?
If you’d like another fun and flavorful jello salad recipe, check out our Watergate Salad, reminiscent of ambrosia; it’s a fantastic dish to bring to a picnic or potluck.
Health Benefits for Jello Salad
While jello salad is not a health food- it’s more dessert than salad- in addition to tasting great, it does have some other benefits. The gelatin found in jello is made of collagen, a protein that may improve stomach, skin, hair, and nail health. Moreover, it offers vital amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C and some varieties may provide up to 92% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C. And by assisting the body in producing new connective tissue, vitamin C keeps your skin looking young. Hyaluronic acid production is also increased by vitamin C, which assists the body in the creation of tissue.
Potential health benefits of jello include:
Hydrated Skin:
Jello’s proteins and amino acids support the body in producing more collagen, which is essential for having good skin. Natural collagen levels decrease with age. This may cause the skin to become less elastic and develop wrinkles. Ingesting collagen increased skin moisture and decreased wrinkles.
Healthy Intestines:
The proteins in jello can strengthen the intestinal wall by attempting to develop the intestine’s defensive mucus layer. Jello has been shown to help protect the walls of the intestine in early experiments on rats. Another amino acid that can help shield the intestinal wall from harm and stop digestive problems is glutamic acid, which is also present in jello.
Healthier Joints and Bone:
The gelatin in Jello helps strengthen connective tissues in addition to increasing the skin’s flexibility. Research has also shown that joint discomfort can be lessened by collagen boosters like gelatin.
Storing Tips
This dessert will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator when covered. After that time, I find it begins to get watery and the fruit loses its integrity and becomes mushy.
This makes it a great meal to prepare one day ahead of time!
Print
Old Fashioned Orange Jello Salad
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
A make-ahead Orange Jello Salad that is perfect for a special occasion. Recipe from PocketChangeGourmet.com. Original Family Recipe from Lois Kimmel
Ingredients
Orange Jello
- 2 small boxes or 1 large
- 1 can (15 oz) apricots
- 1 can (15 oz) crushed pineapple
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Topping
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup real whipping cream
- ½ cup grated cheese
Instructions
- Drain apricots and pineapple, reserving the juice
- Cut apricots into small pieces
- In a large bowl, combine the jello and 2 cups boiling water, stir to dissolve
- Add 1 cup of reserved juice, stir and place bowl in fridge for about 30 minutes or until jello is consistency of egg whites
- Fold in fruit and marshmallows
- Rinse 13×9 glass pan in cold water and pour in jello mixture
- Return to fridge until set, several hours or overnight
Topping
- In a small saucepan, add the sugar, flour, beaten egg and orange juice
- Whisk constantly until thick
- Add butter and stir until melted
- Remove from heat and let cool, about 30 minutes
- Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form, fold in pudding mixture and spread on jello
- Top with grated cheese
Notes
Chilling time is included.
- Prep Time: 15
Nutrition Information on Orange Jello Salad
Per serving:
Calories | 124 kcal | Carbohydrates | 17 g |
Protein | 6 g | Fat | 2 g |
Saturated Fat | 2 g | Cholesterol | 9 mg |
Sugar | 11 g | Sodium | 118 mg |
Potassium | 87 mg | Fiber | 2 g |
Iron | 2 mg | Calcium | 52 mg |
Vitamin A | 87IU | Vitamin C | 3 mg |
8 Comments
Yes, we still make our Orange Jello Surprise every holiday!!! It is my Mom’s favorite!!!! My Dad still makes it too! It is one of the few recipes of Grandma’s that we have. 🙁
And YES!!!! The cheese makes it!!! My favorite part. But if people wrinkle their noses, I let them… That means MORE for me later!!! Yummy!!!
Can some make a video? I don’t understand the marshmallow and topping part
My daughter has been looking for this recipe! My grandma used to make this all the time for family meals and just because at times! Lol It was heavily requested in our family too! The cheese does throw some people off that have never tried it, but when they try it for the first time, they end up loving it too! Thanks so much for posting this recipe that my daughter and I thought was long gone!
This is my husband’s all time favorite! His mom made it for holiday meals. She pssed in early in 2020 and I am going to carry on the tradition. Thanks for posting this, I am sharing with my daughter and niece.
This recipe has been passed down now 5 generations in my family that I know of. I’ve talked with my grandmother about the origin of this but all she remembers is that it’s european. Do you happen to know which country?
Interesting question, Kendra! Maybe it has some roots in UK? It seems that they are quite fond of jellies. Maybe is a remnant recipe taken from one or more colonies and readapted over time.
Where is the recipe for the old fashioned orange Jello salad. I’m finding all of the info on why its good for you, comments and nutrition info, but not the recipe itself
Tina, you’re right! I missed the recipe. But now the post is updated. Bon Appetite!