Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe {Video} - Tammilee Tips (2024)

Published: · Updated: by Tammilee · This post may contain affiliate links

Easy 4 Ingredient Mandarin Orange Jello Salad is the perfect holiday side dish, family dessert salad, perfect for potlucks and barbecues, and oh so easy to make.

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe {Video} - Tammilee Tips (1)

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe

Contents show

Our Mandarin Orange Jello Salad does not include cottage cheese or pudding mix. It does include four easy ingredients that pair together to make a great holiday side dish.

This is one of those side dishes that everyone enjoys but maybe doesn't admit they love it as much as they do. I always laugh when the bowl of Mandarin Orange Salad is empty before other side dishes. You can look around the room and see all the adults savoring this childhood classic.

I love that it only takes a few pantry basic ingredients and a couple of minutes to whip up this holiday side dish. Ok, it isn't just for the holidays we enjoy it year-round and love bringing it to potlucks and barbecues.

We serve this with the regular meal not just at dessert. I figure it has fruit in it so it can be called a fruit salad. lol!

This orange fluff salad is a true family favorite for holiday dinners! So dang easy to make and you can make it ahead of time in the morning so you don't have to stress about getting it on the table when everything else is done.

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe {Video} - Tammilee Tips (2)

Ingredients

  • Orange Jello
  • Cool Whip
  • Mandarin Oranges
  • Water

Orange Jello - You can change this recipe up a bit and use different flavors of Jello if you want to try something different. You can use regular or sugar-free jello

Cool Whip - Feel free to use regular, light, or any variety of Cool Whip. Just make sure to set the Cool Whip in the fridge so it thaws by the time you need it. Check out all of our Cool Whip Recipes.

Mandarin Oranges - I buy a 2nd can of Mandarin Oranges so I can to individual servings of this orange fluff jello salad with a dollop of cool whip and mandarin orange.

Optional Add-ins - You can add in pineapple chunks if you want another fruit in this jello salad.

You can top this salad with whipped cream, mini marshmallows, coconut, crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges, or more fresh fruit. For a bit of crunch you can add in a few chopped nuts.

Cottage Cheese - There are a few variations of this Orange Fluff Salad and many of them include mixing in a 12 oz container of cottage cheese. If you grew up with cottage cheese in your orange jello salad feel free to mix it in! We did not have cottage cheese mixed in growing up so I tend to make it without cottage cheese. It is totally up to you.

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe {Video} - Tammilee Tips (3)

Equipment needed

Large Bowl - You will want to use a bowl large enough to handle all of the ingredients.

Whisk - A whisk works great for breaking up the orange jello before adding in the cool whip. You can also do this with a large spoon.

Serving Dishes - You can serve this in a large bowl or individual serving dishes.

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe {Video} - Tammilee Tips (4)

Recipe Tips

This Mandarin Orange Jello Salad can be customized to your favorite flavors.

There are a ton of variations to this Mandarin Orange Jello Salad. Some families love making the orange jello and letting it almost set before mixing in the cool whip and mandarin oranges. Other families love adding in cottage cheese and pineapple pieces. This is one of those childhood recipes we all grew up with that has changed and adapted over time.

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe {Video} - Tammilee Tips (5)

Great Side Dishes

Southern Style Green Beans

Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip

Creamed Corn Casserole

Crockpot Apple Butter

Great Dessert Recipes

Green Jello Salad

Carrot Strawberries

Cherry Kool Aid Pie

Lemon Icebox Pie

Pina Colada Poke Cake

Cherry Fluff

Do you love recipes? Check out ourcopy cat recipes,dessert recipes, and ourCrock Pot Recipes.

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe {Video} - Tammilee Tips (6)

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe

Easy 4 ingredient Mandarin Orange Jello Salad is a great side dish or dessert. The perfect combination of Mandarin Oranges, Cool Whip, and Orange Jello

4 from 5 votes

Print Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Refrigeration: 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 4 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 96kcal

Author: Tammilee Tips

Ingredients

  • 6 Ounce Orange Jell-O
  • 8 Ounce Cool Whip
  • 11 Ounce Mandarin Oranges Drained
  • 2 cups Hot Water
  • 2 cups Cold water

Instructions

  • Mix hot water with orange jello mix in a large bowl until mix dissolves. Pour in cold water and mix together.

  • Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until the Jello is almsot set. Use a whisk to break orange jello into pieces, stir in Cool whip, add in mandarin oranges.

  • Refrigerate until just before serving.

Kitchen Tools

  • Large Mixing Bowl

  • Whisk

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 96Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 3mg1%

Sodium 84mg4%

Potassium 65mg2%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 210IU4%

Vitamin C 7mg8%

Calcium 33mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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About Tammilee

Lifestyle blogger who travels the world and drinks too much Chai tea. Travel blogger, award winning photographer, sunset hunter, Birkenstock girl, bird nerd
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Comments

  1. Karen Treviranus

    Just an idea I use the juice from the Mandarin oranges instead of the cold water. It adds more flavor

    Reply

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Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Recipe {Video} - Tammilee Tips (2024)

FAQs

Can I use orange juice instead of water in jello? ›

Any Fruit Juice Jello with gelatin allows you to make homemade jello with fruit juice — that basic master recipe you've been looking for — natural and delicious, with no added sweetener, plus reliable every time. Make any flavor of jello with just gelatin and juice!

Why did they make Jello salads? ›

Perfection Salad won third prize in a Better Homes and Gardens recipe contest and popularized the concept of the jello salad in the United States. Jello acted as an easy and cheap addition to more labor-intensive or expensive recipes during the Great Depression and World War II.

Can I use juice from canned fruit in Jell-O? ›

So, can you use home canned juice to make jelly? Absolutely!

Do you use hot or cold water to make Jell-O? ›

In one mixing bowl, pour the packet of gelatin mix in. Carefully add 1 cup of boiling hot water inside. Stir until the powder is dissolved. Now slowly stir in 1 cup of cold water.

Why is Jell-O not popular anymore? ›

Jell-O shifted to single-serve cups and more convenient options as competition for snacks and desserts grew. Kraft in the early 2000's shifted the focus of Jell-O's advertising away from kids and toward adults. It pitched sugar-free Jell-O, for example, as a treat for Atkins dieters.

Why do hospitals give you Jell-O? ›

There are a few reasons: Jell-O is easy to swallow and digest, making it suitable for patients who have difficulty eating solid foods or have digestive issues. It's smooth texture and mild flavor make it more tolerable for those with sensitive stomachs or who are recovering from surgery.

What should not be added to gelatin salad? ›

Fresh raw pineapple shouldn't be used in Jello salad because it contains protease enzymes. These will prevent the gelatin from gelling and will leave you with a liquid jello salad. Citrus fruits are fine. For example it is quite common to add mandarin oranges.

What can I use instead of water for Jell-O? ›

Prepare jello substituting lemon lime soda for the 1 cup cold water called for in the package directions. Chill until firm.

Can I use juice instead of water in Jello shots? ›

Definitely use ice instead of the cold water if you are having the party in less than 4 hours because it will solidify faster. Taste to ensure there is enough liquor and consider adding more. If you use a citrus juice then you can add more liquor. Do NOT use pineapple juice, it will interfere with the gelatin setting.

What causes Jell-O to not set up? ›

Some fresh fruits prevent Jell-O and other types of gelatin from gelling. These are fruits that contain high levels of proteases. Proteases are enzymes that break chemical bonds in proteins, such as collagen in gelatin.

What does citric acid do to Jell-O? ›

Acids hydrolyze gelatin and weaken its gelling capacity in water, which raises concerns about the use of food acids in gelatin-based confections (gummies).

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