Mandarin orange jello salad with cottage cheese is ready in 5 minutes. This vintage jello salad recipe combines mandarin oranges drained of their liquid, orange gelatin, cool whip, crushed pineapple and cottage cheese.
✨ Here is why this recipe is amazing:
- A favorite holiday recipe from my childhood.
- An easy jello salad recipe that is perfect for the kids to help make because there is no stove or heat involved.
🍍 Ingredients needed:
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
📝 Ingredient notes:
- Cool whip - the brand name for non-dairy whipped topping.
- Mandarin Oranges - use the 15 ounce can. Be sure to drain away the juice.
- Crushed Pineapple - drain away the liquid from a 15 ounce can.
- Orange Jell-O - just one 3.4 ounce box is needed in this recipe.
- Cottage Cheese - small curd, whole milk is what I use in this recipe
🔄 Substitutions
- Non-dairy whipped topping - I am using the full fat cool-whip but feel free to use the low fat to the non-fat. version
- Jello - sugar free jello can be substituted.
- Crushed pineapple - Pineapple tidbits can also be used. Both need to be drained. I have one child who likes the tidbits and one child who likes the crushed pineapple. It is a texture thing for both of them.
- Cottage cheese - I use the full fat, small curd cottage cheese. Use a lower fat cottage cheese or substitute in equal parts sour cream if cottage cheese is not available or if you don't like cottage cheese.
🥣 How to make Orange Jello Salad, basic instructions
- Drain the mandarin oranges and the pineapple.
- Sprinkle the orange jello over the cottage cheese and stir to combine.
- Fold in the mandarin oranges, pineapple and marshmallows.
- gently fold in the thawed non-dairy whipped topping.
📷 Making Orange Fluff Salad, photo instructions
- Drain the mandarin oranges and the crushed pineapple. Discard the liquid.
- In a large bowl, sprinkle the orange jello powder over the cottage cheese.
- Stir to combine and rehydrate the orange jello.
- Add the drained oranges and the drained crushed pineapple to the cottage cheese mixture.
- Dump 2 cups of mini marshmallows into the bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the thawed whipped topping to the orange jello salad.
- Gently fold in the whipped topping, being sure to not break up the mandarin oranges. There will be a few streaks of cool-whip still in the salad.
- Serve.
❄️ Storage tips
Store in a closed container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Orange Jello Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz can mandarin oranges drained
- 1 15 ounce crushed pineapple drained
- 1 3.4 ounce orange-flavored gelatin
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed
- 12 ounces cottage cheese small curd
- 2 cups marshmallows mini
Instructions
- Drain the mandarin oranges and the crushed pineapple. Discard the liquid.1 14 oz can mandarin oranges, 1 15 ounce crushed pineapple
- In a large bowl, sprinkle the orange jello powder over the cottage cheese.1 3.4 ounce orange-flavored gelatin, 12 ounces cottage cheese
- Stir to combine and rehydrate the orange jello.
- Add the drained oranges and the drained crushed pineapple to the cottage cheese mixture.1 15 ounce crushed pineapple
- Dump 2 cups of mini marshmallows into the bowl and stir to combine.2 cups marshmallows
- Add the thawed whipped topping to the orange jello salad.
- Gently fold in the whipped topping, being sure to not break up the mandarin oranges. There will be a few streaks of cool-whip still in the salad.8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed
- Serve.
Nutrition
👩🏻🍳 Sarah Mock
Founder & Culinary Blogger
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 13 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
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