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There’s nothing quite as nostalgic as a jello fluff salad, especially on a holiday table. Just like Cranberry Fluff Salad, this Lime Jello Salad is a chilled dessert-like side that’s perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Unlike fluff salads such as Pistachio Pudding Salad, this gelatin salad has a firm texture that can be sliced into squares like you do when serving Strawberry Pretzel Salad. Similar to a jello mold, it’s a sweet side dish and is also known as seafoam salad for its fluffy texture and color.
These salads are always linked to memories too. I remember hearing my friend’s aunts go on and on about their mother’s Ambrosia one Christmas. Then while dating my husband his mother declared that she wouldn’t ever share the recipe for her Frog Eye Salad so he’d always have something to come back home to get.
It’s these recipes that get handed down through the generations and ones that, though they’re now vintage, are just as delicious as when they first gained popularity.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Beautiful presentation – This vintage lime jello salad makes a beautiful dish, especially when you pipe whipped cream on top and sprinkle on some extra crushed pecans. It’s not complicated to make either and comes together with ease. It’s a beautiful dish for any Thanksgiving spread or even a Christmas dinner.
- Pairs well with hearty meals – With a light and fluffy texture this side dish pairs well with hearty meals like Thanksgiving or large gatherings with heavy food.
- Easy to make – It only has a few ingredients and is easy to make. The jello needs some time to set, but it’s also great for making ahead.
Ingredients Needed
This lime jello salad with pineapple and Cool Whip, or your own whipped topping mixed in, has just a handful of other ingredients. You’ll need chopped pecans, some boiling water, lime gelatin, and cream cheese instead of cottage cheese.
Many recipes call for cottage cheese instead of cream cheese, but I prefer the smooth texture and taste of cream cheese. I typically prepare my jello salad recipes without cottage cheese as I did in this Mandarin Orange Jello Salad, but this comes down to preference. The two ingredients can easily be swapped.
Ingredient Notes
- Lime Jello – You’ll need 2 boxes of lime jello, which can usually be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store.
- Crushed Pineapple – Don’t drain the pineapple. You will mix it together with the jello and it provides a delicious tangy flavor.
- Whipped Topping – To keep this recipe simple I prefer to use a stabilized whipped cream such as Cool Whip, but you could easily whip up your own whipped cream using heavy whipping cream too. I recommend using regular and not fat-free or light versions.
- Chopped Pecans – Mixing the chopped pecans into your lime jello salad provides a delicious crunch. You can also use chopped walnuts or if you don’t like nuts or have an allergy can omit them altogether.
How to Make Lime Jello Salad
- Mix the jello and water. Place the lime jello into a large mixing bowl and pour the boiling water on top. Whisk the two ingredients together quickly until all the powdered jello has fully dissolved.
- Add in the crushed pineapple. Stir in the crushed pineapple (don’t drain) and place the bowl in the fridge for no more than 20 minutes to cool and slightly firm. You don’t need to cover it.
- Beat the cream cheese. In a separate bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the whipped topping and continue to beat until well-mixed.
- Add in the lime jello mixture. Place the lime jello mixture into the mixer or mixing bowl and mix it in until fully incorporated.
- Add the pecans. Fold in the crushed pecans until they are evenly mixed into the jello mixture.
- Chill. Pour the entire mixture into a 9×13 baking dish or casserole dish and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight so it firms up. If you’d like to decorate the top place some additional whipped topping into a piping bag or a Ziplock bag with the bottom edge cut out and pipe it onto the top.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can make this congealed salad in advance and it will last for 5 to 7 days stored in the fridge. If you’d like to make it in advance I recommend doing it 1 to 2 days before you plan on serving it.
Follow the recipe as directed, but don’t add the decorative whipped cream topping until right before you plan on serving it. keep it covered tightly until ready to serve. Remember this salad should be served chilled.
Storage Instructions
- Leftovers – to store any leftovers cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. It will last for up to 7 days.
- Freezing – Unfortunately, this salad can’t be frozen. Whether you’re using cream cheese or cottage cheese the ingredients will start to break down once frozen and turn into a mess when thawed that doesn’t taste good.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- This vintage lime jello salad is best served cut into squares. I like to pipe some extra whipped cream on top as well as add some more crushed pecans for presentation. You can just as easily scoop it out using a serving spoon though. To serve it vintage-style though place a square on top of some lettuce. Then add a dollop of mayonnaise to the top.
- Some recipes suggest using cottage cheese instead of cream cheese. Using cottage cheese brings a slightly more tart flavor and really comes down to preference. You can swap out the cream cheese easily for cottage cheese if you’d like.
- If you plan on bringing this to a family gathering or a potluck then place it into a casserole dish fitted with a lid for easy transport.
- If you’d like to decorate the top you will need additional Cool Whip. You can place it in a Ziplock bag. Then cut the bottom corner out or put it into a piping bag.
FAQS
You need to keep jello or any congealed salad covered when storing it in the fridge to keep it from drying out. If it’s not covered the jello salad will begin to shrink and pull away from the sides of the dish losing its fluffiness.
Yes! The ingredients do sound weird, but they come together in a sweet and light salad that has a subtle tangy flavor. It’s nostalgic and has been around for many years with good reason.
No, you don’t need to use a jello mold when making this seafoam salad and in fact, I recommend just placing it into a 9×13 casserole dish. If you’d like to be fancy then you can place it into a mold, but this will add some time to your prep.
If you enjoyed this Lime Jello Salad, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars.
Lime Jello Salad
Equipment
- Electric Mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients
- 2 3 ounce boxes Lime Jello
- 1 cup Boiling Water
- 1 20 ounce can Crushed Pineapple
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese softened
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed
- 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
Instructions
- Place the lime jello into a large mixing bowl and pour the boiling water on top. Whisk the two ingredients together quickly until all the powdered jello has fully dissolved
- Stir in the crushed pineapple (don't drain) and place the bowl in the fridge for no more than 20 minutes to cool and slightly firm. You don't need to cover it.
- In a separate bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the whipped topping and continue to beat until well-mixed.
- Place the lime jello mixture into the mixer or mixing bowl and mix it in until fully incorporated.
- Fold in the crushed pecans until they are evenly mixed into the jello mixture.
- Pour the entire mixture into a 9×13 baking dish or casserole dish and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight so it firms up.
- If you'd like to decorate the top place some additional whipped topping into a piping bag or a Ziplock bag with the bottom edge cut out and pipe it onto the top.
Notes
- This vintage lime jello salad is best served cut into squares. I like to pipe some extra whipped cream on top as well as add some more crushed pecans for presentation. You can just as easily scoop it out using a serving spoon though. To serve it vintage-style though place a square on top of some lettuce. Then add a dollop of mayonnaise to the top.
- Some recipes suggest using cottage cheese instead of cream cheese. Using cottage cheese brings a slightly more tart flavor and really comes down to preference. You can swap out the cream cheese easily for cottage cheese if you’d like.
- If you plan on bringing this to a family gathering or a potluck then place it into a casserole dish fitted with a lid for easy transport.
- If you’d like to decorate the top you will need additional Cool Whip. You can place it in a Ziplock bag. Then cut the bottom corner out or put it into a piping bag.
Storage Information
- Leftovers – to store any leftovers cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. It will last for up to 7 days.
- Freezing – Unfortunately, this salad can’t be frozen. Whether you’re using cream cheese or cottage cheese the ingredients will start to break down once frozen and turn into a mess when thawed that doesn’t taste good.
