A Table Full Of Joy

  • 4th of July Recipes
  • Entree Recipes
  • Side Dish Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • 4th of July Recipes
  • Entree Recipes
  • Side Dish Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • 4th of July Recipes
    • Entree Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • About Me
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ร—
    Home ยป Recipes ยป Side Dish

    Easy Mandarin Orange Jello Salad

    Published: Feb 20, 2025 by Lisa Killian ยท This post may contain affiliate links. Please read myย  disclosure policy.

    mandarin orange jello salad in white bowl pinterest pin
    โ†“ Jump to Recipe
    โ†“ Jump to Video

    This delightful and refreshing Easy Mandarin Orange Jello Salad is a sweet and tangy dish perfect for holidays, BBQs, and potlucks. With its bright citrus flavor and light, fluffy texture, itโ€™s sure to be a crowd favorite at any gathering.

    easy mandarin orange jello salad  in white dish with mandarins around it
    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • What Goes Into This Recipe
    • How to Make Easy Mandarin Orange Jello Salad
    • Expert Tips
    • Variations and Substitutions
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Related Recipes
    • Easy Mandarin Orange Jello Salad

    Growing up my mom would make this every holiday. It is such a delicious jello salad that I am happy to bring to holiday dinners and parties now that I am all grown up.

    Make sure to check out my easy Christmas Recipes, delicious Thanksgiving recipes, and these fun Easter Recipes!

    Why This Recipe Works

    • 5 Ingredients- this dish is simple and delicious!
    • It's a classic! So many people have fond memories of this dish and now you can make it too!
    • Make ahead- This dish is great made a day or two before so it's great for holidays and parties!
    • Versatile- switch up the jello and fruits for fun new combos!

    Iโ€™ve shared a few of my momโ€™s recipes in the past (like these easy deviled eggs recipe, cinnamon pull-apart bread and this cranberry relish) and they are always a hit! I couldnโ€™t wait to share this treasured family recipe too!

    What Goes Into This Recipe

    • Cottage Cheese- I like to use small curd Daisey brand but use what ever you prefer.
    • Canned Mandarin Oranges- you can use mandarin fruit cups too!
    • Canned Crushed Pineapple- You can also dice up pineapple tidbits.
    • Orange Gelatin- Name brand Jello or any brand you prefer works!
    • Frozen Whipped Topping- we tend to use cool whip but any brand works
    orange jello salad ingredients in individual bowls on marble background.

    How to Make Easy Mandarin Orange Jello Salad

    mandarins, pineapple, and jello mixed in glass bowl.
    1. Step 1: Drain the mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple. Mix fruit with gelatin powder.
    folding cottage cheese into fruit jello mixture in glass bowl.
    1. Step 2: Fold in the cottage cheese.

    Save this for later!

    We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Don't worry, I promise not to spam you!

    folding in the cool whip in to the cottage cheese mixture in glass bowl.
    1. Step 3: Fold in the cool whip to keep volume in the salad.
    mixed orange salad in glass bowl.
    1. Step 4: Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.

    Expert Tips

    • Try to squeeze out any excess liquid from the crushed pineapple. This will make for better consistency overall.
    • Make this mandarin orange salad the day before. Letting all those flavors come together overnight makes it even tastier!
    mandarin orange jello salad with a spoon sitting in a white dish.

    Variations and Substitutions

    Jello- I know this is called orange jello salad because of the orange jello but lime, strawberry, or even raspberry jello would be tasty!

    Fruit- swapping out the mandarins and pineapple for other fruit like strawberries or pears might be tasty!

    Low Calorie- Using low calorie/fat cottage cheese, fat free cool whip, and sugar free jello is a great way to lighten the calorie load. Just keep in mind low fat cottage cheese tends to be waterier and might affect the overall consistency of the jello salad.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How to Store Mandarin Orange Salad?

    Store orange jello salad in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

    How Long Does Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Last?

    This orange jello salad will last 3-4 days. It might start to separate the longer it sits and need to be stirred to reincorporate everything.

    Can I Use Whipped Cream?

    No. Whipped cream will fall flat and isn't as stable and thick as cool whip.

    mandarin orange salad on plate white plate and mandarins and mint as a garnish.

    More Related Recipes

    If you like this recipe, make sure to check out my strawberry fruit dip, carrot cake cookies, buffalo chicken dip, smoked deviled eggs, and this green bean casserole- all perfect for the holidays or potlucks!

    • Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip Feature image
      The Best Hot Artichoke Dip
    • pepperoni pasta salad featured image
      Pepperoni Pasta Salad
    • franks red hot buffalo chicken dip featured image
      Franks Red Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip
    • Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes Dip

    If you like this recipe make sure to give it a 5-star review and leave a comment down below!

    Also, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and make sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

    Video

    HTMLFont size
    mandarin orange salad featured image

    Easy Mandarin Orange Jello Salad

    This refreshing Easy Mandarin Orange Jello Salad is a sweet and tangy dish ideal for holidays, BBQs, and potlucks. Its bright citrus flavor and light, fluffy texture make it a crowd favorite at any gathering.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin
    Author: Lisa Killian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 12

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups cottage cheese
    • 8 oz mandarin oranges drained
    • 8 oz crushed pineapple or tidbits*
    • 3 oz orange Jello powder
    • 8 oz cool whip thawed

    Instructions

    • Drain mandarins and pineapples. I recommend trying to squeeze excess juice from the pineapple.
    • In a large bowl combine mandarins, crushed pineapple and orange Jello powder.
      8 oz mandarin oranges, 3 oz orange Jello, 8 oz crushed pineapple
    • Fold in cottage cheese until everything is orange.
      2 cups cottage cheese
    • Fold in cool whip.
      8 oz cool whip
    • Let sit overnight if possible or at least 4-6 hrs., best to make day before

    Notes

    Tips and Tricks
    • Mandarin Oranges: If you can't find canned use cups of mandarin oranges!
    • Pineapple: If you can't find crushed canned pineapple you can use canned pineapple tidbits. Just coarsely chop/crush them before mixing them in.
    • Leftovers: Eat leftovers within 4 days, you might need to stir leftovers if there is separation.
    • Make Ahead: Make this dish up to 4 days ahead of time!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 0.1mg

    More Easy Side Dishes

    • Roasted Tomatillo Salsa featured image
      Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
    • cheesy pull apart bread featured image
      Cheesy Pull Apart Garlic Bread with Bacon Butter
    • Crispy Potatoes featured image
      Crispy Potatoes with Bacon Butter
    • Christmas fruit salad featured image
      Christmas Fruit Salad

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Lisa says

      March 15, 2023 at 3:49 pm

      5 stars
      Love this! We make it for every holiday!

      Reply
    headshot of lisa

    Hey, I'm Lisa!

    Here you will find easy and delicious recipes that will bring joy and lots of flavor to your home!

    About Me

    4th of July Recipes

    • red white and blue cupcakes featured image
      Red White and Blue Cupcakes

    • 4th of July Cookies featured image
      4th of July Cookies

    • red white and blue bundt cake side view
      Red White and Blue Cake

    • 4th of July Cake featured images
      4th of July Cake

    • red white and blue cheesecake salad featured image
      Red White and Blue Cheesecake Salad

    • toll house pie featured image
      Toll House Pie

    Most Popular Recipes

    • shake and bake chicken featured image
      Shake and Bake Chicken

    • toasted bread featured image
      How to Toast Bread in Oven?

    • fried scallops featured image
      Fried Scallops

    • grilled nuggets featured
      Grilled Chicken Nuggets

    • cinnamon toast crunch bars with mini marshmallows sprinkled around them and milk in a cup, featured image.
      Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars

    • steak pasta in bowl featured image
      Steak Pasta With Creamy Garlic Sauce

    Featured On

    AS seen on Parade, Hearthstone, Yummly, Sam's Club, Congra, Red Tricycle, Chefling App. Foodgawker, Karo

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates!

    Contact

    • About Me
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, ThermoWorks Affiliate, Good Ranchers Affiliate, De Buyer Affiliate, Camp Chef Affiliate, Walmart + Affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright ยฉ 2025 A Table Full of Joyโ„ข

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.