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Mandarin Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe

This Mandarin Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe is a classic recipe redone with fresh ingredients.

This post is sponsored by Halos.

Okay, I have a confession to make. We don't have any kids other than our fur babies, but we still buy and love eating Halos California mandarin oranges. *hangs head*

I know, I know, but they are just so good! Mandarin oranges are one of my favorite fruits, but so often the labels aren't clear and you'll find the fruit comes from all around the world and you never really know if they are seedless are not.

And honestly, for such a small fruit, it can have a lot of seeds that are just a pain. So, I buy Halos, because I know where they're coming from - California right here in the US, and they are seedless so I don't have to worry about chomping down on a seed and taking away from the delicious flavor that is a mandarin orange. It's also comforting that they're GMO-free.

Mandarin Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe

While I love eating fresh mandarin oranges as a snack, I like to try my hand at cooking with them every now and then too. I was recently invited to make a recipe with Halos and the recipe that immediately came to mind was an oldie jello salad I fondly remember my mom making for cookouts and all the family gatherings.

It's an odd salad that you wouldn't even really think about combining the ingredients for, or at least I wouldn't. I hadn't had it in years so I couldn't resist giving it a try.

Mandarin Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe

Mr. Savvy, who spent the first several years of his childhood in Germany, might as well looked at me like I had snakes coming out of my head when I asked if he had ever had the strange concoction.

Canned mandarin oranges, cottage cheese, orange gelatin, canned pineapple and whipped topping make up the original recipe my mom would make. However, I decided to make it a bit more fresh and natural by using fresh mandarins and making my own whipped cream.

 

The resulting mandarin orange fluff jello salad tasted just like I remembered. A little sweet, creamy, and full of citrus flavor.
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It has a variety of textures from the whipped cream, fruit, and cheese. If you want it to be purely smooth, you can run the cottage cheese through the blender before mixing it in and if you want some crunch, you can top with a sprinkle of chopped pecans.

The salad is great especially during the summer months at cookouts. I also like it as a dessert option during the holidays. It's a nice light, refreshing end to a heavy meal.

Some of my favorite recipes to serve this orange jello salad as a side or dessert include:

Mandarin Orange Fluff Jello Salad

Mandarin Orange Fluff Jello Salad

Yield: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes

This mandarin orange fluff Jello salad recipe is light, creamy and cold - perfect for summer desserts and side dishes!

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, very cold
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 16 oz small curd cottage cheese
  • 6 oz orange flavored gelatin (or 2 3oz packages)
  • 8 oz can crushed pineapple, very well drained
  • 2 cups of mandarin orange segments, about 6 - 8 oranges

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whip together whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form for homemade whipped cream.
  2. Fold in cottage cheese.
  3. Thoroughly mix in orange gelatin (still in powder form, don't actually make the gelatin). You don't want to still see powder streaks or the salad will be gritty.
  4. Fold in the pineapple (make sure it's very well drained or it will water down the salad) and mandarin orange segments. You may want to set aside a few orange segments for garnish.
  5. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Leftovers last about 3 days refrigerated, but the salad may start watering down.

Notes

16 oz of a thawed whipped topping such as Cool Whip can be used instead of the homemade whipped cream.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

 

 

elizabeth powers

Monday 7th of June 2021

can you put all ingredient except cool whip in blender? Then put cw in last? have got people that dont cc. just thought it hide cc. thanks

Smart Savvy Living

Wednesday 9th of June 2021

Hi Elizabeth, thanks for stopping by. I haven't tried this so I'm not quite sure how it would turn out. The texture would definitely be different from normal but at the same time I don't think it would necessarily be bad. I would maybe leave some of the oranges whole too to add with the whipped cream. Please let me know how it turns out if you try it!

Carole from Carole's Chatter

Thursday 17th of December 2015

Hi Michelle, this would be a super contribution to Food on Friday: Everything that Wobbles over at Carole's Chatter. Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Gina H.

Friday 15th of May 2015

I make this salad for family parties all the time & everyone loves it. The only thing I do differently is I add Cool Whip instead of heavy cream (saves on having to whip it). I also don't add any sugar.

Sue Cox

Sunday 12th of October 2014

I made this for Thanksgiving as my dessert and everyone loved it ! I despise cottage cheese but added it anyway and it was still delicious. Thank you so much ! This recipe makes lots and since we are all about leftovers this made us very happy and thankful.

Rosie

Monday 27th of January 2014

I haven't made anything like this in years! And I have jello and oranges hanging around - just need to get the dairy for a huge comfort food fix! Everyone will love me for this one!

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