Orange Carrot Jello Salad
This retro recipe for Orange Carrot Jello Salad is just like your grandma made. It is cool, sweet and a bit crunchy. Perfect for summer BBQs and picnics.
Jell-o “Salads” were all the rage in the 1960s and 1970s. If you had a BBQ or a picnic, you would serve a jello salad. The term salad, rather than referring to a green leafy side dish, referred to a molded dish served cold.
It was even very common to serve them during the holiday meal, especially the warmer holidays like Easter and summer holidays. They are quick and easy, and the combination of flavors is truly endless. Believe it or not, there were even jello salads that included tuna.
What you Need
- Gelatin: Any brand of orange gelatin is fine. You could also use lemon.
- Carrots: Shredded carrots. To shred them super fast, use a food processor. If you don’t have one, use a box grater.
- Pineapple: Canned crushed pineapple. Don’t use fresh pineapple. It contains an enzyme that will stop the gelatin from gelling
How to Make it
Pour the gelatin into a medium bowl.
Pour a cup of boiling water into the mix.
Add ice water. Don’t use the package directions. Use the quantities below in the recipe. You will reduce the cold water since you’ll add the juice from the pineapple.
Mix in the carrots and the pineapple, including the juice from the can.
Some folks refrigerate the jello before adding the carrots and pineapple, but it’s unnecessary. The jell-o will set just fine, and the fruit will not float. Notice the first image. The fruit didn’t float.
Pour the mixture into a 6-cup mold and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. This is the perfect make-ahead recipe.
If you’re serving the Jell-O as a dessert, add whipped cream or cool whip and add garnishes like maraschino cherries. You can eliminate it if you’re serving it as a side dish.
Variations
You can add other ingredients to this salad, like drained canned mandarin oranges, chopped walnuts, or pecans.
How to Store Leftovers
Put the Jello into an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator for at least four days.
This Orange Carrot Jello Salad, also known as sunshine salad, is delicious and can be made ahead to serve at family gatherings and potlucks. If you love easy sides, check out our Red, White and Blue Jello Salad for Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. It’s especially a hit with the kids and they won’t even realize they’re eating veggies!
More picnic side dishes
- Smoked Pineapple
- Bacon and Egg Potato Salad
- Southwest Salad
- Four-bean Baked Beans
- Foil Packet Grilled Potatoes
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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today.
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Orange-Carrot Jello Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large box Orange Jello
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup Ice water
- 2 large carrots shredded
- 1 15-ounce can crushed pineapple
Instructions
- Peel the carrot and grate it with either a box grater or a food processor.2 large carrots
- Open the can of pineapple. Do not drain it.1 15-ounce can crushed pineapple
- Boil one cup of water over high heat. Pour the gelatin mixture into a large bowl.1 cup boiling water, 1 large box Orange Jello
- Pour in the boiling water. Stir until the powder is dissolved.
- Add the ice water to the boiling gelatin mixture. Stir until the ice melts.½ cup Ice water
- Once the ice totally melts, add the grated carrots and the entire can of the canned pineapple.
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