These sweet, fluffy, and wonderfully vibrant congealed salads will give you major throwback feels.
I know the name may not sound super appetizing, but I promise these things are to die for.
Typically made with flavored Jell-O, cream, and other mix-ins, congealed salads are bright, creamy, and wonderfully wobbly.
In other words, they’re absolutely my kind of salad.
They were a huge hit back in the ‘60s, and I think it’s time for the next generation to have a taste.
So, if you’re ready to get jiggly with it, keep reading! We’ve got a lot to cover.
1. Cran-Raspberry Jello Salad
Bring that old gelatin mold out of the cupboard and make this sweet and wiggly cran-raspberry Jello salad.
First of all, let’s give that beautiful presentation a big round of applause. And there’s no decorating expertise required!
This salad isn’t just pretty, though, but also full of flavor.
The bottom layer is made of strawberry Jello filled with cranberries and crushed pineapple.
In the middle is a layer of sour cream, which cuts through the sweetness of the dessert nicely.
On top is a layer of raspberry Jello filled with frozen raspberries.
From the look and flavors to the texture, this dessert gets a perfect score.
2. Grandma’s Lime Green Jello Salad
This lime green Jello salad has such intriguing flavors that’ll make your taste buds beg for a second slice.
It’s made of a combination of lemon Jello, pineapple, milk, cottage cheese, walnuts, and get this – mayonnaise.
I know it might sound strange – and maybe disgusting to some – but believe me, the combination works!
It’s sweet, a little bit tangy, and creamy with a little bit of crunch. In short, it’s delish.
3. Cranberry Gelatin Salad
Looking for an easy dessert recipe for Thanksgiving? You just found it.
Don’t let its seemingly basic look fool you – this jello salad is bursting with flavor!
Pineapple, cranberries, red grapes, and pecans are suspended in jiggly cherry gelatin, making a dessert so good that you’ll want to make it every day.
Serve this salad as-is, or make it even more delectable with a side of whipped cream.
4. Red, White & Blue Jello Salad
This Jello salad of red, white, and blue is the perfect dessert for Memorial Day.
Besides the patriotic colors, it tastes amazing.
Three layers with three amazing flavors: that’s what you’ll get from this dessert.
At the bottom is a berry blue Jello with fresh blueberries and on top, you have raspberry Jello with raspberries.
What makes it extra special, in my opinion, is the middle layer, which is made with plain gelatin, sour cream, heavy cream, and sugar.
It’s smooth and creamy like mousse, and it provides the top and bottom layers with a beautiful flavor balance and textural variety. Yum!
5. Blueberry Jello Salad
This salad may look simple, but it’s simply divine.
With a layer of blueberry and pineapple-filled raspberry gelatin at the bottom and whipped cream cheese on top, it’s delicious in every bite.
You’ll love how the richness of the topping complements the sweetness and tartness of the pineapple and berries.
Together, they create a wonderful harmony of flavors.
6. Sangria Gelatin Ring
There’s something so beautiful and elegant about colorful fruits suspended in clear gelatin.
And the great thing about it is that you can use any kind of fruit or berry you have on hand.
Of course, the more colorful, the better it is!
Oh, and also, the gelatin is spiked with white wine, which makes the dessert taste just like sangria.
7. Strawberry Jello Salad
This salad has two strawberry jello layers filled with bananas, pineapple, strawberries, and pecans. Wow!
In the middle of the two layers is sour cream, which provides richness and creaminess to the salad, resulting in a well-balanced dessert.
8. Orange Fluff Salad
This orange fluff salad is super cute and delicious to boot.
Made with orange Jello-flavored whipped cream, cottage cheese, mandarin oranges, and marshmallows, this is a treasure trove of textures!
It’s fluffy from the cream, juicy from the orange, creamy from the cheese, and pillowy from the mallows.
What more could you ask for?
9. Cherry Coke Jello Salad
This cherry Coke Jello tastes exactly like you think it should, and it’s ah-mazing.
The gelatin is a combo of cherry Coke and cherry Jello, with a sweet cherry pie filling and a dollop of whipped cream on top.
It’s a simple dessert, but its lovely hue makes it ideal for Valentine’s, Thanksgiving, and other special occasions.
10. Orange Sherbet Jello Salad
Unlike other Jello salads that have a gelatinous texture, this one is creamy and velvety, like mousse.
The secret is to add melted orange sherbet while cooking the Jello! It gives the dish a lovely consistency and a pleasant citrus taste.
Throw in a can of mandarin oranges to make the salad even more orangey.
11. Spiced Peach Jello Salad
Juicy peaches, cinnamon, and cloves provide a unique twist to this next congealed salad recipe.
You’ll love how the sweet fruit and warming spices compliment each other.
The combination is so good that you don’t need anything else to complete the dessert.
But of course, you can’t go wrong with a little bit of whipped cream!
12. Retro Sea Foam Salad
This retro seafoam salad is a light yet decadent dessert made of cream cheese, cream, pears, and lime gelatin.
The texture is just like mousse, with an element of crunch from the pears that contrasts beautifully with the creamy base.
As for the flavor?
Well, it’s sweet and fruity with floral notes from the pears. It’s also bright, citrusy, creamy, and tart.
There’s nothing quite like it.
13. Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Last but not least is a sweet, tart, and salty dessert made with a pretzel crust, sweetened whipped cream cheese, and strawberry-filled gelatin.
It’s a lot like a no-bake cheesecake; only it’s served in a tray and way easier to throw together.
It’s delicious from left to right, top to bottom, and it will disappear in seconds.
Loved every one of these salad as a child!