My lime Jello salad with cottage cheese is a refreshing, creamy, retro recipe that still makes an appearance at my holiday table today. I grew up with green Jello salad as a staple side dish at Christmas, and now it’s become a tradition with my husband and kids!
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My Family Recipe for Lime Jello Salad
The first time I made lime Jello salad with cottage cheese on my own, I remember pulling out my grandmother’s worn recipe card. I stared at her handwriting and remembered how she always served it in molds with maraschino cherries on top. For me, it wasn’t a holiday meal without it.
But I wasn’t sure how my kids would feel about a limed jellied salad. They can be picky eaters, and this dish is… well… very green.
As soon as my son Connor saw it, he was excited! To him, the bright green made it all the more perfect for Christmas, and it’s his favorite color. My daughter Leah even loved the green Jello salad from the first bite, which was proof to me that some retro recipes really do stand the test of time.
I’ve tried versions with Cool Whip, cream cheese, or even a little mayo for tang, but I always go back to my cottage cheese version. It has the perfect balance of creaminess and texture, and it’s one of those dishes that disappears quickly, no matter how many other side dishes are on the table!
For more Jello recipes, be sure to check out my strawberry Jello cake, cottage cheese and Jello salad, Jello with fruit cocktail, cranberry Jello salad, and Jello lemon meringue pie!
Lime Jellied Salad Ingredients
- Pineapple juice – I save some of the juice from the canned pineapple to mix with the gelatin, which adds natural sweetness and ties the flavors together.
- Water – This helps dissolve the lime gelatin and keeps the salad light.
- Lime Jello mix – The star of my retro recipe that gives the salad its signature color and tangy citrus flavor.
- Cottage cheese – I love how it adds creaminess to balance the sweetness of the gelatin. The little protein boost is nice too!
- Celery – This adds crunch and freshness so the salad isn’t overly sweet, but the flavor blends in perfectly with the lime Jello.
- Canned crushed pineapple – The fruit adds bursts of juicy flavor in every bite.
- Pecans – These bring nutty richness and texture that make the salad feel more special.
How to make Lime Jello Salad with Cottage Cheese
STEP ONE: Drain the crushed pineapple juice, reserving about 3/4 cup of the juice.
STEP TWO: Add 1 1/4 cup water to the pineapple juice to make 2 cups of liquid, pour it into a small pot, and bring it to a boil.
STEP THREE: Add the lime jello mix and stir it until it is dissolved. Remove it from the heat and add 1 cup of cold water. Pour the jello mixture into a container and place it in the fridge, stirring it every 15 minutes for about 45 minutes.
STEP FOUR: Once the jello is forming a slight gel, combine the cottage cheese, diced celery, crushed pineapple, and chopped pecans in a large bowl.
STEP FIVE: Add the cottage cheese mixture to the now cooled jello and mix. Spray a bundt pan lightly with cooking spray and pour the lime jello salad into the pan.
STEP SIX: Place it back in the refrigerator covered for at least 5 hours (overnight preferred).
STEP SEVEN: To remove the jello mold from the bundt pan, place it in a pan filled with hot water for 10-15 seconds. Place your serving plate on top of the bundt pan and then carefully flip it over. It should pop right out and look dazzling!
Tips for the Best Green Jello Salad
- I always let the gelatin cool slightly before mixing in the cottage cheese so it holds together better. But I also don’t let it fully set before adding the cottage cheese.
- When I want the salad to look festive, I serve it in a mold and decorate it with maraschino cherries on top.
- If I’m in a hurry to prep it, I chill the mixing bowl in advance to help the gelatin set more quickly.
- To avoid watery salad, I always drain the pineapple very well and save only the juice I need.
- I find that chilling the lime Jello cottage cheese salad overnight makes the flavors come together even better. This is one of those dishes I always make a day in advance if I can!
Congealed Salad Variations and Substitutions
- I sometimes fold in softened cream cheese instead of cottage cheese if I’m looking for a smoother, tangier green Jello salad.
- If I want extra sweetness, I fold in Cool Whip for a fluffier consistency.
- For a more indulgent version, real whipped cream is divine. I make it with stiff peaks and gently stir it in.
- A spoonful of mayonnaise adds unexpected richness and a little tangy depth.
- For a vegan version, I’ll use finely cubed tofu instead of cottage cheese. I made this version for a vegan cousin once, and no one could tell the difference!
- If I don’t feel like using celery, I leave it out or swap in crunchy apple or jicama.
Lime Jello Salad with Cottage Cheese FAQs
Is it okay to use fresh or frozen pineapple to make lime jello salad?
I’ve learned the hard way that the enzymes in fresh or frozen pineapple will prevent the lime gelatin from setting properly. That’s why I always stick with canned pineapple, which works perfectly for my green Jello salad!
What happens if I don’t let my green jello salad cool before adding the cottage cheese ingredients?
If the gelatin is still too warm when I stir in the cottage cheese and other ingredients, the mixture sinks to the bottom of the mold. So when I flip it over to serve, the cottage cheese mix sits right on top like a separate layer. Giving the gelatin time to thicken slightly first always results in the creamiest, most cohesive salad.
How to store leftovers
I store my lime Jello salad covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. It starts to get runny at room temperature, so I keep it in the refrigerator unless I’m serving it.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Orange dreamsicle salad
- Strawberry jello salad
- Watergate salad
- Frog eye salad
- Key lime pie
- Fruit salad recipe with cool whip
Easy Lime Jello Salad with Cottage Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup reserved pineapple juice from a can of crushed pineapple pineapple used later
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 6 ounces lime jello mix
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1 cup canned crushed pineapple juice already drained
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Drain the can of crushed pineapple juice, reserving about 3/4 cup of the juice.
- Add 1 1/4 cup water to the pineapple juice to make 2 cups of liquid, pour it into a small pot, and bring it to a boil.
- Add the lime jello mix and stir it until it is dissolved. Remove it from the heat and add 1 cup of cold water. Pour the jello mixture into a container and place it in the fridge, stirring it every 15 minutes for about 45 minutes.
- Once the jello is forming a slight gel, combine the cottage cheese, diced celery, crushed pineapple, and chopped pecans in a large bowl.
- Add the cottage cheese mixture to the now cooled jello and mix. Spray a bundt pan lightly with cooking spray and pour the lime jello salad into the pan.
- Place it back in the refrigerator covered for at least 5 hours (overnight preferred).
- To remove the jello mold from the bundt pan, place it in a pan filled with hot water for 10-15 seconds. Place the serving plate on top of the bundt pan and then carefully flip it over. It should pop right out.
Video
Notes
- Always let the gelatin cool slightly before mixing in the cottage cheese so it holds together better.
- Serve it in a mold and decorate it with maraschino cherries on top to make it look nice and festive.
- If you’re in a hurry to prep it, chill the mixing bowl in advance to help the gelatin set more quickly.
- To avoid watery salad, drain the pineapple very well and save only the juice needed.
- Chilling the lime Jello cottage cheese salad overnight makes the flavors come together even better.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
I love this! I would definitely try this thank you so much for sharing this <3
This is the EXACT salad my grandmother used to make. It takes me back.
I made this a few weeks ago. My grandkids won’t eat jello, but my oldest son made up for them. I think he he ate 3/4 of it.
I grew up poor and this and a few other fruit , veggies combinations were frequently on our table. .
I’m the only person I know who still REALLY likes lime jello with cottage cheese and fruit, veggies and nuts. I make it for Thanksgiving and people have one servingand then I get to eat all the rest!
My son requested this for Thanksgiving. It’s an old favorite 😀
Pretty funny, I can relate. None of my family really eats this at Holidays but I make it anyway because I LOVE it!! Also, I like to use Raspberry jello instead of the Lime. Delicious!
In the picture of one helping of lime jell,molded salads what is the dollop you have put on top of the serving. I’ve spread a topping on the salad in my younger days but can’t remember how I made it. Thank you
I just topped it with a little homemade whipped cream!
I have been searching a long time for a lime jello cottage cheese salad made using celery. As kids, we remember eating this every time we’d go out to our favorite local restaurant. Finally, your recipe is the one we’ve searched for and now found! Thank you for sharing and for your excellent directions and tips.
If I wanted to make this in an 8×8” square dish, or a 13×9” rectangular pan, will the ingredients remain the same? I don’t own a bundt pan and I don’t want to buy something I would rarely use. Thank you for helping me out.
Hi Clancy, yes the directions and ingredients will stay the same! I just recommend a longer chill time as the middle may take a bit longer to completely gel at the end. Enjoy!
Just an observation, substituting tofu for the cottage cheese will not make it vegan, as the Jello itself is made from animal byproducts (the gelatin is made from animal bone). I don’t know of any Jello (gelatin style) product that is vegan.
Hi Michael, There are a few brands of flavored gelatin that are vegan, which use agar agar in place of animal bone. Most are marketed as being vegan on the front of the box and can be found online or at local specialty food shops. I hope this helps!
I love this stuff (even with the mayo sometimes). My maternal grandmother used to make this often just because the whole family loved it, but she made hers using a buttere sauce that was made using the juice from the drained pineapple (we used crushed pineapple in this recipe but the tidbits work great, too). Does anyone have a recipe for the jello salad with the butter sauce? I thought I had it in my recipe box but I moved recently and now I cannot find a few of the recipes from that box. I think I had taken them out and laid them on my computer desk to remind me to make them for weekends when my grandkids come to visit and in the move they were somehow lost.
My grandkids also love spice cake with buttermilk frosting, so that is on the menu for this weekend!
Hi D. Smith, Thanks for your feedback! I really enjoy keeping these vintage recipes going for another generation, so glad you are finding joy in them too!