Orange Fluff Jello Salad

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With only five ingredients, Orange Fluff Jello Salad is the go to dish for potlucks and easy family dinners. Your family will beg you to make it!

Orange fluff jello salad in crystal dish

When I got married this Orange Fluff Salad was one of the first recipes I requested. Known only to me as “Orange Salad,” this dish didn’t have a fancy title or special ingredients (only a color distinction!) (There was also “Green Salad” known as Pistachio Fluff Salad!)

It’s obvious I’ve enjoyed making this tried and true recipe. Cookbooks don’t lie! The messier the pages, the more loved the recipes!

Old cookbook page with green and orange salad recipes

After my mom passed away I discovered her handmade recipe book, filled with yellowed clippings from newspapers and notes written in her shaky cursive handwriting.

Her recipes are precious reminders that memories are created when we gather around the table, sharing stories and life together.

This is the secret my mom understood about family.

Ingredients

  • cottage cheese
  • orange jello mix
  • crushed pineapple (or pineapple tidbits)
  • mandarin oranges
  • whipped cream
  • mini marshmallows (optional)

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Drain pineapple well and add to bowl.

Drain canned pineapple into glass bowl

Add drained mandarin oranges and stir together

Drain canned mandarin oranges into glass bowl
Mix pineapple and mandarin oranges together

In separate large bowl mix together cottage cheese and powdered orange jell-o mix.

Pour cottage cheese into blue bowl
Mix jello and cottage cheese with fruit

Stir both bowls together with rubber spatula or whisk.

Pour fruit and cottage cheese mixture together

Fold in cool whip.

Fold in whipped topping to fruit mixture

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate your orange fluff salad recipe until ready to serve.

Orange jello salad in glass bowl with fresh oranges on plate

Just like my mom, I always prepared a big Sunday lunch for my family as my kids were growing up. A couple of my favorite resources for make ahead recipes were Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook and Taste of Home Slow Cooker Recipes.

Orange jello salad in glass bowl with fresh oranges on blue plate

Variations and Tips

  • Try using raspberry jello mix and fresh raspberries for a delightful variation. Pineapple jello mixed with fresh pineapple bits (or canned pineapple tidbits) would also be delicious.
  • Sugar free gelatin powder can be used to make it a little less sweet. Or go the other direction and add mini marshmallows for an additional treat! (I personally love the tiny marshmallows!)

FAQs about Orange Fluff Jello Salad

Good question! There’s certainly nothing green in here but you can call it a fruit salad or side dish. Plus it’s so delicious you could serve it for dessert!

This is such a simple fruit recipe with only five ingredients! Some people may balk at the cottage cheese but I promise the texture isn’t bad!

This is the perfect recipe for making ahead of time the day before an event. Just take the time to stir it all together before serving and store in the fridge.

More Side Dishes

If you’re looking for easy and delicious side dishes you’ve found them! Family friendly and time saving, these recipes will have your family asking for more!

Orange Fluff Jello Salad - Marty's Musings
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5 from 5 votes

Orange Fluff Jello Salad

With only five ingredients, Orange Fluff Jello Salad is the go to dish for potlucks and family dinners.
Course Fruit Salad
Cuisine American
Author Marty’s Musings

Ingredients

  • 1 12- oz carton cottage cheese
  • 2 3- oz pkgs orange jello
  • 1 20- oz can crushed pineapple drained
  • 1 11- oz can mandarin oranges drained
  • 1 12- oz carton whipped topping

Instructions

  • Drain pineapple and mandarin oranges well and stir together.
  • In separate bowl mix together cottage cheese and powdered jello.
  • Mix both bowls together and stir well.
  • Fold whipped topping into mixture.

Video

Orange fluff jello salad in glass bowl with fresh oranges

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43 Comments

  1. Your handwritten recipe card says box of jello 16 oz, your print-able ingredients says 2 – 3 oz packets 🤔

  2. 5 stars
    Marty,
    A cousin shared this recipe with me many years ago (1974). When I made it I had mixed fruit jello , no orange. It came out pink. The only difference is I added chopped pecans. My Grandma Annie expecially loved it. From then on she would always ask for me to make that Pink Stuff. Now it’s a family recipe & I still make it today for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

  3. This looks really good. I love anything orange. I love your mom’s recipe. I have one from my mom that I can barely read anymore but I still use it when I am making her baked eggs. She is still alive so I hope to gather more from her in the next few years.

  4. Mom did the same, preparing Sunday meals for us growing up. i have done the same that took different twist depending on where we lived and our kids’ ages. Mom never made this one but I remember it from pot lucks. I had n o idea it had cottage cheese. thanks fo sharing the backstory about your mom.

  5. 5 stars
    My grandma used to make fluff salads. I stumbled on your recipe a year ago and I’ve made it for my family on many occasions. Thank you for sharing it. It makes me feel closer to my grandma.

  6. I make this as well only we use green Jello and we do not use Mandarin oranges. We call it Sin Salad. My daughter says it’s a must during the holidays!

    1. Hi, Collette. I have a pistachio salad that I make as well and I just used to call it green or orange salad. No fancy names! Yours sounds delicious!

  7. 5 stars
    Please spend the time to section and cut up a real orange. The flavor is more intense and no tin can flavor. I have a type 1 diabetic nephew and he loves these types of jello salads but cannot eat them until I thought to use unflavored gelatin and unsweetened Kool Aid packets for color and flavor, no extra sugar. I let him choose the flavor and one time we had grape flavored salad. Very unusual. Thanks for posting a family favorite.

  8. Growing up in our family, we called this “Granny’s Orange Salad.” She’s been in heaven quite a few years now but I always think of her when I have it.

    It’s yummy and refreshing!

  9. I made this today for a dinner tomorrow night. I also want to take part of it to a friend’s house next week. How long will it last in the refrigerator?

  10. I can’t understand how the jello would devolve unless you use hot water wouldn’t the jello be gritty.

    1. Hi, Cheryl. The jello doesn’t dissolve. It’s kinda like adding a fruit flavoring and it all gets mixed together. It’s a family favorite for us!

  11. Pingback: Orange Fluff Jello Salad. - Zuzi Cooks
  12. My mom still makes this, especially when any of us are returning from somewhere or coming home for a holiday. We’ve always called it “Orange Stuff” and the funny thing is, my son Josh is also “of an age” but he can’t seem to get a ring on the girl’s finger, though we all know, including the girl, that it’s pretty much a done deal. My sister will doubtless giver her a shower; I wonder if she’ll serve Orange Stuff……

    1. Love this, Jackie! We called it “Orange Stuff” too and then there was the “Green Stuff” (Watergate Salad or Pistachio Fluff on my blog!) It’s a great family recipe.

    2. Thank you so much for sharing this. My mom used to make this with pecans on top; she called it Silly Salad. I ate so much of this growing up! She lives with us now but has dementia and no longer recalls what Silly Salad is. I’ve been looking for the recipe and I’m certain this is it. I can’t wait to make it! Thanks again.???

  13. This recipe has also been passed down in my family! For some reason, it’s always on the Thanksgiving table! I always look forward to it

  14. This recipe brings back memories. My friends and I used to make this for bridal showers and brunches . You have encouraged me to make this again! Thanks!

  15. My Mom makes this too!! All of the grandchildren love it! In fact, I think it’s been served at all of their wedding receptions. 🙂
    Love you! Cindy

        1. Hi, Michelle. I substitute cottage cheese for ricotta cheese in lasagna recipes so that might be an option. The only other thing I can think of would be cream cheese but it would change the texture and taste of the recipe. Sorry!

    1. My Grandma made this for every family holiday get together, and made it different flavors (colors of Jell-O) depending on the season. In the summer she added coconut and all the other seasons she added chopped pecans. Mmmm!