Mandarin Orange Jello Salad

 

If you’ve ever had strawberry jello pretzel salad, then you’ll love this mandarin orange jello salad version which is perfect for summer. It’s like an orange dreamsicle with a twist! Three layers of pretzels, cream cheese, and jello make up this potluck favorite.

Mandarin Orange Jello Salad

If you’ve never had jello pretzel salad before, then you’re in for a real treat! If you’re thinking this is something like Tuna Salad then I should explain that it’s not really a salad, it’s more like a dessert…a very distant cousin to fruit salad, we’ll say. It’s refreshing after a filling dinner like Beef and Cheese Manicotti.

Making Mandarin Orange Jello Salad

First, a salty crust made from pretzels. Yes, pretzels! Totally surprising, but the crunchy, toasty flavor is so good. I like to crush mine finely in the food processor. If the pretzels are too chunky, the crust will fall apart when you try to serve it.

Related Recipe – Broken Glass Jello

Next, we have a tangy cream cheese layer. It’s almost like cheesecake, but light and tart to balance the other flavors. The cream cheese is blended with whipped topping, but if you prefer to use homemade whipped cream it’s an easy substitute.

Topping off this jello salad with mandarin oranges is an orange and pineapple gelatin layer. Now the strawberry version is good, but just wait until you taste a bite of mandarin. It’s a little citrus explosion that will make you smile as you eat. You can even substitute all mandarin oranges instead of the pineapple if you’re team orange. Pineapple is one of my favorite fruits so I love the combination. Note: do not substitute fresh pineapple for the canned fruit or the jello will not set.

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Ingredients for Mandarin Orange Jello Salad:

For the crust:

• 2 cups finely crushed pretzels
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons sugar

For the filling:

• 1 box (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups whipped topping
• 1/2 cup sugar

For the jello:

• 1 large can (16 oz) crushed pineapple with juice
• 1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 boxes (3.4 oz) orange gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water

Helpful kitchen tools:

• Electric mixer
• Food processor
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons

You’ll need to plan ahead when making this orange jello salad recipe since it needs time to chill and set. After I’ve made the crust and spread the cream cheese layer, I like to pop it in the fridge while I prepare the jello. Additionally, the jello will need to chill slightly before pouring or you’ll have a hot melty mess. It may seem like a lot, but it’s not really much work. If you’re making it for a potluck, there’s plenty of time in between layers to prepare other dishes or clean up as you go (my kitchen constantly needs cleaning!).

If you want it to be extra special, top each slice of the mandarin orange pretzel salad with a dollop of whipped cream and a pretzel twist before serving. They are so cute!

If you love this orange mandarin jello salad AND orange flavored desserts, don’t miss Orange Fluff Jello Salad, or Mandarin Orange Cheesecake or these fun Orange Jello Shots! You’ll be floating away on creamsicle clouds! Another favorite is this Ambrosia Salad, it was a popular recipe for me growing up.

Another crowd favorite and potluck superstar is this Pineapple Fluff Dessert, it’s a classic BBQ one-pan dessert staple around here! Along with it’s cousin recipe, Strawberry Dream Dessert. (sub the pineapple for strawberry bits, you’ll be amazed at how good both of these options are!)

And while there’s no orange in this chocolate lasagna recipe or this watergate salad recipe, they are some of my favorites!

More Jello Recipes

• Jello Trifle
• Jello Roll Ups
• Broken Glass Jello
• Strawberry Lasagna
• Watermelon Jello Shots
• Mandarin Orange Jello Salad
• Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad
• Creamy Raspberry Jell-O Parfaits

Tropical Orange Pretzel Salad

This one-pan Mandarin Orange Jello Salad boasts three layers of pretzels, cream cheese, and jello to make up this potluck favorite!

5 from 15 votes

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: 18 servings

50 minutes mins

Calories: 237

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

For the crust:

• ▢ 2 cups finely crushed pretzels
• ▢ ¾ cup butter melted
• ▢ 3 tablespoons sugar

For the filling:

• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese 1 box cream cheese, softened
• ▢ ½ cup sugar
• ▢ 2 cups whipped topping

For the jello:

• ▢ 3.4 oz orange gelatin 2 boxes
• ▢ 1 cup boiling water
• ▢ 16 oz crushed pineapple 1 large can crushed pineapple with juice
• ▢ 11 oz mandarin oranges 1 can mandarin oranges, drained

Before You Begin

Do not substitute fresh pineapple for canned or the jello will not set.
*Time given does not include time needed for chilling.

Instructions

• Crush pretzels in a food processor or in a resealable bag with a rolling pin. In a large bowl, mix together crushed pretzels, melted butter, and sugar. Pour into a 13x9 pan and press firmly into an even layer; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in whipped topping with a spatula and spread into an even layer over the crust. Cover and refrigerate.
• Meanwhile, in a clean, large bowl mix the boiling water and gelatin for two minutes until dissolved. Add the pineapple with its juice and mandarin oranges, stirring to combine. Cover and refrigerate until no longer hot or slightly set, about 30-60 minutes.
• When gelatin has cooled, carefully pour over cream cheese layer and spread the fruit into an even layer. Cover and chill until completely set, about 2-4 hours. Before serving, cut into squares, garnish with extra whipped topping and a pretzel, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 237cal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 100mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 540IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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