Orange Jello Salad

With just a few ingredients, this light and fluffy Orange Jello Salad recipe is super easy, kid-friendly, and perfect for any gathering!

Wanna know what I love about living in the Midwest?? First off, I love the wide open spaces – it means room for the kids to run, room for a garden, and clear skies for miles and miles. Being in the Midwest also means we live in the heart of animal agriculture – an industry made up of hard-working, respectful farmers (my family included!) who care for the land and the quality of food they produce.
And on a less serious note, living in the Midwest means that when we say “salad”, it could be a leafy green salad or a “salad” full of Cool Whip, pudding, and Jello!! I mean, think about it….strawberry pretzel salad, Snickers salad, and this orange jello salad recipe I’m sharing today! Whether you call it “salad” or “dessert,” I’m sure of one thing – it’s SO darned tasty, and I hope you think so too! 🙂

Why I Love This Orange Jello Salad Recipe

• Lots of ways to make this your own. You can use whatever fruit and jello you prefer.
• This recipe is E-A-S-Y. If you can make jello, you can make this recipe.
• Perfect for a potluck or when you need to feed a lot of people.

Key Ingredients 

The full list of ingredients and amounts are in the recipe card below, but I wanted to draw attention to a few of them.

• Cook & Serve Vanilla Tapioca Pudding
• Orange Jello – regular or sugar-free, will work
• Mandarin Oranges – I use the oranges in light syrup or juice (though it gets drained either way!)
• Whipped Topping – You can use “light” or regular

How To Make Orange Jello Salad With Tapioca

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the tapioca pudding mix, jello, and water until smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring often to prevent sticking. Let it boil for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Pour the mixture into a large bowl and refrigerate until fully chilled and set.

Once cooled, gently fold in the drained mandarin oranges and whipped topping until well combined.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Variations

Though I love the original recipe, here are a few fun variations!

• Lots of fruit – Instead of the two cans of mandarin oranges, use one can of mandarin oranges, 1 can of drained peach slices, and two sliced bananas.
• Add marshmallows – My daughter loves marshmallows, so I often add 1-2 cups of mini marshmallows to the mixture.
• Strawberry – Use strawberry jello instead of orange, then use 1 lb fresh strawberries (quartered) instead of the mandarin oranges.

How To Store Leftover Orange Jello Salad

You can store leftover orange jello salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep it chilled until ready to serve, as the whipped topping and fruit can become watery if left out at room temperature for too long. Give it a gentle stir before serving if any liquid separates. 

Can I Freeze Leftover Jello Salad?

Sadly, no. This doesn’t freeze well as the texture of the whipped topping and gelatin can change once thawed.

Some of my other favorite side dishes

• Macaroni Salad – This salad is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy! It’s a go-to recipe for parties, barbeques, potlucks and family gatherings!
• Best Ever Baked Beans – These are packed with ground beef, perfectly sweet and 100% delish!!
• Tortellini Pasta Salad – Cheese-filled tortellini pasta brings a fun twist to a classic side dish! This pasta salad with Italian dressing is as easy as it gets and oh so tasty!
• Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam –  Perfect for your morning toast (or on a scoop of vanilla ice cream!)