Jell-O Salad Recipes | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

What happened to Jello salads? ›

Jell-O even introduced savory flavors, like celery, mixed vegetable, and "Italian salad," during the 1960s. By the mid-1970s, though, their popularity had declined so much that they were pulled from shelves.

Jello salad is an American salad made with flavored gelatin, fruit, and sometimes grated carrots or (more rarely) other vegetables. Other ingredients may include cottage cheese, cream cheese, marshmallows, nuts, or pretzels.

The Classic Dessert

All you need is water, gelatin, and the most crucial ingredient: time. As long as you're patient, your jello will come out perfect every time. You can also opt to make your jello well in advance. It will keep in a refrigerator for up to 10 days.

It's important to use the right amount of water, as using too much or too little can affect the taste and texture of the Jell-O. Additionally, you can add fruit, whipped cream, or other ingredients to enhance the flavor.

Jell-O shifted to single-serve cups and more convenient options as competition for snacks and desserts grew. Kraft in the early 2000's shifted the focus of Jell-O's advertising away from kids and toward adults. It pitched sugar-free Jell-O, for example, as a treat for Atkins dieters.

Raw pineapple and raw papaya should never be added to a gelatin (Jello) salad or mold. Enzymes in the fruit prevent the gelatin from setting up (getting firm). Loose salad greens should be stored between 36F and 41F. This keeps them crisp and fresh, but prevents freezing.

Too much sugar in the recipe can weaken or inhibit the gel so never add more than the recipe states. Likewise, an enzyme called bromelain, found in fresh or frozen pineapple, kiwi, and papaya can cause the gelatin to break. Use only canned versions, since the enzyme is deactivated during cooking.

Do not add raw pineapple and papaya to gelatin salads because these fruits contain enzymes which dissolves gelatin. Canned fruits and other juicy items must be well drained before adding because they will watered down the gelatin.

Proteases are enzymes that break chemical bonds in proteins, such as collagen in gelatin. Pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mango, and guava are examples of fruits that cause a problem. Heat inactivates proteases, so cooking fruit before adding it to gelatin prevents any issue.

When Jell-O freezes, the tiny pockets of liquid trapped inside harden and expand, but the gelatin itself stays flexible and pliable. What you end up with is a blend of hard and soft textures in a cool, chewy treat. Shockingly, you can eat it straight out of the freezer before it thaws without hurting your teeth.

What two colors make black Jell-O? ›

JELLO Color Chart for Mixing (need black? Mix two purples and a green!)

Jell-O 1-2-3 was a Jell-O gelatin product introduced in 1969 and discontinued in 1996. The product was one 4.3 ounce (121 g) powdered mix that, when properly prepared, separated and solidified into three distinct layers: a creamy top, a mousse-like middle, and regular Jell-O bottom.

In my experience, the best way to avoid it is to not pour the mixture into the dish/es until it is cooled to nearly room temperature and considerably thicker. While it's cooling, you can stir it periodically to prevent layering, and then it should set quickly enough that it won't separate.

The milk jello will, however, be a little less creamy if you use lowfat or nonfat evaporated milk. Heavy whipping cream – adds to the creaminess and also helps keep the carbs down in the recipe.

And then, combining citrus fruits with gelatin takes special care since an enzyme in the uncooked flesh or juice destroys the gel's jelling properties. However, all of these problems can be overcome with proper cooking techniques.

People were still eating colorful gelatin, but they were no longer serving it as a main course as frequently as they used to. These days, it's more of a quirky novelty snack than an accepted meal option.

But in the decades after World War II ended, the problems that JELL-O had initially solved went away. Cheap food items did not impress a wealth-building American society, and wartime staples became repellant. In the 1970s, JELL-O languished as a children's snack and hospital dessert.

Bromolain in pineapple, papain in papaya and actinidin in kiwi are all enzymes capable of breaking down proteins, hence the warning that these fruits cannot be used in Jell-O. But canned fruits are fine because the pasteurization process they undergo destroys the proteolytic enzymes.

The first popular Jell-O salad was Perfection Salad, invented in 1904 by Mrs. John E. Cook of Pennsylvania (via Recipe Curio). While Mrs.