I am all in on retro recipes these days and I got a hankering for some of my Mom's mandarin orange jello salad! This is a great spring or summer recipe to pull out to take to a pot luck or just a great Sunday dinner dessert.
This retro treat is pure nostalgia – bright orange Jello, sweet mandarin oranges, fluffy marshmallows, and a coconut surprise. Some might call it weird, others pure comfort food. Me? I call it a delicious slice of my childhood!
I don't know why, but honestly mandarin oranges was a staple of my Mom's kitchen and dessert offerings… the 70s were an interesting time food wise at our family gatherings for sure! The funny thing is that Mom took a Cordon Bleu class so we either had super high-brow bougie food or a can of tiny oranges with dream whip but nothing in between!
This is not one of those fancy “jello mold” recipes you see old magazines, it is more of a dump recipe where you mix the whole thing together in a servicing bowl and plop it on the table!
What You'll Need (printable recipe card below!)
Don't worry, this isn't some complicated recipe. Keep it simple like the 70s with just a few basic ingredients:
- Orange Jello
- Hot Hot or Boiling Water
- Instant Vanilla Pudding
- Whipped Topping (like Cool Whip)
- Mandarin Oranges
- Mini Marshmallows
- Coconut Flakes
Instructions
While I have an actual recipe for you below, making this Jell-o treat is not a complicated recipe! Mostly you just throw things together and it tastes amazing!
Fruity Fun: Grab some of the mandarins, marshmallows, and coconut to make the topping later. Then boil some water and make that Jello in a large bowl! Remember, orange is the key.
Chill Out: Whisk in some cold water, then let the Jello mixture hang in the fridge to get a little firm.
Pudding Party: Mix the vanilla pudding powder into the Jello. Back into the fridge for a quick rest.
Mix & Match: Fold in your miracle whip, then toss in most of your mandarins, marshmallows, and coconut.
Make it Pretty: Pour it all into a serving dish, then sprinkle those leftover goodies you saved on top.
The Hard Part: Cover it up and stick it back in the fridge for a few hours. Waiting is tough, but that's when the Jello sets into its groove!
Mandarin Orange Jello Salad
Super fun vintage jello recipe from my Mom's kitchen in the 1970s!
Ingredients
- 3 oz box orange jello
- 1 1/2 cup water, divided
- 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding
- 8 oz whipped topping
- 29 oz can mandarin oranges
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- ½ cup coconut flakes
Instructions
- Set aside some of the mandarins, marshmallows, and coconut for topping the dessert at the end.
- Boil 1 cup of water.
- Add orange gelatin powder to a large mixing bowl, then pour in the boiling water and whisk for about 1 minute until the gelatin is dissolved.
- Whisk in ½ cup of cold water, then transfer to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bowl of gelatin from the refrigerator, and whisk in the vanilla pudding powder.
- Return to the refrigerator for an additional 15 minutes to allow the mixture to set slightly.
- Remove the bowl of gelatin from the refrigerator, and fold in the whipped topping.
- Add mandarins, mini marshmallows, and coconut, and stir until combined.
- Transfer to a dish or bowl for serving, and top with the mandarins, marshmallows, and coconut that you set aside.
- Cover the dish, and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow it to completely set before serving.
Notes
Storage: refrigerated in a covered container
Substitutions
- Maraschino cherries: Add in drained maraschino cherries along with the mandarin oranges for a burst of contrasting flavor and color. For a fancier twist, chop the cherries in half or quarters.
- Green Jello salad: You can't substitute this directly, but you could create a layered Jello salad. First, make the orange version. After it sets, prepare a green jello mixture (lime, pear, etc.) and gently layer it on top. The result is a colorful, two-flavored treat!
- Lime Jello salad: Similar to the above, this creates a layered salad. It's a great option if you love citrusy flavors.
- Shredded carrots: This would be an unusual addition in terms of texture. If you want to experiment, finely grate the carrots and mix them in for specks of color and a slight sweetness
- Pistachio pudding: Use vanilla pudding as the recipe instructs, then fold in chopped pistachios at the end. This keeps the familiar base but adds the pistachio flavor and crunch.
- Cherry pie filling: Fold in cherry pie filling along with the mandarin oranges for a mixed fruit take on the classic.
- Crushed pineapple: You can directly swap the mandarin oranges with crushed pineapple. This gives it a more tropical vibe.
- Fruit salad: Drain a can of mixed fruit salad and fold it in with the mandarin oranges (or use instead of the mandarin oranges) for more variety and color.
A few more ideas:
- Chopped nuts: Add pecans, walnuts, or almonds for crunch. Toast them beforehand for a deeper flavor.
- Shredded coconut: Use instead of (or in addition to) the coconut flakes for a different texture.
- Pretzel bits: For a sweet and salty combo, add broken-up small pretzels to the mix.
Remember, this is a classic for a reason! While these substitutions can be fun, the beauty of the original lies in its simplicity.
Mandarin Jell-o Dessert With Pudding and Marshmallows Wrapup
I REALLY love this dessert! It is not the weirdest “salad” my mom made, looking at you wilted lettuce which is functionally bacon and lettuce, but it was a great side dish for special occasions in my youth like Easter or Christmas dinner, church potlucks and Fourth of July picnics!
Now a days I tend to use sugar free jello in my fluff salads to take the calorie count down at least a tiny bit! It has become one of family favorites and is growing new fond memories in our next generation of kids!
So, the next time you are looking for a little nostalgic nosh, consider a yummy treat like 1970s Old Fashioned Mandarin Orange Jello Salad!
