Step back in time with a festive Christmas Ribbon Salad. This vintage dish layers cheerful green lime, creamy white lemon, and vibrant red cherry Jellos for a retro dessert that's as merry as it is delicious. Each square is a delightful mix of textures and flavors that’ll have you jiggling down memory lane. Serve up a slice of the past with this eye-catching Ribbon Jello Salad and make your holiday spread unforgettable!
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Festive Layered Jello Salad
This recipe makes a very festive ribbon jello. The green layer is made from lime jello; the 2nd layer is cream-colored and created from cream cheese, mayonnaise, marshmallows, pineapple, and lemon jello, while the third layer is colored with cherry jello. This vintage jello recipe might just bring back memories of grandma's house or start a new tradition in your own home!
If you like the nostalgic allure of vintage jello recipes, this one is for you. Jello salads take you back in time. In fact, it's possible to follow American social history by looking at Jell-O ads.
Early slogans made housewives believe their families could eat like the rich "for just ten cents a box." The year 1908 introduced us to the Jell-O Girl, an advertising campaign that convinced Americans to associate Jell-O with the innocence and purity of childhood.
Why This Is the Best Recipe for Jello Ribbon Salad
If you are into holiday jello recipes, this is one you must add to your collection. This beautiful holiday jello dish has a Christmasy appearance and tastes as good as it looks. Your kids will love it, especially if you adorn your little girl’s hair with green, red, and cream ribbons to match!
Create lasting holiday memories and make this jiggly treat a traditional part of your festivities. Although you do need plenty of time to make jello ribbon salad, it’s simple to prepare in advance, freeing you up for more complicated holiday preparations.
Ingredients
Like other Christmas jello recipes, this ribbon salad recipe uses familiar ingredients as follows:
- Lime, lemon, and cherry jello
- Mini marshmallows
- Cream cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Crushed pineapple
- Mixed nuts
- Cool Whip
How to Make Ribbon Jello
If you can make jello, you can create this Christmas jello salad. The secret is to ensure that each layer has time to set before adding the next one. However, don't let a layer become completely firm before adding the next one. The layers should hold onto each other but not blend together.
- Dissolve lime jello.
- Pour the lime jello into a 9 X 13-inch dish and refrigerate it until firm.
- Dissolve lemon jello, stir in the marshmallows, and cool.
- Beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise together.
- Beat in the lemon jello, and add the pineapple.
- Spoon the lemon layer over the lime layer and refrigerate until firm.
- Dissolve the cherry jello and spoon over the lemon layer.
- Refrigerate the entire jello salad overnight.
- Cut into squares to serve.
Recipe Tips
Place your empty pan in the freezer while you mix the first layer so that it sets up more quickly in the refrigerator.
When cutting the jello salad, run your knife or small metal spatula under very hot water. Wipe off excess water and immediately cut into squares while the blade is still warm.
Recipe Variations
This is one of those old-fashioned Christmas jello recipes. To keep the holiday colors, there's little you can do to change up the recipe. However, you could substitute raspberry jello for cherry in the red layer.
Another idea is to use different colored jellos to make rainbow ribbon salad appropriately colored for other occasions such as Easter (think pastels), Halloween (think orange), or baby showers (think pink and/or pale blue).
Add some chopped pecans to one of the layers for some crunch.
How to Serve Ribbon Jello Salad
Although this dish is called a salad, it makes a perfect dessert for any season. For Christmas, serve it in individual squares on decorative holiday plates.
Top it with whipped cream and a cherry.
What Goes Well With Christmas Jello Salad
This ribbon jello pairs well with many dishes - ham, turkey, and roasts. Also, other vintage recipes, such as retro casseroles, beef goulash, and skillet spaghetti.
Make Ahead and Storing Jello Ribbon Salad
Make Ahead: This is one of those Christmas jello recipes that lends itself to making ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Leftovers: Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: This layered jello salad does not freeze well. It will start to break down in a frozen state and, upon thawing, will be messy and not taste good.
More Fruity Salad Recipes
- 24 Hour Fruit Salad
- Candlestick Fruit Salad
- Lime Jello Salad
- Orange Cottage Cheese Jello Salad
- Watergate Salad
Christmas Ribbon Salad
Ingredients
- 1 6-ounce package package lime gelatin
- 5 cups boiling water divided use
- 4 cups cold water divided use
- 1 3-ounce package lemon gelatin
- ½ cup mini marshmallows
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple do not drain
- ½ cup chopped mixed nuts
- 1 6-ounce package package cherry gelatin
- 2 cups Cool Whip
Instructions
- In a large bowl, dissolve the lime gelatin in 2 cups of boiling water. Add 2 cups of cold water and stir. Pour into a 13x9-inch dish and refrigerate until firm but not set, about 1 hour.
- In a large bowl, dissolve the lemon gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted. Cool for 20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Gradually beat in the lemon gelatin. Stir in the pineapple. Carefully spoon the mixture over the lime layer in the dish. Chill until firm but not set.
- Dissolve the cherry gelatin in 2 cups of boiling water. Add 2 cups of cold water and stir. Spoon the mixture over the lemon layer in the dish.
- Refrigerate the entire gelatin salad overnight. Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of Cool Whip.
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