This Orange Fluff Salad recipe is a delicious and foolproof dessert that's always a crowd pleaser and a family favorite! It only takes a handful of simple ingredients to make.
Quick to toss together, this citrusy salad can be served as either a dessert or a side dish. A deliciously sweet and fruity dish that you'll love serving at holiday meals, special occasions, or just for a special treat!
Jump to:
- 💚 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 🧂 Ingredients Needed
- 🔪 Instructions
- ❔ FAQs
- 💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- 💡 Substitutions and Variations
- 🥫 Storage
- ⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
- 🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
- ✔️ More Fruity Dessert Recipes You'll Love
- Orange Jello Salad with Cottage Cheese
- 📋 Recipe Card
- 💬 Reviews and Comments
💚 Why You'll Love This Recipe
A unique and tasty dish, this orange jello salad with cottage cheese is a great recipe to pull out for special occasions! Combine sweet and citrusy gelatin with creamy whipped topping and cottage cheese for a fun and addictive treat.
With only 6 ingredients and just 5 minutes of prep, you can easily create this beautiful orange jello fluff. Great as a yummy dessert or even a sweet side dish for a special meal!
Just like this Halloween-themed Monster Mash recipe, you'll love the flavor of orange jello combined with marshmallows and mandarin oranges!
If you love dishes that can either be a side dish or a dessert, check out this scalloped pineapple casserole. It's like a pineapple bread pudding and tastes great alongside your holiday ham or after your meal as a sweet treat! And for a breakfast treat, make this Pineapple Orange Smoothie.
🧂 Ingredients Needed
- frozen whipped topping - I like to use the Cool Whip brand, but any kind of whipped topping will work as the base for this dish.
- orange gelatin powder - Jell-O brand is the go-to here, but this is another ingredient where any brand will get the job done.
- mandarin oranges - provide a sweetness and extra orangey flavor.
- mini marshmallows - give your jello fluff some added texture with a soft and fluffy bite.
- cottage cheese - adds an interesting and slightly sour dimension to your orange fluff salad.
- shredded coconut - sweetened coconut works great for this recipe, but you can use unsweetened if you prefer a less sweet take.
🔪 Instructions
- Add whipped topping and orange jello mix to a large bowl.
- Combine well.
- Add the mandarin oranges, mini marshmallows, cottage cheese, and shredded coconut and stir until combined. Refrigerate until time to serve.
❔ FAQs
Absolutely! The frozen whipped topping is a great shortcut, but if you prefer to make your whipped cream from scratch it will work just as well.
You can leave out the cottage cheese, but you will lose some of the rich and creamy texture. You can add in Greek yogurt or even vanilla pudding as a substitute.
No, mix the unprepared gelatin powder right into the whipped topping as the first step, then combine with the other ingredients.
Yes, if you want to eliminate some of the sugar in this orange fluff salad you can definitely use a sugar free variation!
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Be sure to give the fluff salad a good stir before serving to ensure all of the ingredients are well incorporated and to eliminate any separation that's occurred.
- You can skip the shredded coconut if you prefer.
📌 This orange fluff jello salad with cottage cheese is a unique and delicious dessert with unexpected flavors and textures! The whole family will love this creamy and citrusy dish.
Have leftover marshmallows after making your orange fluff salad? Use them to make these decadent chocolate chips marshmallow cookies!
💡 Substitutions and Variations
- Use different flavors of gelatin and fruit to completely switch up this dessert! Another great option is peach gelatin and peaches, which will give you a peaches and cream inspired dessert.
- Other mix-ins that are popular for orange fluff salad are sour cream, yogurt, chopped pecans, crushed pineapple, and fruit cocktail.
- Substitute cottage cheese for vanilla instant pudding or Greek yogurt if you like.
🥫 Storage
Keep your orange fluff salad covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. I don't recommend storing it in the freezer, as the texture will be off once it thaws.
⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
This dessert salad is great to make a day or so ahead of time. Be sure to give it a good stir after it's sat in the fridge to re-incorporate all of the ingredients.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
Be sure to serve a filling and nutritious main course alongside or before your orange fluff salad! Pair it with Air Fryer Lamb and Potatoes or this Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs Dinner, or serve with Creamy Turkey Soup or a yummy Easy Thai Salmon dish!
✔️ More Fruity Dessert Recipes You'll Love
- Berry Delicious Cheesecake Fluff - Another yummy fluff recipe that has the tangy flavor of cheesecake with sweet berries!
- Easy Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars - These fruity cheesecake bars are flavored with banana and has a nilla wafer crust.
- No Churn Cherry Ice Cream - With only 4 ingredients needed, this easy recipe for homemade ice cream is great for a quick and fruity treat!
- Ambrosia Salad with Cool Whip - This dish from Easy Budget Recipes is another take on fluff salad that also includes cherries and pineapple for a tropical twist!
Orange Jello Salad with Cottage Cheese
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📋 Recipe Card
Orange Fluff Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping (aka Cool Whip) (1 tub)
- 3 ounces orange gelatin powder (aka Jello) (1 box)
- 14 ounces mandarin oranges, drained (1 can)
- 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Combine the whipped topping and gelatin powder in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.8 ounces frozen whipped topping (aka Cool Whip), 3 ounces orange gelatin powder (aka Jello)
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix until fully combined.14 ounces mandarin oranges, drained, 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows, 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Do not freeze.
- Make this a day ahead of time for the best flavor and texture, as the marshmallows will break down and become more gooey upon standing.
- Always stir before serving as the ingredients can slightly separate after standing.
- Try different gelatin flavors to change up the entire flavor of the salad.
- Other popular mix-ins are sour cream, yogurt, fruit cocktail, chopped pecans, etc.
- If desired, you can skip the shredded coconut.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Elizabeth says
This makes me think of being a kid. What a great, classic recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Sara Welch says
This was such a quick and easy recipe that does not disappoint! Perfectly light, fluffy and delicious; easily, a new favorite side dish!
Ryan Allen says
My kiddos loved this tasty orange fluff salad. I made it last night and they are already asking me to make it again.
Kathleen says
Loving the flavor of this fluff salad. It looks and sounds fantastic!