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Orange Carrot Gelatin Salad is a tried-and-true recipe we enjoy a family gatherings that’s perfect for picnics and barbecues, but also for a Thanksgiving dinner. Filled with juicy pineapple and mandarin oranges with shredded carrots surrounding it in an encasement of orange gelatin, it’s certain to please kids of all ages!
(Post modified with new photos on 11/13/23.)
I’ve been making this gelatin salad since I first married and had never really thought about the amounts and directions until our daughters married. Then it became abundantly clear that I needed to add this recipe to my site here.
It had always been one of those dump and make recipes that I never really thought about. But it’s always good to know for sure how mom and grandma used to make it, right?
This recipe is also a wonderful recipe to make with your kids or grandchildren. Just watch over them when measuring the boiling water, or do that part for them.
More Family Recipes to Consider
Ingredients for Orange Carrot Gelatin Salad
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- orange flavored gelatin
- boiling water
- ice cubes
- coarsely grated carrots
- canned pineapple tidbits, drained
- canned mandarin oranges, drained
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
Peel and grate the carrots.
I like to use a straight grater when grating vegetables, as it’s easier to clean than a box grater and it doesn’t take up as much space to store. I bought mine as a 3-piece set with fine, regular, and coarse edges. If you can find such a set, snatch it up, as they are hard to find.Â
Using a colander, drain the pineapple tidbits and mandarin oranges.
Be sure to save the juices that you drain for use later in a beverage of your choice.
Boil water in a tea kettle.
Measure out 7 large ice cubes and place in a bowl or measuring cup.
Assemble the Salad
While waiting for the water to boil, place the orange gelatin in a medium-sized serving bowl. Measure out the boiling water and pour into the bowl. Stir the mixture with a spoon or wire whisk until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
If possible, I try to stock up on Jell-O brand gelatin when it is on sale, but if not, it’s perfectly fine to use a generic or store brand gelatin.Â
Add ice cubes to the gelatin and stir until the ice has melted.
This step helps ensure a quick set and is important for this recipe.
Carefully stir into the liquid gelatin mixture the grated carrots and the drained pineapple tidbits and mandarin oranges.
Transfer the gelatin salad to a pretty serving dish. It may take a few tries to figure out the size you need for serving this salad. But consider a medium sized bowl to start and go from there.
Cover with plastic wrap and place the bowl in the refrigerator to set. Allow the salad to set at least 8 hours or overnight.
It takes a while for this salad to completely set due to the citrus in it. If time allows, I like to refrigerate overnight, which makes it a nice recipe to make for early preparation.
This gelatin salad will serve 6-8 people.
See more Salad Recipes Here. Browse Picnic Ideas Here. View more Family Recipes Here.Â
Orange Carrot Gelatin Salad
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Ingredients
- 3 oz orange flavored gelatin
- 1 cup boiling water
- 7 large ice cubes
- 1 1/2 cups carrots (coarsely grated )
- 16 oz pineapple tidbits (drained)
- 15 oz mandarin oranges (drained)
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Peel and coarsely grate the carrots.
- Using a colander, drain the pineapple tidbits and mandarin oranges. (Save the juices for use later in a beverage of your choosing.)
- Boil water in a tea kettle.
- Count out 7 large ice cubes and place in a bowl.
Assemble the Salad
- While waiting for the water to boil, place the orange gelatin in a mixing bowl.
- Measure out the boiling water and pour into the bowl. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
- Add ice cubes to the gelatin and stir until the ice has melted.
- Carefully stir into the liquid gelatin mixture the grated carrots and the drained fruit.
- Transfer salad mixture to a medium-sized serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to set. Allow the salad to set at least 8 hours or overnight.
- This gelatin salad will serve 6-8 people.