Description

Grandma’s Cranberry Jello Salad is a timeless, vibrant dish combining toasted walnuts with a luscious blend of raspberry Jell-O, crushed pineapple, and whole berry cranberry sauce. This refreshing and festive salad sets overnight to create a visually appealing and flavorful side, perfect for holiday gatherings or any occasion that calls for a sweet and tangy treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Walnuts

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Jello Mixture

1 cup boiling water
6 ounces raspberry Jell-O (2 small boxes or 1 large)
3/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about the juice from 1 large navel orange)

Fruit Ingredients

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple (undrained)
1 (14 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

Garnish

Whipped cream
Orange zest
Fresh cranberries

Instructions

Toast Walnuts: Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped walnuts and toast them while stirring once a minute to prevent burning, until they are browned and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a separate dish to cool.
Dissolve Jell-O: In a large liquid measuring cup, add the boiling water. Pour in the raspberry Jell-O and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Then stir in the cold water and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Combine Fruit and Jello: In a large mixing bowl, add the undrained crushed pineapple and whole berry cranberry sauce. Pour the Jell-O mixture over the fruit and stir gently to combine. Add the cooled toasted walnuts and mix everything together.
Chill to Set: Pour the Jell-O mixture into a glass dish that can hold at least 5 cups. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, to allow it to set firmly.
Garnish and Serve: Once set, garnish the salad with dollops of whipped cream, a sprinkle of orange zest, and fresh cranberries. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Notes

Toasting the walnuts enhances their flavor and adds a nice crunch to the salad.
Using a glass dish not only holds the salad firmly but also showcases the beautiful colors.
Allowing the salad to set overnight results in the best texture and flavor melding.
You can prepare this salad a day in advance to save time on the day of serving.
Substitute raspberry Jell-O with other red berry flavors if desired.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: cranberry salad, Jello salad, holiday side dish, cranberry Jello, pineapple Jello salad, walnut Jello salad, festive salad, no-cook salad