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This Lemon Mandarin Orange Jello Salad is a creamy, citrusy classic that has been a staple at our Thanksgiving table for as long as I can remember. The bright lemon flavor mixed with sweet mandarin oranges makes it the perfect balance of refreshing and nostalgic.
I grew up eating it every year, and now it’s one of those recipes my kids look forward to just as much as the turkey.
Growing up in Washington, I truly believed Jello salad was a universal Thanksgiving staple. It wasn’t until I casually mentioned it to a friend and she stared at me like I was speaking another language that I realized… maybe not everyone was scooping neon gelatin at holiday dinners. Then I moved to Utah and discovered that Jello salad was not only normal, but beloved. I had finally found my people!
Lemon Mandarin Orange Jello Salad Ingredients
Unlike most Thanksgiving desserts, this Jello fruit salad recipe requires very few ingredients to make. Here’s what you’ll need to make this mandarin orange salad:
- Orange Jello: gives the salad its sweet citrus flavor and signature color.
- Boiling Water: helps dissolve the Jello for a smooth, even texture.
- Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate: adds a bright, tangy punch that deepens the orange flavor.
- Mandarin Oranges: bring juicy bursts of sweetness and texture to every bite.
- Instant Lemon Pudding Mix: adds creamy thickness and a subtle tart contrast.
- Milk: combines with the pudding to create that silky, luscious base.
- Cool Whip: makes the salad light, fluffy, and perfectly airy.
What is Jello Salad?
Jello salad is a classic, old-school dish made with flavored gelatin and fruit, often layered with creamy toppings like pudding, cottage cheese, Cool Whip, or cream cheese.
Some versions include carrots, nuts, coconut, or marshmallows, but this one keeps things simple with a bright lemon pudding topping and sweet mandarin oranges throughout. It’s nostalgic, kid-friendly, and one of those recipes many of us grew up seeing on the dinner table or at holiday gatherings.
How to Make Jello Salad
This mandarin orange Jello salad couldn’t be easier to make! It takes quite a while for the salad to set, but the hands-on prep work is minimal. Here’s how to make Jello salad:
- Mix: Combine the boiling water and orange Jello in a 9×13-inch pan, stirring until fully dissolved.
- Add: Stir in the frozen orange juice concentrate and drained mandarin oranges until evenly mixed.
- Chill: Place in the fridge and let the Jello set completely.
- Whisk: Near the end of the chill time, mix the pudding and milk together until thick and smooth.
- Fold: Gently stir the Cool Whip into the pudding mixture, then spread it evenly over the set Jello layer.
- Garnish: Top with extra mandarin oranges and return to the fridge to chill before serving.
Tips for Making Lemon Mandarin Orange Jello Salad
Swap the Cool Whip if needed: If you can’t find Cool Whip, another whipped topping or homemade whipped cream works. Just remember that homemade whipped cream will soften and deflate more quickly.
Use instant pudding: Make sure you choose instant lemon pudding, not cook-and-serve, or the topping will not set correctly.
Choose oranges in water: Mandarin oranges packed in water keep the salad balanced. The syrup-packed kind will make it overly sweet.
Is Jello Salad a Dessert or a Side?
Do you think of Jello recipes as desserts or salads? Whenever it is served with whipped cream and marshmallows, it is a dessert. If it is served with tons of fruit added, it can be called a “fruit salad.” Yes, I realize this mandarin orange Jello salad should probably be a dessert, but my family always served it as a side dish when I was little so I serve it as a side today as well. Dessert is for all the pies!
Want to Make This Recipe Sugar-Free?
If you can find sugar-free versions of the lemon instant pudding and orange Jello mix, then yes, you can definitely make this Jello salad sugar-free if desired. I’ve also seen sugar free Cool Whip!
Note that sugar-free pudding and Jello mixes typically tend to be smaller than the regular versions, so you may need to buy multiple packs to make enough Jello salad to fill a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Prep Ahead and Storage Instructions
This Jello fruit salad is perfect for making ahead of a busy holiday. You can assemble the entire dish up to a day in advance, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and keep it chilled until serving. Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and will stay fresh for about 2–3 days.
There’s just something nostalgic and comforting about a simple Jello salad, and this lemon mandarin version might be our favorite. It’s cool, creamy, citrusy, and unbelievably easy. Whether you’re making it for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a weeknight dinner, it always brings a smile.
More Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes:
- Instant Pot Southern Macaroni and Cheese
- Strawberry Fluff Fruit Dip
- The Best Mashed Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- …All of our Thanksgiving Recipes!
Lemon Mandarin Orange Jello
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Boiling Water
- 1 Box Orange Jello, 6 ounce
- 6 Ounces Dole Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate, (half of a 12 oz can)
- 1 ½ Cans Dole Mandarin Oranges, 11-ounce, almost completely drained and divided
- 1 Box Instant Lemon Pudding, 3.4 ounce
- 1 Cup Milk
- 8 Ounces Cool Whip
Instructions
- Mix the boiling water with the jello in a 9×13-inch pan until all of the granules are dissolved.3 Cups Boiling Water, 1 Box Orange Jello
- Add the frozen concentrate and 1 can mandarin oranges with whatever juice is remaining and stir to combine.6 Ounces Dole Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate, 1 ½ Cans Dole Mandarin Oranges
- Place in the fridge until set, about 3 hours.
- In a bowl, combine pudding and milk until thick.1 Box Instant Lemon Pudding, 1 Cup Milk
- Fold in the whipped topping and spread on the jello salad.8 Ounces Cool Whip
- Place remaining oranges on top as garnish and chill for about 20-30 minutes until set.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My mom used to make a congealed salad with orange jello, crushed pineapple, carrots, and pecans. She always served it when she made chicken and dumplings, but with other meals, too. I love it too this day.
This recipe more than any other reminds so many people of their childhood. I just love it! Thanks for sharing a piece of your story with us!
We’ve had this delicious orange salad at holidays since 1986 or maybe even longer! It’s a must and now my sons have made this their family tradition at holidays. All of our immediate and extended families have loved this as a side dish…and the next day if there’s any left!
We never have any left over either! So good! Thanks for the comment, Sue!
I grew up with jello at every holiday! Lime with pineapple chunks and shredded carrots made in a glass loaf pan. One way to get us to eat veggies ☺️. Recipe from 1950’s. It was years later in life I found the recipe book my mother got the recipe from. Mom’s gone but I still enjoy the memories of her love of cooking for her family of 11 children. She was an amazing cook! It’s the little things that matter. Your orange jello looks delicious… Pinned!
This is so sweet Lynn! Thank you for sharing! That is one of the things I love most about food and cooking. They carry such memories and meaning! Hope you enjoy this one!
Looks so good. Love the Mandarin orange one…
It is so tasty! Thanks LaRue!
I don’t understand your measurements on the orange juice . Also on the Mandarin oranges. Am excited to try this.
You want half of a 12 oz can of Dole Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate (so 6 oz) and one and a half cans of Dole Mandarin Oranges (11oz size cans, so about 16-17 ounces of oranges). Enjoy!
Well my family’s traditional Jello salad is called “ Sunshine salad “ and as northerners we look forward to it at Easter dinner .
Orange Jello , drained crushed pineapple , fresh grated carrots . My grown children long of it every Spring . It’s ymmy – give it a try .
A couple of questions:
1. You only use 1/2 can (12 oz) of orange juice correct? That would be 6 ounces
2. You buy two cans (11 oz each) of mandarin oranges. Use one 11 oz can to add to the 6 oz of oj and then 1/2 can of mandarin oranges on top of cool whip?
Yes and yes!
Wow, that looks so good! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I also grew up with a jello salad served as a side dish on Thanksgiving, but ours was blueberry salad. I think it was made with blackberry jello if available (or a mix of black cherry and grape if not), blueberry pie filling, and crushed pineapple. The topping was a mix of cream cheese, sugar, and cool whip, I believe. Definitely a family favorite!
That sounds pretty much like heaven!
Hello there , this looks amazing gonna try it but need more feedback on step #2 , do I add the concentrate with the can of mandarins together then with step 1 ? Thank you !
Yes exactly. It all goes into the jello and then is refrigerated.
I grew up in a Mandarin orange jello salad as well. Always at holidays and other special days. Always served with our meal. Not quite the same one, but close. It was my Moms specialty ssignature dish. Love it and still make it. I’m glad to hear someone else has the same fond memory of this dish. Definitely going to try this recipe. Thanks for the great memory.
One of my favorite things about food is how it ties so closely to some of our most treasured memories! It reminds us of certain people or certain occasion! I just love it! Thank you for taking time leave us a comment! Enjoy this salad!