Congealed salad. Jello salad? What do you call it? In the southern states, we mostly go with congealed, but you may know it by other names. Gelatin salad. Jelly salad. Whatever you call it, here’s a fabulous recipe for it.
No Sunday dinner, family reunion, or gathering of friends in the South would be complete without at least one congealed salad on the table. Indeed, it is not unusual to find three or four. And although you might confuse a congealed salad with dessert, they are always, always, served as a side dish with the main meal. It has to do with that sweet-salt combination that Southerners love.
Now before you go turning your nose up at congealed salad, look at its origins. Congealed salad, I believe, descended from the very Victorian jellies produced by famed chefs during that time period. Some of those creations were very complex and were both savory and sweet. Dessert jellies were highly prized and available mostly to the more well-to-do of the time. And they remain nearly as popular today.
Then along came Jell-o and made flavored gelatin widely available at an affordable price to masses. Suddenly everyone could afford a wiggly, jiggly dessert or jelled salad. Thank you, Jell-o.
I have probably two or three dozen different congealed salad recipes, and today I’m sharing one of my favorites with you. Its base is lime jello which is combined with cream cheese, crushed pineapple, pecans, celery, and marshmallows. Yum and double yum. I made it this time with sugar-free gelatin and low-fat cream cheese and it was just as delicious as the more indulgent version. I just know you’re gonna like this one!
A favorite congealed salad using lime jello, cream cheese, pineapple, nuts, celery, and marshmallows. Great as a side dish or dessert. Click To Tweet
Start by creaming the cream cheese together with the jello using either a stand or hand-held mixer.
Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest possible and add the water a small amount at a time to begin with. After the mixture has loosened up and the water begins to incorporate, add the rest all at once. Continue beating until the cream cheese, jello and water are thoroughly and smoothly combined.
Pour into a mold or dish. Refrigerate until the mixture is partially set (about two hours, but check periodically).
Remove from refrigerator and stir in the remaining ingredients – pineapple, nuts, celery, and marshmallows. Return to refrigerator until completely set. Check after an hour to make sure the marshmallows are submerged. If not, stir them into the mixture again. The salad will need about 4 hours to completely set.
Cut into squares to serve. This salad goes well with most meats and can also serve as dessert with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Enjoy!
Lime Congealed Salad
Ingredients
- 1 .3 oz package lime jello
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups boiling water
- 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Using a stand or hand-held mixer, cream the jello together with the cream cheese.
- Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest possible and add the water a small amount at a time to begin with. After the mixture has loosened up and the water begins to incorporate easy, add the rest all at once.
- Continue mixing until the cream cheese, jello and water are thoroughly and smoothly combined.
- Pour into a mold or dish.
- Refrigerate until the mixture is partially set (about two hours, but check periodically).
- Remove from refrigerator and stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Return to refrigerator until completely set. Check after an hour to make sure the marshmallows are submerged. If not, stir them into the mixture again. The salad will need about 4 hours to completely set.
- Cut into squares to serve.
Notes
This salad goes well with most meats and can also serve as dessert with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
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Other congealed salad recipes you might enjoy:
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad from My Baking Addiction
- Apricot Delight Jello Salad from Eat at Home
- Mom’s Green Jello Salad from Merry Gourmet
- Bing Cherry Congealed Salad from AllRecipes
- Orange Fluff Jello Salad from Six Sisters’ Stuff
- Pink Jello Salad from Deep South Dish
- Raspberry Vanilla Jello Salad from Butter with a Side of Bread
Jackie says
atThis sounds good and healthy. Thanks for sharing.
Lana Stuart says
atYou’re welcome, Jackie. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
atLana my friend it appears that you have stepped back in time. So many of your recent posts have brought me straight back to potlucks I attended in North Carolina when my kids were little. I’m reminded of some of those great, old fashioned dishes that we could always count on. I’m thinking it’s time I made a Pistachio Pudding Cake! :)
Lana Stuart says
atBarb, you know how I love my old-fashioned recipes! However, I’ve never heard of the Pistachio Pudding Cake. I sure hope you’ll share that one!
LindySez says
atAh yes, the Jello Salad…I remember it well. Grandma made it with every big dinner we had…usually clear with a dollop of mayo on top. Brings back memories for sure.
Lana Stuart says
atI love a dollop of mayo on the more savory ones. Especially the ones with tomatoes!
Mary says
atMama made this salad every holiday, except she used cottage cheese instead of cream cheese. It was delish, but I am definitely trying your recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Lana Stuart says
atMary, I’ve seen this same salad with cottage cheese and also with horseradish. Sounds good to me!
Mona says
atLana, this is my favorite congealed salad..it reminds me so much of my Mama…she could whip one of these up in no time flat..lol how’s that for southernese? I just might have to make this one..it is so good…I love your blog..
Love, Mona
Lana Stuart says
atGreat southernese, Mona! We sure can whip a recipe up in nothing flat, can’t we?
Neena says
atThis is one of my favorites. Aunt Virginia used to make this for a lot of her meals, so I’ve had this many times. Good to know that it is still around. Did not know that ingredients were added after a partial congeal.
Lana Stuart says
atI like to add them after it’s partially congealed because the marshmallows just float on top otherwise. I like to stir them back in so everything is distributed through the jello. I don’t think you’d have to do that, though.
Shaina says
atWe go with gelatin molds. My grandmother used to make one for Sunday dinners. Always pink, always in a ring.
Lana Stuart says
atI just love them, especially for Sunday dinners. I do sometimes make them in a mold, too.
Vanessa says
atThis was lovely, and went perfectly with deviled eggs and fried chicken. I used your method for the basis of my recipe for my weekly blog, if you’d care to take a look here: http://www.foodinbooks.com. I did omit the celery, and we had the salad as dessert. So delicious, and definitely took me back to my childhood, when my grandmother made something similar, but just called it Jello salad. Thanks for sharing!
Miss P says
atThis is always a welcome addition, but especially in our hot summer months. There’s just something about that cold, jiggly, velvety salad that makes you say “Ahhhhhh…”
Miss P
Joan says
atLana ~ Can’t wait to try this recipe…..At my house, a good jello salad makes any meal special. I have been trying to find out if I can make a salad with sugar free Jello. I can’t find the answer to this anywhere. I have even called the toll-free # on the Jello box and all I get is a bunch of non-food related recorded commercials that never end. I haven’t experimented with it b/c if it fails all those good ing. will be wasted! Hope you can answer!
Thanks.