Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (2024)

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This homemade Red Jello Salad recipe is easy to make and is very popular with the kidsand our entire family. It is one of the recipes we almost always prepare for major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. We hope you enjoy it!

Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (2)

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Red Jello Salad Recipe

Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (3)

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This easy red jello salad recipe is a family favorite and a staple for Christmas! The family says that we can’t celebrate Christmas without the Red Jello Salad! ;-) It adds a beautiful red color to the Christmas table and children and men seem to really love it.

  • Author: Jill Cooper

Ingredients

Units

1/2 cup boiling water
1 small package cherry Jello
1/4 to 1/2 cup red hot candies
1 1/2 cups applesauce

Instructions

  1. Dissolve Jello and candies in boiling water. I usually do this in a small saucepan so I can keep it on low heat and keep it warm while dissolving the candies.
  2. When the Jello and candies are mostly dissolved, add the applesauce.
  3. Chill until set.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (8)Deborah

    This recipe has been in our family for years, but we call it Red Hot Salad. I love it, and it brings back fond childhood memories.

    Reply

  2. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (9)Joyce

    I make this frequently for potluck dinners at church and always have requests for the recipie. It looks good and tastes so refreshing.

    Reply

  3. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (10)Bea

    With the leaves starting to turn a little, the red of this Salad reminds me of the pretty trees. Can’t wait to make this tonight.

    Reply

    • Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (11)Jill

      Do you know how envious I am of you Bea living where you do and getting to see the trees turn like that? Living in Kansas we do have trees and a few turn but nothing at all like what you have. Even coming from Colorado the trees still aren’t the same as back East.

      Reply

  4. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (12)Bea

    Jill, You’re welcome to visit me ANYTIME! I do love the view of the mountains in my town. SO many trees. Even in my neighborhood there are a lot of trees. I love going into a room I have on the 2nd floor, which is a lovely enclosed porch, with all windows on one side, and looking out at the mountains and the trees. This time of year it’s so pretty. And I also like looking out on snow on trees in winter and on the mountains. God made nature so pretty.
    By the way, that Red Jello Salad is so yummy and pretty. Did you ever use any other flavor Jello? I was wondering if any other flavor would work?

    Reply

    • Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (13)Jill

      Oh Bea I have always dreamed of having a room will lots of windows where I could curl up with a good book, cup of tea and watch the different seasons outside. Some day I might get my room but you be sure to enjoy yours now for me. :) I didn’t know you could see mountains from your home too. That is soooo nice.

      The red jello salad I have always made with the cherry jello so I don’t know how it would taste with something else. You would probably have to be a little careful to make sure it was a flavor that would go well with the cinnamon candies and I can’t think off hand what other flavor that would be. Maybe someone else has tried it and can give a better answer.

  5. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (14)Bea

    Jill, I live real close to mountains and the view on my 2nd floor from the old enclosed porch, with was made into a room by my landlord, has a nice view because it’s on the 2nd floor, and I can see the trees in the yards around me. It is real nice. The sun shines in the windows in the morning which is lovely, and the moon the other night was lovely too.
    As far as the Red Jello Salad is concerned I had one box of Cherry Jello and used that and wanted to make a 2nd batch, so I used Strawberry, since I didn’t have more Cherry,and it came out good. I was wondering if Orange would taste good??? I think I may try that next. It might end up having a fruit punch kind of flavor???

    Reply

    • Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (15)Jill

      It sounds like you have one of those rooms that almost makes you feel like you are sitting in a tree house. It really must be so pretty.
      It will be interesting to see Bea what the orange taste like. I know I love cinnamon orange tea and I wonder if it would be kind of like that.

      Reply

  6. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (16)Bea

    Jill, I didn’t think of that BUT I bet the Cinnamon and Orange Salad combo WOULD taste like Cinnamon Orange Tea and I like that TOO! Something to look forward to when I make it. It probably wouldn’t taste that bad regardless.
    And Yes, it’s like being in a tree house when I’m in that room on my 2nd floor. PRETTY DESCRIPTION Jill. You have a great imagination. And what makes it seem like that even more is the room is paneled in wood and the ceiling has wooden beams, so that description is perfect. That room is one of the reasons I really liked the apartment and wanted it after I looked at it.

    Reply

  7. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (17)Bea

    Jill, I’ve been making Jello salads a lot lately for side dishes and desserts, and I made the Salad using orange Jello with the Red Hots and applesauce, and it does taste a lot like the tea. Very good. I think you would like it. Also, since it’s orange it’s nice for Halloween and thanksgiving to have something orange on the table for seasonal colors. Red is also nice.

    Reply

    • Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (18)Jill

      That would be the perfect color for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Will have to try it and see.

      Reply

  8. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (19)Kim

    Hi! I am so excited to try this red hot salad. Can a jello mold be used to chill until set?
    Thanks!
    Kim

    Reply

    • Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (20)Jill

      Yes Kim you can put it in a Jello mold. It is pretty much glorified Jello so like Jello when put in a mold may have to be babied a little more when you try to get it out of the mold. Can’t wait for you to try it. This is always a big hit because of the flavor and the color at Christmas.

      Reply

  9. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (21)CJ

    We always have “green jello salad” (it would never occur to me to use Red Hots in anything!), but maybe we’ll try the red one! Where would I find red hots when it wasn’t Valentines?

    Our salad is 1 package of green jello, 1 brick of cream cheese and 1 small can of crushed pineapple.

    Drain your pineapple but reserve the juice. Add cold water to make 1 cup of liquid.

    Add the jello powder to 1 c. of boiling water, then add the the brick of softened, chopped cream cheese. Beat until most of the cream cheese is dissolved. Then add the pineapple & the juice/water mixture. Refridgerate until set.

    My SIL & husband usually fight over the leftovers. :)

    Reply

    • Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (22)Jill

      You can find them most places like Wal Mart, grocery stores,$ tree, Walgreens and they are usually hanging up in the bags. You can find them in those “movie” boxes too sometimes.

      Reply

  10. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (23)Barbara A Nauman

    This red jello salad fabulous! I have a version that my family also loves.

    1 can cranberry sauce (I buy this on sale after the holidays. I’ve gotten it for 39 cents a can!!)
    1 can cherry pie filling (I buy a generic store brand-Aldi has a great one at a super price!)
    1 15 oz. can crushed pineapple (generic and always on sale!!)
    2 boxes cherry jello (I buy Aldi brand, or the cheapest I can find!)
    3/4c. sour cream

    Dissolve the two boxes of jello in 1 1/3c. boiling water. Stir in all the other ingredients, including all the juice from the crushed pineapple. Put one half of the mixture in a 9×13 pan and chill well. Then spread the sour cream over the set jello. Gently pour the rest of the jello mixture over the sour cream. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm. My family eats this as a salad, or dessert!!

    Reply

  11. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (24)Laura

    We make a similar recipe, but we omit the candies and melt in a can of cranberry sauce. Everyone loves it!

    Reply

  12. Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (25)Jackie

    Oh oh I followed a similar recipe used 1 cup water and 2 cups applesauce. It’s been over 2 hours and it’s not setting up. Too much liquid?
    There’s always next time. It tastes really good tho

    Reply

    • Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (26)Jill

      Yes too much liquid

      Reply

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Red Jello Salad Recipe - A Tasty Family Favorite! (2024)

FAQs

What happened to Jello salads? ›

Jell-O even introduced savory flavors, like celery, mixed vegetable, and "Italian salad," during the 1960s. By the mid-1970s, though, their popularity had declined so much that they were pulled from shelves.

Why did people eat jello salad? ›

Jello salads are a common feature of US communal meals such as potlucks, most probably because they are inexpensive and easy to prepare. The salad has a strong regional presence in Utah and surrounding states (the Mormon Corridor), especially among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

How to make Jell-O better? ›

It's important to use the right amount of water, as using too much or too little can affect the taste and texture of the Jell-O. Additionally, you can add fruit, whipped cream, or other ingredients to enhance the flavor.

How to make Jell-O o? ›

Whisk together 1 cup of hot water with 1 packet of jello in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of cold water to the mixture and whisk it in. Pour the mixture into a jello mold and add some fruit, if desired. Let the jello set in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, then serve.

Why did Jell-O lose popularity? ›

Jell-O's decline

After all, it's commonly associated with patients eating it in hospitals or disgraced comedian Bill Cosby, who was the face of the brand for 30 years. And, Jell-O molds and now-defunct flavors like Italian salad and mixed vegetables are in recipe books for “nauseating” foods.

Why do hospitals always serve Jell-O? ›

There are a few reasons: Jell-O is easy to swallow and digest, making it suitable for patients who have difficulty eating solid foods or have digestive issues. It's smooth texture and mild flavor make it more tolerable for those with sensitive stomachs or who are recovering from surgery.

What state eats the most Jell-O? ›

Utah eats more Jell-O than any other state

The people in Utah love their Jell-O! The state has an entire holiday week dedicated to the jiggly treat, and it's even Utah's official state food.

What does Jell-O do when your sick? ›

The tame taste also makes for easier consumption when your appetite may be a little off. Jell-O, or gelatin, is another virus-friendly food. Gelatin is easy on the stomach, and it helps keep your blood sugar regulated, giving you the energy you need to fight off your sickness.

Does anyone still eat Jell-O? ›

Jello continues to be a common staple in many diets, but its overall poor nutritional value makes it an unhealthy food choice. Many people are also wary of the artificial ingredients it contains and their possible health effects.

What is the secret ingredient in Jello? ›

Gelatin is made from animal collagen — a protein that makes up connective tissues, such as skin, tendons, ligaments, and bones. The hides and bones of certain animals — often cows and pigs — are boiled, dried, treated with a strong acid or base, and finally filtered until the collagen is extracted.

What happens if you add too much gelatin to Jello? ›

If you add too much gelatin to a recipe, it will set up very hard and be difficult to eat. Too much liquid will make it soupy. The ideal ratio of gelatin to liquid is 2 tablespoons (1 envelope) of gelatin per cup of liquid.

What thickens jello? ›

Pectin. Pectin is a mucilaginous substance (gummy substance extracted from plants), occurring naturally in pears, apples, quince, oranges, and other citrus fruits. It is used as the gelling agent in traditional jams and jellies.

How is pork in Jello? ›

Is Jell-O Made out of Pig Skin? The gelatin used to make Jell-O can be made from pig skin. Gelatin is sourced from the skin, bones and other connective tissues of pigs, cows and other farmed animals. Gelatin production can get smelly for people who live near gelatin processing plants.

Does Jello go bad? ›

Despite its long shelf life, jello can go bad, and when it does there are usually telltale signs to clue you in. Noticeable changes in the color or texture or an obviously off odor point to spoiled jello. Mold is also a dead giveaway.

What happens if you don't use cold water for Jello? ›

The boiling water is important because it helps to fully dissolve the Jello powder and ensures that it will set properly. On the other hand, if you were to use only cold water, it would not dissolve the Jello powder as effectively and could result in a mixture that doesn't set properly or has lumps in it.

Do people still eat jello salad? ›

People were still eating colorful gelatin, but they were no longer serving it as a main course as frequently as they used to. These days, it's more of a quirky novelty snack than an accepted meal option.

Why wouldn t you want to use pineapple in a jello salad? ›

Bromolain in pineapple, papain in papaya and actinidin in kiwi are all enzymes capable of breaking down proteins, hence the warning that these fruits cannot be used in Jell-O. But canned fruits are fine because the pasteurization process they undergo destroys the proteolytic enzymes.

Who made Jello salad? ›

The first popular Jell-O salad was Perfection Salad, invented in 1904 by Mrs. John E. Cook of Pennsylvania (via Recipe Curio). While Mrs.

Why can't you put pineapple in Jell-O? ›

Gelatine is derived from the protein collagen. The enzyme in fresh* pineapple, bromelin, breaks down collagen and this prevents the jelly from setting.

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