• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Meatloaf and Melodrama logo
  • Home
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
    • Collaborate
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
      • Collaborate
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Popular » Recipes » Salads

    Lime Jello Salad

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Mar 7, 2023 by Dee

    Lime Jello Salad with sour cream and pineapple is an easy vintage Jello recipe that you make with just 4 ingredients.  Perfect for potlucks and holidays and tastes just like Mom and Grandma used to make!  via @meamel

    Lime Jello Salad with sour cream and pineapple is an easy vintage Jello recipe that you make with just 4 ingredients. This dessert salad is perfect for potlucks and holidays and tastes just like Mom and Grandma used to make! 

    Jump to Recipe -
    lime jello fluff in dish on the table
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Lime Jello Salad
    • How to Store
    • Variations
    • Recipe Tips
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    I think I've told you how much I love vintage recipes, especially vintage Jello salads! I get the biggest thrill from browsing through old cook books, and I adore the fact that one bite of an oldie but goodie can immediately take you back to your childhood and bring back some happy memories. And that's exactly what happened when I made this retro lime Jello salad.

    My husband's mother used to make this fruit salad with lime Jello, sour cream, pears and pineapple for family gatherings. That's it! This is one of the easiest jello salad recipes I've ever made. It's practically foolproof!

    He grew up on this Jello recipe, but I didn't. Some of my favorite Jello recipes are Strawberry Jello Salad, Orange Jello Salad, Strawberry Pretzel Salad and Pistachio Salad for parties or potlucks. You can find more Jello recipes on my salad recipes page and my dessert recipes page.

    picture of jello, pineapple, pears, sour cream and water

    Ingredients

    This green Jello salad is an easy 4-ingredient recipe. You can find everything you need to make this dessert salad in your grocery store.

    • Lime Jello -- or any brand of lime gelatin
    • Sour cream -- makes the salad smooth and creamy
    • Canned Pears -- a can of diced pears, drained
    • Canned Pineapple -- a can of crushed pineapple, including pineapple juice-- do not drain
    • Water -- boiling water or very hot water to dissolve the gelatin

    I have a similar lime salad recipe from my grandma that uses cream cheese instead of sour cream. This one is much simpler, though.

    How to Make Lime Jello Salad

    First, add the Jello gelatin powder to a large bowl or a large casserole dish.

    I usually just mix it in the same dish as I serve it. But, you can mix the Jello in a mixing bowl if you want.

    Then, pour in a cup of very hot water or boiling water, and mix until the gelatin is dissolved.

    mix lime jello gelatin and water in large serving dish

    After the gelatin is completely dissolved, add the pears, pineapple and sour cream. Next, stir the Jello mixture together until well blended.

    You can use a hand mixer, a whisk or a large spoon.

    The sour cream took the longest to blend into the hot Jello. You might have some small lumps of sour cream, but just mash them with the spoon until they dissolve.

    mix sour cream and green jello

    When the salad is nice and creamy, smooth it out in the casserole dish. Then, pop it into the fridge to set.

    It takes about 4 hours for the Jello to set completely. After that, go ahead and dig right in!

    lime gelatin salad in casserole dish

    Actually, the kids and I used to refer to this pineapple lime Jello salad dish as Jello Ewww. But then we tried it, and we actually liked it!

    The Hubs loved this lime Jell-o salad, and he ate it with the same enthusiasm that I reserve for chocolate, so I think I did something right!

    How to Store

    Store this lime gelatin salad in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Don't leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

    Like many creamy Jello salads, it keeps for about 4 days before it starts to break down. You can make this classic lime Jello salad a day or 2 ahead of time.

    lime gelatin salad with lime slice in polka dot dish

    Variations

    There are so many versions of this vintage recipe. One popular variation of the lime Jello salad recipe uses small curd cottage cheese and Cool Whip with mini marshmallows instead of sour cream. Another version of the recipe uses mayonnaise and another version uses cream cheese and walnuts.

    Substitute lemon Jello instead of lime, and leave out the pears if you like. You can sub Greek yogurt for the sour cream.

    You can use a Jello mold to form the congealed salad instead of a casserole dish or baking dish. Non stick cooking spray will help the salad release easily.

    Serve this dessert salad sliced in squares or scoop the salad into individual bowls. Add a lime twist, maraschino cherries or whipped cream for decoration.

    Recipe Tips

    There is no cold water in this recipe. The sour cream and pineapple juice will cool the hot Jello down.

    You can heat the water in a glass measuring cup in your microwave. 2 minutes works -- it doesn't have to be a full boil, just very hot.

    Make sure to allow the salad to set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. This isn't a green Jello fluff salad, it's supposed to be firm.

    Recipe

    lime jello salad with lime slices

    Lime Jello Salad

    Published by Dee
    Lime Jello Salad with sour cream and pineapple is an easy vintage Jello recipe that you make with just 4 ingredients. Perfect for potlucks and holidays and tastes just like Mom and Grandma used to make!
    4.93 from 14 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    refrigeration 4 hrs
    Total Time 4 hrs 10 mins
    Course Salad, sides
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10
    Calories 130 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 6 oz box of Lime Jello
    • 1 cup boiling water
    • 1 15 oz can diced pears drained
    • 1 15 oz can crushed pineapple do not drain
    • 1 16 oz tub of sour cream

    Instructions
     

    • boil the water on the stove or in the microwave
    • In a large bowl or shallow serving dish, mix the Jello and the boiling water until fully dissolved
    • Stir in the pineapple, pears and sour cream, and mix until well blended
    • Refrigerate for about 4 hours or until firm
    • Enjoy

    Notes

    Or use 2 3-ounce boxes of Jello
    Store in refrigerator.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 15mgPotassium: 1mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 13mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    So, if you're looking for a refreshing summer salad that's a blast from the past, give this retro recipe a try. It's creamy, tangy and a great recipe to enjoy on a warm summer day.

    And if you happen to remember this classic side dish or have a version of this recipe to share, I'd love to hear about it!

    For more vintage recipes, no bake dessert recipes and old fashioned family favorites, sign up for the weekly newsletter and follow on social media.

    lime-jello-salad

    Recipe first published in 2016 and updated in 2023

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet

    More Salads

    • bowl of pistachio salad with pineapple and maraschino cherry on top
      Pistachio Salad Recipe
    • simple chickpea salad with cucumbers, red onion, tomatoes and bell peppers in white bowl
      Chickpea Salad Recipe
    • grandma's potato salad with red potatoes, eggs and parsley in a white serving bowl
      Grandma's Potato Salad Recipe
    • creamy cucumber salad with sour cream in a white serving bowl
      Creamy Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream

    You May Also Like

    strawberry jello poke cake with cool whip and fresh strawberries
    Strawberry Jello Poke Cake Recipe
    bowl of pistachio salad with pineapple and maraschino cherry on top
    Pistachio Salad Recipe
    baked peaches with brown sugar and cinnamon on a plate
    Easy Baked Peaches

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Review Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Toyo says

      March 08, 2023 at 12:55 pm

      I love how simple and tasty this is! Definitely making more next time 🙂5 stars

      Reply
    2. Joane says

      April 14, 2022 at 1:05 pm

      I've done this one with sour cream..any chance I could substitute greek yogurt for sour cream?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 14, 2022 at 4:03 pm

        I haven't tried it, but I'm sure it would work since the consistency is about the same.

    3. Joan von Sternberg says

      March 06, 2022 at 7:18 am

      Instead of the pears, we always added chopped maraschino cherries & chopped walnuts. Yumm!

      Reply
    4. Kevin says

      June 15, 2021 at 9:23 pm

      Love this! My mom used to make this. Yummy still today!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        June 15, 2021 at 10:12 pm

        Thanks, Kevin. I'm so glad you liked the Jello!

    5. Sandra says

      June 05, 2021 at 1:10 pm

      I really love how easy this is to make!! Can't wait to make it again!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Betsi says

      June 04, 2021 at 12:39 pm

      This is such a wonderful dessert! I will be making this all summer long!5 stars

      Reply
    7. kati says

      June 03, 2021 at 12:37 pm

      I LOVE this Lime Jello Salad! It is the perfect dessert for summer! YUM!5 stars

      Reply
    8. Amanda Livesay says

      June 03, 2021 at 8:02 am

      My kids love this jello salad! It's perfect for summer.5 stars

      Reply
    9. Erika says

      June 03, 2021 at 5:36 am

      I love this Lime Jello Salad! So simple and pretty!5 stars

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • baked breaded pork chops with panko bread crumbs and mashed potatoes on plate
      Baked Breaded Pork Chops
    • ground beef pasta, creamy shells and beef, in creamy tomato sauce in dutch oven
      Creamy Shells and Beef
    • Easter bunny bait snack mix with popcorn and candy in glass bowl
      Bunny Bait Snack Mix
    • easy strawberry jello fruit salad on plate
      Strawberry Jello Fruit Salad
    • baked kielbasa and sauerkraut in casserole dish with parsely
      Grandma's Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe
    • no bake banana pudding with cool whip and nilla wafer cookies and sliced bananas
      Easy No Bake Banana Pudding
    • slices of grandma's nut roll with swirls walnut filling on a white platter
      Grandma's Nut Roll Recipe
    • easter lamb cake decorated with buttercream frosting, colored coconut and jelly beans
      The Best Easter Lamb Cake Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • All About Dee
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As Seen On

    as seen on buzzfeed delish country living forbes southern living

    Copyright © 2023 Meatloaf and Melodrama