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This easy strawberry jello salad recipe with Cool Whip makes a vintage pink dessert salad perfect for spring, summer and any holiday gathering.
Strawberry Jello Fruit Salad
I found this fun retro recipe for strawberry Jello salad among my grandmother’s old recipes a few years ago. Like most vintage dessert salads, it’s more of a dessert than a salad. It’s pink, sweet and kind of fluffy. And it’s loaded with strawberries, which is always a good thing! Plus it’s also super easy to make. But it is super popular, especially around holidays and potluck season and especially with those of you who grew up with this classic side dish.
I first published this easy recipe in 2017, and I just recently updated the instructions to help make the Jello set better. Be sure to watch the video to see how it’s made.
If you like fluffy Jell-O salads, try this strawberry pretzel salad and lime Jello salad from my husband’s mom or this orange Jello salad next!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you need to make it. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.
- Strawberry Jell-O — the large family size box or 2 smaller boxes.
- Hot water and cold water — to dissolve the gelatin. No need to boil water — it just needs to be very hot.
- Cool Whip — or any non dairy whipped topping. Real whipped cream does not work in this type of recipe.
- Frozen strawberries — helps the Jello set faster
How to Make Strawberry Jello Salad
Basically, you just start out like you’re making regular Jello. You mix the gelatin with hot, then cold water, and then you put it into the fridge to thicken up a little bit. It takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour for the Jello to start to thicken up — at least in my fridge! It’s not supposed to be completely set — just thicker.
Now, take a whisk or use an electric mixer, and whisk the Jello mixture until it turns foamy. This takes just a couple of minutes, especially if you use a mixer. Then, you stir in your thawed Cool Whip. You can use the mixer until it gets blended. It’ll look very pink and foamy. Now, gently fold in the strawberries, and pop the dish into the fridge to firm up.
It takes about 3-4 hours for the Jello salad to set and be firm enough to eat. You can serve it in slices, like a cake or scoop it out with a spoon. You can also get creative and add some sliced strawberries for decoration!
Recipe Tips
Make sure you are using the regular large 6-ounce box of Jello. The sugar free variety comes in different sizes.
Use a long casserole dish to help the Jello set faster. If you’re using a large bowl, it takes longer to set. I usually mix everything in the casserole dish, but you can use a bowl and pour the mixture into a separate dish to serve.
Use plain frozen strawberries, not strawberries in syrup or sugar.
Fresh strawberries are fine, but slice them and refrigerate until ready to use so they’re not too warm.
You can also freeze fresh sliced strawberries instead of buying frozen ones.
Using an electric mixer helps whip the Jello up before adding the whipped topping.
Thaw the Cool Whip in the fridge before adding it to the Jello.
Storage
Store the salad in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap. It lasts about 3 days before it starts to get runny. It does not freeze well.
Strawberry Jello Salad
Ingredients
- 1 6-ounce package Strawberry Jello gelatin not sugar free
- 2 cups very hot water
- ¾ cup cold water
- 8 oz Tub Cool Whip thawed
- 1 pound frozen strawberries sliced
Instructions
- In a large casserole dish, mix the Jello with hot water and cold water until completely dissolved
- Refrigerate for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until Jello starts to thicken. It will still be a little runny
- Use a whisk or electric mixer to mix Jello until foamy and thick.
- Stir in whipped topping, then gently fold in strawberries, and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until firm and ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I know it’s not a healthy salad recipe, but hey, it does have fruit! And besides, I’m a sucker for vintage recipes — when you make them and taste them, it’s like stepping back in time. Who’s with me on that?!
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. And if you grew up with this retro salad, let me know. Sign up for the weekly newsletter to receive more free recipes by email.
Happy Cooking,
Has anyone tried this in a jello mold?
I’m looking at the strawberry gelatin dessert recipe. Instead of using the cold water can I substitute with soda (Coke of Sprite)? Thought it might give it a kick.
I haven’t tried using soda pop, but that sounds like a fun option. Let me know how it works if you try it!
My Mom made this. We called it Jell-O Whip. Delicious! She let it set up partially in the refrigerator as you recommend BUT in a bowl, dumped whipping cream into the cooled mixture and just whipped until smooth before refrigerating again until set.
There are a lot of different ways to make this — all good! 🙂
I let the jello get too thick before adding the strawberry’s and cool whip. I’m worried it won’t set up now? Can you freeze this recipe by chance? Thanks
It should still set up. You can try freezing just as long as it needs to set, but it doesn’t freeze well for storage.
Not a pro but we started making cream whipped jellos in early 70s. To thicken use Knox. can be purchased at some grocery stores.
Fantastic taste for her recipe. Clear packages of knox is used for creme cheeses and sea food. Whole shrimpers and shrimp, prawns, etc.
Couldn’t I make this with two 3 oz. boxes of sugar free jello?
Yes, people have said it works with sugar free Jello.
A local grocery store carried a salad like this year’s ago & I loved it. So glad to have found this recipe! I’m making for my grandsons 1st birthday!
Happy birthday to him! Hope you enjoy the salad!
Can you use whipped cream instead of cool whip
The only problem with regular whipped cream is that it probably won’t hold up. Cool Whip keeps its shape.
I DETEST Cool Whip! I would definetly whip one cup heavy cream with a package of Oetkers Whip It ( whipped cream stabilizer) and then fold it in. Will work perfectly!
Do you put strawberries in frozen or defrost them first? I haven’t had this before but sounds delicious and am anxious to fix for Christmas?
Hi Linda. You add frozen strawberries directly to the Jello. It helps the Jello firm up.
Sooo happy to have found this! My mom made it every year for Thanksgiving but when she passed away last year, we couldn’t find her recipe! Even after scouring all her 1950s and 1960s cookbooks! This tastes exactly like hers and I’m so glad that this holiday favorite doesn’t have to die with her. Thank you so much. ❤
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Anna. I’m thrilled that I could help and so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I was so excited to find this recipe. Mom used to make Jello salad, and this tasted exactly like hers and was so easy to make!
Can you make this the night before??
Yes, it’s fine to make it the night before and keep refrigerated.