Ribbon Jello

If the jiggle on a ribbon jello salad doesn’t make you giggle, at least the citrusy flavor combination will make you smile. This vintage salad is right on brand as a holiday favorite thanks to its red, white and green colors. It’s the perfect sweet treat to pair with a savory turkey or ham roast.

There are quite a few steps to follow but no special skill required. The hardest part of this jello ribbon recipe is leaving it alone while it sets.

Ingredients for Ribbon Jello

• Lime gelatin: This gelatin is the bottom layer. All you have to do is dissolve it in water and let it set.
• Lemon gelatin: Lemon flavor is the middle layer and will bring a citrus finish to the cream cheese filling.
• Miniature marshmallows: You might already have these for the holiday season. They give the middle layer a spongy texture and extra sweetness.
• Cream cheese: Smooth cream cheese holds the slippery gelatin layers together.
• Mayonnaise: This adds a tangy taste to the cream cheese.
• Crushed pineapple: You don’t have to drain your crushed pineapple pieces because the juice will combine with the setting gelatin.
• Cherry gelatin: This contributes the distinctive flavor and the red color for the ribbon jello salad top layer.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the base ribbon jello layer

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In a large bowl, dissolve the lime gelatin in boiling water and then add cold water while stirring. Pour it into a dish and refrigerate for about one hour until it is firm but not fully set.

Step 2: Make the middle cream cheese layer

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In a large bowl, dissolve the lemon gelatin in boiling water and stir in the miniature marshmallows until they have fully melted. Allow it to cool for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Gradually beat in the warm lemon gelatin. Stir in the pineapple chunks. Carefully spoon over the cold lime layer and return to the refrigerator to chill until firm but not fully set.

Step 3: Make the top cherry layer

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Dissolve the cherry gelatin in boiling water and add cold water while stirring. Spoon over the lemon layer. Refrigerate the entire gelatin salad overnight so that it becomes firm. Cut into squares to serve.

Editor’s Tip: You can create more intense color strips by adding a drop or two of food coloring to the appropriate gelatin mix.

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Recipe Variations

• Try other flavors: To keep the colors but adjust the flavors, you can use raspberry or cranberry gelatin instead of cherry. Speaking of, check out ten of our cherry inspired desserts.
• Use pineapple juice: If you don’t have pineapple chunks or don’t like the texture, you can add pineapple juice alone to the melting marshmallow mix.

How to Store Ribbon Jello

Ribbon jello salad will keep in the refrigerator for three to five days. Make sure you cover it or store it in an airtight container to stop it from absorbing other refrigerator flavors.

Can you make ribbon jello ahead of time?

Yes, you have to make ribbon jello ahead of time. There’s a lot of time spent waiting for layers to chill and the whole salad requires an overnight stay in the refrigerator. You could make it a few days ahead of serving and refrigerate until ready.

Ribbon Jello Tips

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What can I serve with ribbon jello?

Although it’s a fun party platter item to put on a buffet by itself, you can also serve ribbon jello salad with a hot roast, such as turkey or ham. The sweetness and punch of fruit imitate the role of a conventional cranberry or apple sauce.

Do I have to use boiling and cold water?

The science behind the dual-temperature water is that gelatin needs hot water to dissolve but cold water for the proteins to set. If you only used warm or cold water from the start, you’d have cloudy and clumpy gelatin that would not be very appetizing.

Is there a vegan version of ribbon jello?

It might not be easy, but you can certainly track down vegan versions of cream cheese, marshmallow and egg-free vegan mayonnaise. Even gelatin, which is made from animal bones, has a vegan counterpart that uses agar (like vegan marshmallows). You can make your own with fruit juice, food coloring and agar jelly.