Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad

The beloved mid-centor dessert or side-dish, with crisp and refreshing flavors that add a nostalgic touch to any gathering!

The Sunshine Salad is also known as Sunrise or Sunset Salad (depending on serving time?) and Golden Glow Salad. All fitting names for this vibrant blend of fruit and veggies suspended on a lovely retro-looking gelatin mold!

Ingredient details

You’ll only need a handful of kitchen staples to make the jellojoy’s Sunshine Salad. Also check out the many ideas for sweet and savory recipe variations that I list further below.

• Orange jello, 3 ounces (1 4-serving box)
• Canned crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits, 8 ounces
• Grated carrots (or coleslaw mix), 2 cups
• Lemon juice or vinegar, 2 teaspoons
• Pinch of salt

Plus boiling and cold water to dissolve the jello. That’s it!

This recipe is traditionally made with crushed pineapple, but this time I used pineapple tidbits because that’s what I had. It’s good both ways!

Use canned pineapple only for this recipe. Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme (bromelain) that stops gelatin from setting.

Reduced-sugar recipe: You can make this recipe lower in calorie and carbs. Just substitute the regular 3-ounce package of orange jello for the 0.3-ounce package of zero-sugar jello. All other ingredients and recipe directions remain unchanged.

How to make

Gather the ingredients, a heat-resistant bowl (you can serve the recipe right out of the bowl if not unmolding) and possibly a pretty jello mold that will fit 3-4 cups (or Bundt pan). Put some water to boil (you’ll need one cup). Let’s start!

Expert tips and FAQ

Quick setting jello

Here are a couple of tips to reduce the setting time:

• Keep the can of pineapple refrigerated overnight before using.
• Add ice to the pineapple and lemon juice to make one cup of liquid to mix into the dissolved jello (instead of cold water).

Easier directions

If you’d rather serve it in a casserole dish or straight from the mixing bowl instead of serving it as a unmolded salad, you can skip a step of the recipe preparation. Here’s the simplified version:

Mixing the carrots and pineapple separately after the gelatin is soft-set guarantees that all fruit and vegetable pieces are uniformly suspended inside the jello. If serving out of a dish (especially if not a transparent one) it’s okay to skip this part.

How to unmold a congealed salad

1. Carefully run a toothpick or the tip of a knife around the edges of the carrot jello mold, then gently pull it away from the edges with wet fingertips.
2. Fill a large bowl with warm water (not hot). Dip the mold into the warm water for 10 seconds, making sure the water reaches close to the rim of the mold without spilling into the jello.
3. Center a serving plate on top of the mold, holding them firmly together, and flip them over.
4. Gently shake or tap the mold to help release the gelatin, then lift it to remove the mold.

If the Sunshine Salad doesn’t come out on the first try, dip the mold again in warm water and repeat the operation.

Recipe variations

This recipe has been enjoyed in American cuisine for several decades. Many families have their own set of favorite ingredients, often times passed down on grandma’s handwritten recipe cards.

Here are some ideas to change it up the way you like it and make it into a really special treat for your own family:

• Change the jello flavor: This recipe is often made with lemon jello instead of orange. Pineapple and lime jello also work, but keep in mind that lime will make the Sunshine salad green. If doubling the recipe, you can use one box of each flavor.
• Use different fruit or veggies: Substitute the pineapple for mandarin segments; add 1/4 cup of chopped maraschino cherries for dessert or chopped celery if serving as a side-salad.
• Chopped nuts: Add about 1/3 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts or pistachios for a crunchy texture.
• Raisins: If you like raisins, you can add some as well – about 1/4 cup.
• Marshmallows: One cup of mini marshmallows mixed in makes this carrot and pineapple congealed salad extra-especial to be served as dessert.

Serving ideas

The sunshine salad can be enjoyed either as a dessert or a refreshing side-salad, so you can choose your toppings and garnishes accordingly.

Whipped cream: Top the gelatin salad with about one cup of whipped cream or Cool Whip, or about 1-2 tablespoons over each serving.

Bed of vegetables: Serve the slices over lettuce leaves, baby spinach, shredded white cabbage or thinly sliced red bell peppers.

Shredded cheese: If you like salty and sweet, you might enjoy this. Try about half a cup of grated sharp cheddar, either mixed in with the carrots and pineapple or sprinkled on top before serving.

Mayonnaise: Serve the sunshine salad topped with a simple sweetened mayo dressing, just whisk together 5 tablespoons of mayo, 3 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Storage

This recipe is best kept covered in the fridge for up to one week until it’s time for serving, but it will keep well for a few hours at room temperature on a buffet.

This carrot and pineapple salad is not freezer friendly. Like most gelatin-based dishes, freezing might cause the formation of ice crystals which compromises it’s delicate texture.

The original Sunshine salad

The Sunshine Jello became a staple in many American households and community gatherings during the mid-to-late 20th century.

The carrot gelatin salad recipe first appeared in a cookbook in the 1963 print of the Joys of Jell-O as Sunset Salad.

I slightly adapted the recipe from the original ingredients (which I listed below). I use less salt, and prefer orange gelatin than lemon.

I disagree with the use of pineapple juice straight from the can without measuring it. It’s not too much work to round up the cup with water to standardize the recipe for consistent results.

Here is the original ingredient list for the vintage Sunset salad from the Joys of Jell-O cookbook:

• 1 package (3 oz.) Jell-O Lemon or Orange-Pineapple Gelatin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 can (8 3/4 oz.) crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup coarsely grated carrots
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

This old-fashioned congealed salad also made an appearance in the American kitchen bible, the Joy of Cooking. A slightly different version by the name Golden Glow Gelatin Salad was published in the Sixth edition of Joy of Cooking in 1975.

Even nowadays, vegetable jello salads are in vogue. You can still find the Sunshine salad recipe in the Section M – Salads, Sub-section Jellied Salads of The Index Of Recipes of the Armed Forces Recipe Service!

The Army’s recipe for Golden Glow Salad of course makes a very large amount at 100 servings, and it’s beautifully served cut in squares over fresh lettuce leaves.

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