This delicious Lemon Lime Jello Salad is a family-favorite recipe made with cottage cheese and pineapple! It’s requested ALL the time by friends and family and is SUPER easy! Make it a meal with this amazing chicken marinade and my famous dinner rolls!
Lemon Lime Jello Salad
I think every family has a version of this recipe for Lemon Lime Jello Salad. I’ve seeing so many awesome variations out there with or without nuts, with or without pineapple, with or without cottage cheese…and the list goes on and on!
I’m honestly not sure how to classify this recipe. We frequently serve this salad right along with the main meal but have used it as a dessert on many occasions as well. This particular recipe is referred to as Dad’s Green Jello in our family because, well, it’s my dad’s favorite! My Nana, his mom, used to make this for him all the time and that particular duty, and pleasure, has now passed on to us.
Our family treasures recipes like this that have been passed on – particularly from our Nana! These recipes are really some of my greatest memories wrapped in a tasty little package. It’s pretty amazing that those memories are just a recipe away at all times.
I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love this salad! I particularly love leftovers for breakfast the following day 🙂  Sooo good! It’s so sweet and creamy and it’s perfect for summer time.
There is a trick to this recipe and that is using an additional packet of unflavored gelatin along with the lemon and lime jello to really get it to set up nicely. Nothing worse than a jello salad that hasn’t set up properly.
At first glance, this salad appears pretty non-assuming other than that pretty green color. (Note to self – Â remember to make this for the boys and refer to this as Hulk’s Jello Salad – they’d love that!)
The ingredients list is something else entirely…
What’s In Jello Salad
- Lime Jello
- Lemon Jello
- Unflavored gelatin
- Cottage cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Crushed pineapple
Hmm…it can take a minute to digest that information if you’re not used to these types of salads – but trust me! It’s amazing how those flavors and ingredients combine together to create this amazing dish!
I would love for you to try this recipe with your family and I hope you’ll love it as much as we do!
Here are some more family favorites to try!
- Coconut Cream Pie
- To Die For Carrot Cake
- Best Ever Broccoli Salad
- The BEST Ambrosia Salad
- The Best Watergate Salad
How To Make Jello Salad
Lemon-Lime Jello Salad a.k.a. Dad’s Green Jello
Ingredients
- 3 oz lemon JELLO
- 3 oz lime JELLO
- .25 oz unflavored gelatin
- 2 cups hot water
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup crushed pineapple not completely drained
- 1 pint cottage cheese
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- lemon and lime zest for topping optional
Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Dissolve both boxes of JELLO and unflavored gelatin in hot water in baking dish.
- Stir in sweetened condensed milk, pineapple, cottage, cheese and mayonnaise until thoroughly combined.
- Chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
- Sprinkle on lemon and lime zest if desired.
- Cut into squares and serve cold.
Video
Nutrition
Originally published June 19, 2014, updated March 30, 2019.
More family favorites:
Blackberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars
For all bars recipes, go HERE.
For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
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Bricia says
I made this lemon lime Jello salad recipe for a family party. They loved it
Connie says
Don’t care for cottage cheese. Any substitutions?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Maybe ricotta? I’ve never tried it in this recipe but that’s the closest ingredient I can think of.
Jan says
I skip cottage cheese; use cream cheese, chopped celery, SF Key Lime Pie yogurt, SF lemon and lime Jello and chopped pecans.
Pat says
Love this recipe but I never add condensed milk. I also add pecans or walnuts for extra fiber. Lemon lime is my favorite but also black cherry.
Kelly Isaacs says
Trish, Our family has a recipe similar to this. Ours has plain evaporated milk and also adds pecans and maraschino cherries. It has been a staple since we can remember, but we don’t know the origin. My grandmother called it Ohio green salad, but she was from Texas. We have been trying to figure out where this recipe came from and wondered if you had any insight to this salad’s origins. Thanks for any insight you might have!
Kelly
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I honestly don’t. My Nana probably would have if she was still with us since this recipe came from her. I love the addition of the maraschino cherries though – so fun for Christmas!
RO says
It says to spray the pan but doesn’t say with what specifically. Kindly clarify.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Just non-stick cooking spray – thank you!
Rebecca says
My grandmother use to make a version of this she called it sea foam salad, she used evaporated milk instead of sweet condensed milk and she never added the unflavored gelatin. Thank you for bringing back a great memory from my grandmother.
Rosanne Hodgens says
Tried this recipe and it was good. I had trouble getting the mayonnaise to dissolve properly, and the sweetened condensed milk made a layer ottom of the salad? Any suggestions? Thanks.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I think you maybe waited too long to add the other ingredients. And use a whisk to really incorporate all ingredients well.
Georgianne Barnett says
Well…I just realized I read your recipe wrong. I made this yesterday. The unflavored gelatin…I read it as 1.25 oz instead of 1 x 0.25 oz. So the finished product looked pretty but tasted like rubber!! A disaster. I guess it was a blessing in disguise that I didn’t feel well and could not attend the party! ?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh no! I bet it was *really* firm lol!
Pamela says
I’ve made this jello for over 50 years. My mom’s aunt gave me the recipe when I was in high school. I always made it for the holidays to take to my moms house. When my nephews were young they always used to ask me if I was bringing that green junk. LOL.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
LOL! It’s a classic for sure!
Andrea says
What an amazing retro salad recipe. Brings back fond childhood memories. Thanks for posting
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks for stopping by!