Orange Fluff Salad

Orange Fluff Salad is a classic treat with orange Jell-O, vanilla pudding, whipped cream, mandarin oranges, and mini marshmallows.

Orange Fluff Salad

This is a recipe my mom made often when I was growing up. We all loved this “salad” so much that she made it for nearly every holiday. Today, my salads are usually filled with quinoa, farro, or kale, but fluff salads still hold a special place in my heart! I can’t have a holiday meal without at least one on the table!

It’s more dessert than salad, but as a native Utahn, we pile it on our dinner plates next to the green beans and mashed potatoes! Why are Utahns so obsessed with Jell-O? Try this recipe and see!

Orange Fluff  Salad Ingredients

This recipe needs only five ingredients (plus some water) — it’s hard to beat that! I like this Orange Fluff Salad best with instant pudding — no cottage cheese in this recipe!

1. Vanilla pudding mix: Use Jell-O® brand and get the smaller (3.4 ounces) box, not the 5.6-ounce one. Use the regular vanilla instant pudding mix, not sugar-free or cook-and-serve.
2. Orange Jell-O mix: Use the smaller (3-ounce) package and skip sugar-free boxes.
3. Frozen whipped topping: Make sure it’s fully thawed before using. If it’s still frozen, it won’t mix well. Want to make your own whipped topping? Check out the section below!
4. Mandarin oranges: Use “no sugar added” canned oranges. The salad is sweet enough without extra sugar.
5. Mini marshmallows: Choose the freshest, softest marshmallows for the best texture.

Homemade Whipped Topping

How To Make Orange Fluff Salad

Orange Fluff Salad Tips

• Dissolve the Jell-O completely: When adding boiling and cold water to the Jell-O, whisk until it’s fully dissolved. If not, you might get gummy Jell-O at the bottom.
• Drain the oranges well: To avoid a watery salad, make sure the oranges are well-drained before mixing them in.
• Mix gently: To keep the salad fluffy, gently fold ingredients together with a spatula instead of stirring vigorously.
• Marshmallows: Use very soft and fresh marshmallows for the best salad texture.

Variations

• Cheesecake version: Use cheesecake pudding mix instead of vanilla.
• White chocolate version: Try white chocolate pudding instead of vanilla.
• As a dip: Leave out the marshmallows and serve this salad as a dip! Try dipping with vanilla sandwich cookies, graham crackers, or vanilla wafers.
• With coconut: Mix in 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut along with the marshmallows.

More Seasonal Side Dishes

• Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with an orange dressing
• Cornbread Dressing with fresh herbs
• Green Bean Casserole with a homemade cheese sauce
• Wild Rice and Sweet Potato Salad with a lemon dressing
• Corn Casserole made from scratch!

SaveSaved Pin Print

5 from 7 votes

Orange Fluff Salad

By Chelsea Lords

Orange Fluff Salad mixes orange Jell-O, creamy vanilla pudding, whipped cream, juicy mandarin oranges, and fluffy marshmallows for a sweet, nostalgic treat!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings, as a side

Equipment

• Large bowl

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 (3-ounce) package orange Jell-O mix see note 1
• ▢ 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups water divided
• ▢ 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed, see note 2
• ▢ 15 ounces mandarin oranges well drained
• ▢ 2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions 

• Place the dry orange Jell-O mix in a large bowl. Pour in 1 cup boiling water and whisk briskly until fully dissolved. Add 1/2 cup cold water and stir. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure no Jell-O granules are left. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, remove Jell-O from the fridge. Add vanilla pudding mix and whisk together until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, remove the mixture from the fridge. Gently fold in the marshmallows and thawed whipped topping using a spatula. Add the well-drained oranges and fold gently until fully incorporated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until chilled and thickened, about 20–30 minutes.
• Enjoy right out of the fridge and promptly return leftovers to the fridge. Best enjoyed the same day it’s made.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: For the pudding mix, use the smaller (3.4-oz.) box, not the 5.6-oz. package. Use regular vanilla instant pudding mix, not sugar-free or cook-and-serve types. For Jell-O, use the smaller (3-oz.) package and avoid sugar-free versions.

Note 2: Be sure the frozen whipped topping is fully thawed before making this salad. If it is still partly frozen, it won’t incorporate with other ingredients well. Here’s how to make your own whipped topping:

• Whip 1 cup heavy cream with 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat to combine, then increase the speed and whip until firm peaks form, about 2–4 minutes. With a spatula, fold the topping into the pudding and Jell-o mixture. 

Orange Fluff Salad With Cottage Cheese: Mix 8 ounces thawed whipped cream with 3 ounces dry orange Jell-O mix until combined. Add 16 ounces of 4% cottage cheese, mandarin oranges, and 1 cup of marshmallows (or skip the marshmallows if you prefer). Enjoy immediately or chill before serving.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. I don’t recommend freezing it because of the dairy. It gets watery and loses texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 383IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!