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This Pineapple Lime Jello Salad, also known as Moonglow Salad, is a nostalgic favorite made with lime Jello, crushed pineapple, cottage cheese, and pecans. It’s the perfect mix of sweet, tangy, and creamy, with just the right amount of crunch. This small batch version is easy to make and sized perfectly for one or two servings, making it a great addition to a meal or a light dessert.
This Pineapple Lime Jello Salad has always been a staple on our holiday table, and it might just become a favorite on yours too. We also love pairing it with dishes like Sweet Potato Casserole, Carrot Soufflé, and Citrus Glazed Carrots—each adding a festive touch to any meal. These recipes are perfect for creating a warm and inviting Thanksgiving meal for two.
Why You’ll Love This Jello Salad Recipe
- Versatile: Serve it as a side dish, a light dessert, or even a quick snack—it works for any occasion.
- Made with Simple Ingredients: Using just a handful of everyday items, it’s easy to pull together anytime.
- A Nostalgic Favorite: The sweet, tangy flavors bring back memories of family gatherings and holiday meals.
- Easy to Make: This recipe comes together quickly with just a few simple steps, making it a hassle-free addition to any meal.
- Customizable: Adjust it to your taste by swapping or adding ingredients like different nuts or Jello flavors.
Pineapple Lime Jello Salad, also known as Moonglow Salad, may sound a bit unusual if you haven’t tried it before, but it’s a classic with plenty of fans! It’s a sweet and tangy dessert salad made with lime Jello for a flavorful base, crushed pineapple for fruity sweetness, and cottage cheese for a creamy texture. Chopped nuts add the perfect touch of crunch to finish it off.
Take a look at our other Single Serving Salad ideas!
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch lime jello salad recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Lime Jello: I use one 0.3-ounce (8.5 grams) package of sugar-free lime Jello. Lime is the traditional choice, but you can switch it up with other flavors like lemon or orange for a different twist.
- Crushed Pineapple: Half of a 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple works perfectly. Since my local stores often carry 8-ounce or 20-ounce cans, I usually grab the larger size and save the rest for other recipes. Leftover pineapple is great in our moist Mini Hummingbird Cake, a light and sweet Ambrosia, or a Tropical Smoothie. If you find 8-ounce cans, you’ll need two for this recipe.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise adds the creamy texture that makes this salad so unique. For a lighter option, you can substitute with Greek yogurt or plain low-fat yogurt.
- Chopped Nuts: I love using chopped pecans for their crunch, but walnuts are a great alternative. If you prefer to skip the nuts, feel free to leave them out entirely.
- Cottage Cheese: Small curd cottage cheese is my top choice for this recipe—it blends in beautifully with the other ingredients.
How To Make Jello Salad
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this pineapple lime jello salad. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Prepare the Pineapple Juice: Drain the juice from 10 ounces of canned crushed pineapple into a measuring cup that holds at least 1 cup. Add enough hot water to the juice to make 1 cup of liquid in total.
- Mix the Base: In a medium bowl, combine the drained pineapple, cottage cheese, and mayonnaise. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until needed.
- Dissolve the Jello: In another bowl, mix the Jello packet with the pineapple juice and hot water mixture. Stir until the Jello is fully dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until it starts to thicken and gel slightly.
- Whip the Jello: Remove the partially set Jello from the refrigerator and whip it with a whisk or mixer until frothy, about 5 minutes.
- Combine the Mixtures: Gently stir the whipped Jello into the pineapple and cottage cheese mixture until well combined.
- Add Nuts: Fold in the chopped nuts until evenly distributed.
- Chill: Transfer the mixture to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours, or until it firms up.
Expert Tips
- Make sure the Jello is fully dissolved in the hot water for a smooth, lump-free texture.
- Whip the Jello when it’s slightly thickened but not fully set—an electric mixer works best for this step.
- Use chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch, or leave the nuts out if you prefer.
- Chill the salad completely before serving to allow the flavors to come together.
Serving Suggestions
This lime Jello with crushed pineapple is a great addition to Thanksgiving or Christmas meals, whether served as a side or dessert. Its cool, tangy flavors balance out the richness of holiday dishes, adding a refreshing and sweet touch. It’s also a perfect light snack on warmer days or a unique side for grilled dishes at a barbecue, making it a versatile option for any occasion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This salad is best made a day in advance to give the flavors time to meld. Just store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
It can be both! The sweet and tangy flavors make it a wonderful light dessert, but it also works as a unique side dish for holiday meals or barbecues.
Yes. Just double the ingredient amounts and use a larger bowl to hold the salad.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this Pineapple Lime Jello Salad recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Pineapple Lime Jello Salad
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces canned crushed pineapple (half of a 20-ounce can)
- 12 ounces small curd cottage cheese
- 1 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
- 1 (0.3-ounce) packet sugar-free lime jello (8.5 grams)
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Prepare the Pineapple Juice: Drain the juice from 10 ounces of canned crushed pineapple into a measuring cup that holds at least 1 cup. Add enough hot water to the juice to make 1 cup of liquid in total.
- Mix the Base: In a medium bowl, combine the drained pineapple, cottage cheese, and mayonnaise. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until needed.
- Dissolve the Jello: In another bowl, mix the Jello packet with the pineapple juice and hot water mixture. Stir until the Jello is fully dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until it starts to thicken and gel slightly.
- Whip the Jello: Remove the partially set Jello from the refrigerator and whip it with a whisk or mixer until frothy, about 5 minutes.
- Combine the Mixtures: Gently stir the whipped Jello into the pineapple and cottage cheese mixture until well combined.
- Add Nuts: Fold in the chopped nuts until evenly distributed.
- Chill: Transfer the mixture to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours, or until it firms up.
Notes
- Make sure the Jello is fully dissolved in the hot water for a smooth, lump-free texture.
- Whip the Jello when it’s slightly thickened but not fully set—an electric mixer works best for this step.
- Use chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch, or leave the nuts out if you prefer.
- Chill the salad completely before serving to allow the flavors to come together.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
My Mom use to make with lemon jello when we were way younger
I do not like cottage cheese is there an alternative I could use.
I’ve never made this jello salad without cottage cheese so I can’t recommend a good substitute. I actually don’t like cottage cheese either but cannot taste it in this recipe. Cottage cheese provides the texture this jello salad needs.
What other flavors could be used?? I don’t like lime . Maybe lemon or raspberry…need expert be opinion. I have made so many of your receipts and have not been disappointed. Thanks for your ideas
Hi Carolyn, other readers have used lemon jello and loved it. I haven’t tried making jello salad with any other type of jello but lime but I would imagine many other flavors would be just as delicious.
I have a question about the amount of Jello to use. The jello itself comes in 3oz (85g) packages and prepares 4 servings, ½ cup each. Are we really supposed to use a tenth of the small jello package? I appreciate any clarifications. This is the only recipe I’ve gotten confused with. Thank you for publishing the recipes. They have changed my life.
I’m so glad our recipes are helpful. For this recipe, use one 0.3-ounce (8.5 grams) package of sugar-free lime jello. You can take a look at the package we use in the ingredient photo on the recipe post. I don’t think the non-sugar free version comes in a packet this small.
I just made this recipe using the same jello! I followed the instructions on the box according to how many servings it made and used half the packet. It worked great! I also added marshmallows to it which made it really good as well.
*****Love this recipe but never made it with mayo. I use extra creamy Cool Whip instead. It’s so easy and quick to make. Thank you for all your recipes!! I always look forward to them.