Raspberry Jello Salad Recipe: A Sweet Holiday or Potluck Side

This raspberry jello salad is a favorite dish of my friend Tracy’s family, and we love it too! It’s really more of a raspberry applesauce dish than a traditional jello salad. While there are two packets of flavored gelatin in this recipe, the other two ingredients are unsweetened applesauce and raspberries, so there is a lot of fiber and vitamin C!

This jello salad makes a great holiday side. It’s tartness mimics cranberry sauce, making it a great alternative to serve with the Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham. It is also a comforting food to serve to children when they’re feeling under the weather.

Consider making this your children’s contribution to your next family gathering, as Raspberry Jello Salad is a great make-ahead Kids Can Cook recipe. Younger children will need help stirring the boiling applesauce because it can bubble and spit while cooking, but pouring in the gelatin and raspberries is a simple task for anyone. Decorating the finished product with fresh raspberries is also a fun job.

Special Diet Notes: Raspberry Jello Salad

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / n0n-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and top food allergy friendly.

For a vegan and vegetarian option, I recommend using a vegan jello alternative, like Raspberry Jel Dessert.

Raspberry Jello Salad

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

We enjoy this sweet salad as a side over the holidays. Please note that the prep time does not include refrigeration. This dish is best made a day ahead.

Author: Sarah Hatfield

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

Approximately 35 ounces unsweetened applesauce*
2 small (3-ounce) or 1 large (6-ounce) box raspberry Jell-o
16 to 20 ounces unsweetened frozen raspberries
Fresh raspberries, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Set the raspberries out to thaw a bit while you heat the applesauce.
Put the applesauce in a medium saucepan and heat it over medium heat until it starts to boil.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in the Jello until completely mixed.
Stir in the partially thawed raspberries.
Pour the mixture into a 9×9-inch baking dish or a Jello mold. (I used a 2.8 liter casserole dish in the photos.)
Refrigerate until set, for several hours or preferably overnight.
Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.

Notes

* I purchase a large container of applesauce (46 to 50 ounces) and measure out the correct amount.