7 Up Salad

Old-fashioned lime 7 Up Salad recipe with pineapple and Cool Whip. A favorite in the Midwest and perfect for summer get-togethers.

7-Up Jello Salad

Growing up in the Midwest, 7 Up Salad was a staple at holiday meals, church picnics, fish fries, and neighborhood and family gatherings.

Ingredients for 7 Up Salad

• Boiling water-Actual boiling water is essential to dissolve Jello powder. Not almost boiling. Boiling.
• Lime-flavored Jello provides the refreshing flavor that is the base of this salad and makes it the fun green color.
• Cream cheese contributes texture and creaminess to the salad.
• 7 Up or other lemon-lime soda helps increase the lime flavor profile.
• Whipped topping such as Cool Whip or Dream Whip gives the fluffiness.
• Crushed pineapple brings texture and another layer of flavor. Do NOT use fresh pineapple.
• Cottage Cheese, Optional--Add a cup of cottage cheese for a more old-fashioned flavor. This seemingly weird ingredient gives a great texture.

Step-by-Step Instructions for 7 Up Salad

1. Heat the water to boiling in the microwave or over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Once the water is boiling, place it in a large mixing bowl.
2. Dissolve the Jello powder in the boiling water. Stir until dissolved which will take about 2 minutes. Don't skimp on the stirring, even if your arm gets tired.
3. If any lumps or flecks remain, keep stirring until all of the Jello has dissolved.
4. Using a hand mixer, mix the softened cream cheese with the hot jello mixture.
5. Add the 7 Up and stir.
6. Chill the gelatin mixture in the refrigerator for 60-90 minutes or until partially set up.
7. Drain the pineapple and squeeze out all of the juice using a fine mesh strainer.
8. Stir the drained pineapple into the chilled 7-Up Jello.
9. Gently fold in the whipped topping using a rubber scraper. Be careful to keep the Cool Whip or whipped cream as fluffy as possible by bringing the Jello salad from the bottom and folding it over the top.
10. Transfer to a jello mold or baking dish, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and place the Jello Salad back in the fridge. Chill it until firm, which will take at least 3 hours. If you have time for extra chilling, overnight works well.

After it's fully chilled, transfer to fun, individual serving dishes at this time, if desired.

Pro Tips

• The water must be boiling (not just hot when you add the Jello) to ensure the sugar and gelatin dissolve.
• Stirring the gelatin into the boiling water until completely dissolved is essential when making Jello, of any type. If you can still see little granules of Jello powder floating in the hot water, keep stirring.
• Make sure your cream cheese is really soft before adding it to your Jello mixture. Mixing cream cheese into liquids is not easy, but having it really soft helps.
• Using the hand mixer, do your best to get the cream cheese mixed in the Jello liquid. Some small chunks of cream cheese may remain—don’t worry!
• The finished 7 Up salad will have some texture to it. Some cream cheese bits won’t be a problem here at all.
• Draining pineapple, I find it easiest to use a fine mesh strainer for draining the juice from the crushed pineapple. Drain it over a bowl though to save the liquid gold. I provide some suggestions for uses below.
• For a quicker draining approach, sometimes I just use the lid of the can to squish the juice out. Just be sure to squeeze the pineapple enough to make it pretty dry.

FAQ

Sugar-Free 7-Up Salad

Use the sugar-free Jello flavors, diet soda pop, and sugar-free whipped topping if you want to reduce calories and carbohydrates. No other modifications to the recipe are needed to have a sugar-free creamy jello salad.

Use Pineapple Juice in Meat Marinades

Pineapple juice has an enzyme called bromelain that softens muscle fiber.

This enzyme reacts with the protein in meat such as chicken, beef or pork, to break it down and increases the meat's potential to absorb more moisture.

This is the reason why pineapple is one of the most preferred tenderizers. So, add your pineapple juice to your next meat marinade.

Plus, the added benefit of the slight sweetness it brings will have you singing.

What Can I Do with Leftover Pineapple Juice?

Save the pineapple juice! This is liquid gold. Pineapple juice comes in handy for all kinds of uses.

Use leftover pineapple juice in a smoothie, for a meat marinade, freeze it in ice cube trays, dip fruits to keep them from turning brown (bananas, apples, etc), add it to your mixed drinks, and …

The uses are endless. If you don't need it right now, pour the juice into ice cube trays or a flexible plastic bowl.

Then when it's completely frozen, pop it out of the bowl place it in a zip-top freezer bag, and label the bag for longer storage.

Serving Ideas for 7 Up Salad

Kids and adults love to feel special. Make this Jell-o Salad feel special by topping it with maraschino cherries after pouring the mixture into:

• Jello Molds: there are all kinds of fun designs of molds that make Jello salads even prettier. I enjoy searching my local thrift stores to find retro molds to try.
• Wine Glasses or Champagne Flutes: 7 Up Salad naturally creates layers that will be visible if you use a clear wine or champagne flute.
• Jelly or Pint Canning Jars: Fill the jars, place them on a tray, and put them in the fridge until serving. You could even cute this presentation up by tying ribbons that match your theme around the jar rim.
• Ramekins/Small Bowls: Perfect for individual serving! And... for holding me accountable for the volume of 7 Up Salad I've consumed.
• Lunch Box Containers: Pour the mixture into small, lidded containers to pack in your lunch. They are cheaper and healthier than those little cups you sometimes buy at the store. Plus, no container to throw in the trash!

Related Recipes

Applesauce Jello is a classic recipe that is a favorite of kids. With just a little cherry jello and some applesauce, it's also a sneaky way to get a fruit serving in their bellies.

Red Hot Applesauce Jello is another holiday dinner staple that is easy to put together.

Or try one of these other recipe treasures.

Did You Try this Recipe?

Lastly, if you made 7 Up Salad following this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!

I love hearing from you! I'll do my best to respond to each comment.

And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag me on Instagram! Seeing your photos is my favorite thing!

Food Safety

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands before cooking
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended