Retro 7Up Jello Salad

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This Retro 7Up Jello Salad makes its appearance often during family potlucks and holiday dinners. Lime Jello, 7UP soda, along with mayo, cream cheese, marshmallows, whipped topping, marshmallows, cherries, pineapple, and pecans create a unique classic creamy salad. Make it in a mold, bundt pan, or 9×13 dish.

7UP Jello Mold on a plate.

Retro 7Up Jello Salad

Classic recipes are always great for the holidays. I always make my Waldorf Salad recipe along with a Watergate Salad for our family gatherings. But this Creamy Lime Jello Salad is a classic that is great for Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any family potluck because it is so old-school. Jello molds were so popular years ago and are unique.

Lime Jello Mold on a plate.

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During the Christmas holiday, I was browsing the internet for Jello molds and I came across this recipe for 7Up Jello Salad. As soon as my eyes spotted this recipe, I knew it was a must try because of its uniqueness. After attempting the recipe and having two failures, I decided it was time to make it in a way that was easier and would allow for the gelatin to set correctly. The third time was a real charm.

Slice of Retro Lime Jello Salad on a plate.

Since I made the salad with not only 7UP soda but also the lime Jello, it is quite refreshing. The cream cheese and the mayonnaise give the recipe just a hint of tang and creaminess. It is full of flavor with some sweetness from the pineapples and cherries so it is kid friendly too. I think it works for a great side dish or light dessert.

Spoon full of 7Up Jello Salad.

7UP Jello Salad is sure to be the star of any get-together. Trust me when I say everyone will be commenting and requests for the recipe will be in abundance. Go ahead and make it in a bundt pan for a real statement, in a 9×13 baking dish, or a Jello Mold if you happen to have one. The bundt pan worked great and my results were perfect.

Lime 7UP Salad on a plate with text.

Ingredients To Make 7UP Lime Jello Salad

  • 7UP
  • Lime Jello
  • Cream Cheese
  • Mayonnaise
  • Whipped Topping
  • Crushed Pineapple
  • Maraschino Cherries
  • Marshmallows
  • Crushed Pecans (optional)

Ingredients to make Creamy Lime Jello Salad mold.

How to Make Retro Lime Jello Mold

First, make sure you have allowed the cream cheese to soften, that step is most important.  Add the cream cheese to a large bowl and beat with a hand or stand mixer until creamy. Then beat in the mayonnaise until combined.

Beating cream cheese for Jello Salad.

Next, add the Jello to the boiling water. Whisk completely until all of the Jello has dissolved.

Making Lime Jello for Creamy Jello Salad.

Add the dissolved Jello to the creamy mixture, beat until combined. Heavily beat during this step. Have your mixture as creamy as possible with no large white lumps is also important.

Adding lime Jello to cream cheese mixture.

Pour in the 7UP and continue to beat until thoroughly mixed.

Adding 7UP to lime Jello salad.

Then place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove and give the mixture a good stir. Return to refrigerate for another 30 minutes. Stir again.

Sliced cherries on a paper towel.

Drain the cherries. Then cut in half. Let them dry on a paper towel, pat them often. Drain the crushed pineapple well and place on a paper towel. Squeeze as much of the juice/syrup as possible.

Crushed pineapple on a paper towel.

Add whipped topping to creamy Jello mixture. Mixing until all is combined well.

Adding whipped topping to Retro 7UP Jello salad.

Then we fold in the cherries, pineapple, marshmallows, and crushed pecans.

Adding ingredients to bowl with Creamy Lime Jello Salad.

Lastly, we heavily grease the bundt pan, Jello mold, or baking dish. Be sure to heavily coat. Then pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. When ready to release the salad from the bundt pan or mold, use a knife to release the edges and the inner ring. Add a plate to top and tip. The salad should release very easily. Give it a couple of light taps if it should not release right away.

Cutting the edges of Jello Salad in mold.

Lime Jello Salad mold on plate.

Why is there Mayonnaise in this 7UP Lime Jello Mold?

The mayo will add a bit of creaminess and helps with the texture. Do not be alarmed because the salad will not have a mayonnaise flavor.

Can I use Fruit Cocktail or other canned fruit for this Retro 7Up Salad?

Sure you can! I have seen this recipe made with all sorts of different fruits. My first tip, if you should use canned fruit other than crushed pineapple, would be to drain and pat all of the fruit as dry as possible. If you should omit this step, your Jello Salad will not set correctly.

Can I substitute other flavors of Jello?

Sure! Go ahead and try a cherry, strawberry, lemon, or any other flavor of Jello that you prefer. Most any fruit will pair well with the many available flavors of Jello.

What pan will work best for Lime Jello Salad?

I have only tried using a basic 10-inch bundt pan for this Classic Jello Salad. Avoid using any bundt pan with any fancy detailing. I was sure to heavily grease my pan because I wanted the mold to release easily. If you do not have a bundt pan, I am sure you could use a Jello Mold or a 9X13 pan.

Can I make Retro 7UP Jello Salad ahead of time?

Yes, you will want to prepare your Jello mold about a day in advance because you will need to allow time for the gelatin mixtures to set correctly. The salad can last for about five days when refrigerated.

Looking for other creamy salad recipes? Here are some others to consider:

4.67 from 3 votes

7 Up Jello Salad

This Retro 7Up Jello Salad makes its appearance often during family potlucks and holiday dinners. Lime Jello, 7UP soda and a few other ingredients create a unique classic creamy salad.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 minute
Chill Time: 7 hours
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients 

  • 7 oz 7-Up Soda
  • 6 oz softened Cream Cheese
  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 box, 3 oz Lime Jello
  • 1 1/2 cup boiling Water
  • 1 small jar Marischino Cherries
  • 20 oz Crushed Pineapple
  • 8 oz Cool Whipped
  • 1 cup Mini Marshmallows
  • 1 cup crushed Peacans, optional

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
  • Add mayonnaise and beat until well combined. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, combine Jello and boiling water and whisk until dissolved. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
  • Add Jello to cream cheese mixture and beat until THOROUGHLY combined (about 3 minutes).
  • Add 7-Up and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Place bowl in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  • Stir mixture and Return to refrigerator for another 30-40 minutes.
  • Drain cherries, slice in half anp place on paper towel to dry.
  • Drain pineapple well. Place in paper towel squeeze out any excess moisture.
  • Fold Cool Whip into Jello until completely combined.
  • Add cherries, pineapple, marshmallows and pecans. Stir until well mixed.
  • Heavily grease bundt pan or 9x13" dish.
  • Pour mixture into prepared dish and refrigerate for at least 6-7 hours.
  • Use butter knife to release edges and inner ring before inverting to plate.
  • Refrigerate until serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 34mg, Sodium: 190mg, Potassium: 204mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 387IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 1mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Retro 7Up Jello Salad long collagewith text.

Creamy Jello Salad mold on plate collage.

text on image Jello salad

About Jen Lunsford

A lover of food and frugal living. A wife to a wonderful hubby, momma to 5 fun kiddos. Welcome to my blog. You will find REAL TASTY RECIPES. Be sure to subscribe to my email list and follow me on social media, to never miss a recipe.

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4.67 from 3 votes

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21 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Did you reduce water amount to mold this salad? It looks delicious. I have made similar
    salads and I plan to make this for Thanksgiving dinner. I grew up in the South and congealed salads were one of the major food groups.

  2. I would love to do this with a pistachio jello would it work with that? Almost like a Pistachio Ambrosia. If not I’m definitely trying your recipe it looks so delicious. TY

  3. My Aunt Barbara used o make this salad, and we all loved it. Unfortunately, as happens, my Aunt passed and the recipe was lost. My sister, cousin, and I were always asking each other if it had been found. You can imagine my joy when I came across this recipe! We were so thrilled! Thank you!!

  4. Mom used to make this all the time for holidays, with one difference – she froze it!

    I always loved it as a kid, and will be trying this soon. Thanks!

  5. I have tried this recipe. I followed the directions from this lady called “emmymadeinjapan” on YouTube and a blog post she provided a link to – a site called amotherthing.com. The recipe is the same, sans pecans, but the preparation directions were more simplistic (no electric beater involved). It came out very well, but I feel like it may turn out even better prepared the way this recipe suggests. I will try it this way for sure

  6. Yummy. I really don’t understand people that make such a big deal about the number of servings. It clearly says it makes a 9 X 13 so you can divide it the way you want. The only reason the servings would matter is the calories per serving were given. For the same reason it bothers me when someone shares a great recipe and someone complains that it doesn’t have the calorie content. You can easily figure it yourself by using the total number of ingredients in each ingredient, adding those up and dividing it by the number you want it to serve. I guess I think people have already gone to the trouble to post a good recipe and then people want to complain. Also if you figure the calorie content yourself you can change the ingredients to lower calorie ingredients or sugar free for a diabetic..

    1. 4 stars
      I agree. Be thankful for a great recipe and do the math yourself. Changing ingredients changes calorie and fat and sugar counts. I am going to try this recipe this week. Thank you.
      Only four stars because I haven’t tried it yet and changing to make WW friendly.

  7. This looks incredible, Jen! I’m excited and intrigued by the ingredients! I can’t wait to try this! Thank you bunches for linking up and sharing with us this week! xoxo

  8. Looks yummy! My grandmother use to make this type of mold and because of this memory, I always enjoy a spoon of mayo with my jello, pineapple or fruit cocktail. My hubby always teases me when he sees me with this concoction.

  9. As I’ve asked you several times before, please, please, start including number of servings for
    each of your recipes. Thank you.

    1. This is kind of silly because serving sizes are very subjective. If I’m feeding my teenage boys, this bundt pan of jello would probably be six servings, but if I’m cutting it for a dainty tea party, it’s probably twelve. It would really depend on how big you’d like to slice it.

    1. Hi Shirley! I heavily greased with shortening (Crisco). It did not affect the flavor and allowed the mold to release so easily. Hope that helps.

    2. In the 70’s I had a 7 up salad. Looking for it. It was layered. bottom was lime jello, top layer was like a cream cheese. This was delicious. But i I can’t find the recipe. Not sure what was in it. But no fruit. Any ideas. Will try this too.