This nostalgic jello salad is made with only 4 ingredients: canned pears, lime jello, cream cheese and whipped topping. It’s the perfect sweet side dish or dessert for your next gathering.
Only here in the midwest would we combine canned fruit, jello, cream cheese and whipped topping and call it a “salad”. These kind of dishes are staples at anything from holidays to barbecues throughout the midwest and for good reason. They’re comforting, nostalgic and just plain delicious!
Quick Look at This Lime Jello Salad with Pears Recipe
- Ready In: About 2 hours, including chill time!
- Serves: 8-10
- Main Flavors: Sweet lime, juicy pears and creamy richness
- Equipment: Saucepan, mixing bowl, hand mixer, rubber spatula
- Great For: Potlucks, holidays, showers or an easy dessert
Ingredient Notes
How to Make Seafoam Salad
Prep the pears. Drain the canned pears, reserving 1 cup of the pear juice. Dice the pears into about ½-inch pieces and set them aside.
Beat the cream cheese. Add the softened cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
Make the lime jello mixture. Add the reserved pear juice to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lime jello until completely dissolved.
Combine the jello and cream cheese. Slowly pour about half of the hot jello mixture into the cream cheese while beating with the hand mixer. Once smooth, gradually add the remaining liquid and continue mixing until well combined. Don’t worry if you have a few small lumps of cream cheese remaining.
Let it partially set. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 45-50 minutes. You don’t want the jello to completely set at this point. It should be cool and thickened to about the consistency of pudding.
Fold everything together. Gently fold in the whipped topping and diced pears until evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Optional Add-Ins: Add 2 cups of multicolored or white mini marshmallows for a chewy addition and/or 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts for a little crunch.
Recipe Tips
- Soften the cream cheese. Room temperature cream cheese blends more smoothly with the hot jello mixture and helps prevent lumps.
- Drain the pears well. Extra liquid can make the salad runny.
- Let it partially set, but not completely. Chill the jello mixture until it reaches a pudding-like consistency. If it gets too firm, it will be difficult to smoothly fold in the whipped topping and pears.
- Fold, don’t beat. Gently fold in the whipped topping to keep the salad light and fluffy.
Serving Tips
Serve this lime jello salad cold, straight from the refrigerator. In true midwest jello salad fashion, it can pull double duty as a side dish or light dessert!
It’s especially great at holiday dinners, served with ham, Pot Roast and classic fixings like Cheesy Potatoes. It’s just as perfect at potlucks and family gatherings with favorites like Sloppy Joes or BBQ Chicken Sandwiches.
Love this recipe? Check out this Orange Cottage Cheese Jello Salad for another popular “salad” recipe on the blog!
Storage Tips
Store Lime Jello Salad with Pears covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Some liquid may separate as it sits, so give the salad a gentle stir before serving again.
Freezing is not recommended, as it can change the creamy texture of the salad once thawed.
Lime Jello Salad with Pears (Seafoam Salad)
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz. cans pear halves in 100% juice
- 3 oz. box lime jello
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 8 oz. frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip) thawed
Instructions
- Drain pears and reserve 1 cup of juice. Dice pears into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.2 15 oz. cans pear halves
- In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth.8 oz. cream cheese
- Pour the reserved pear juice into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lime jello until completely dissolved.3 oz. box lime jello
- Add about 1/2 of jello mixture to the cream cheese and beat with hand mixer until smooth. Slowly add the rest of the jello liquid while continuing to beat with hand mixer until fully combined. A few small cream cheese lumps are okay.
- Place bowl in the refrigerator and allow the mixture to slightly set, about 45-50 minutes. The mixture should be the consistency of pudding.
- Gently fold in the whipped topping and diced pears until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.8 oz. frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip)
Video
Notes
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