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I come by my love of Jello salads honestly. My mother has always been a fan, and so was my grandmother, whom we all called Nana. Some of my happiest food memories are of Nana serving colorful gelatin salads made with different combinations of fruit, vegetables, and Jell-O.
Holiday meals just wouldn’t feel complete without one on the table. Even now, I still enjoy a simple Jello salad now and then—not just at holidays, but sometimes for an easy breakfast or light lunch with a scoop of cottage cheese or plain yogurt.
So you can imagine my excitement when I came across this Pineapple Carrot Jello Salad while paging through my well-loved 1978 Betty Crocker’s Cookbook. I was instantly transported back to Nana’s kitchen.
Sometimes called Sunshine Salad, this old-fashioned favorite combines lemon gelatin, crushed pineapple, and shredded carrots into a bright, refreshing salad that’s been appearing on family tables for generations. It’s incredibly easy to make, too. If you can boil water and stir a bowl, you can make this recipe.
Nana almost always served her gelatin salads straight from a bowl with a big spoon instead of unmolding them onto a platter. It wasn’t quite as fancy, but it tasted every bit as good. That’s still how I usually serve this one today.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Notes
- How to Make Easy Pineapple Carrot (Sunshine) Jello Salad
- Recipe Tips
- Easy Variations
- How to Unmold Jello Successfully
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage
- How Many Calories and WW Points in this Old-Fashioned Pineapple Carrot Jello Salad?
- Sugar-Free Sunshine Jello Salad Recipe
- More Jello Salads and Desserts for Weight Watchers
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A nostalgic family favorite
- Just a handful of pantry ingredients
- Easy enough for beginning cooks
- Perfect for holidays, potlucks, and family dinners
- Can be made in a bowl, mold, or individual cups
Ingredients & Notes
- Boiling water – Dissolves the gelatin.
- Lemon gelatin – I usually use sugar-free when I want to keep the calories and WW Points lower, but regular lemon gelatin works just as well.
- Cold water – Helps cool the mixture so it sets properly.
- Crushed pineapple in juice – Use canned pineapple with its juice. Don’t drain it.
- Grated carrots – Add color, texture, and just a hint of sweetness.
- Salt – Just a pinch brightens the flavors.
How to Make Easy Pineapple Carrot (Sunshine) Jello Salad
Step 1: Gather and prep your ingredients.
Step 2: Place gelatin in a bowl. Pour boiling hot water over it and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Stir in the cold water, pineapple with juice, grated carrots and salt.
Step 3: Refrigerate until the jello mixture is slightly thickened (1-2 hours). Stir to evenly distribute the carrots and pineapple. If desired, pour mixture into a 3 to 4-cup bowl or ring mold or 6 individual molds. Refrigerate until firm.
Step 4: Un mold onto a serving dish or simply scoop from a bowl with a spoon.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t use fresh pineapple. Fresh pineapple contains enzymes that prevent gelatin from setting properly.
- If you can only find a large can of crushed pineapple, simply measure out the amount you need and save the rest for another recipe.
- I stir the carrots and pineapple into the gelatin right away instead of waiting for it to partially set. It’s one less step, and I’ve never noticed any difference in the finished salad.
- This recipe works beautifully in a mold, individual dishes, an 8-inch square pan, or simply served from a bowl like Nana always did.
Easy Variations
- Substitute orange gelatin and add drained mandarin oranges for a different flavor.
- Use pineapple tidbits or chopped pineapple if crushed pineapple isn’t available.
- Add a dollop of whipped topping or plain yogurt when serving if you’d like.
How to Unmold Jello Successfully
If you’re using a decorative mold:
- Chill until completely firm.
- Run a thin knife dipped in warm water around the edge.
- Dip the mold into warm water for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Invert onto a damp serving plate and gently lift off the mold.
Serving Suggestions
Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish with holiday meals, picnics, or potlucks. I also enjoy a serving alongside cottage cheese or plain yogurt for a light breakfast or snack.
Storage
Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.rikes.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Old-Fashioned Pineapple Carrot Jello Salad?
According to my calculations, each serving has 20 calories when made with sugar-free lemon gelatin.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
If you’ve made this Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Sugar-Free Sunshine Jello Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 package (4-serving size) sugar-free lemon jello
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces canned crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
Instructions
- Place gelatin in a bowl. Pour boiling water over it and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Stir in the cold water, pineapple with juice, carrots and salt.
- Refrigerate until the mixture is slightly thickened. Stir to evenly distribute the carrots and pineapple. Pour the gelatin mixture into a glass serving bowl or lightly-greased JELL-O mold. Cover and return to the refrigerator and chill until firmly set. (For individual servings, gelatin mixture can be poured into lightly-greased muffin cups and then chilled.)
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 1 PointsPlus (Old plan) Do not use fresh pineapple as it contains protein-splitting enzymes that will prevent the gelatin from setting. While the recipe calls for a small can (8 ounces) of crushed pineapple. I was only able to find the large can (20 ounces) so I weighed out 8 ounces with my electronic kitchen scale. If you don’t have crushed pineapple, you could always use pineapple chunks (giving them a rough chop) or pineapple tidbits instead. Some recipes call for a little bit of lemon juice. But in honor of my grandma who never included it, I also leave it out. While Nana’s vintage recipe for sunshine salad recipe always used lemon jello, you could turn this into orange pineapple carrot salad by substituting orange jello and possibly a can of mandarin oranges. Some versions of this jell-o salad instruct you to wait and stir in the carrots after the Jello mixture has begun to thicken somewhat. For simplicity, I just stir everything in at the same time, cover and refrigerate. I’ve never had anyone complain. This can be made in a 3-cup mold to 4-cup bowl or ring mold or 6 individual molds. (Muffin tins work well for individual molds.) This salad also can be poured into an 8-inch square baking dish, then cut into squares for serving. Or left in a bowl and scooped out with a spoon. Tips to un-mold gelatin: Allow the gelatin to set until completely firm, several hours or overnight. Before un-molding, dip a thin knife in warm water and run knife around edge of the gelatin to loosen. Dip mold in a large bowl of warm water, just to the rim of the mold, for 10-15 seconds. Lift from water and gently pull gelatin from edge of the mold with moist fingers. Place a moistened serving plate on top of the mold. Flip so the mold is on top of the plate. Gently remove mold, shaking it and jiggling it as necessary to allow the jello to release.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe source: This version was inspired by the Pineapple Carrot Jello Salad in my well-worn 1978 Betty Crocker’s Cookbook, though it’s the memories of Nana’s version that keep me making it.
More Jello Salads and Desserts for Weight Watchers
- Holiday Cranberry Jello Mold (A Thanksgiving Dinner tradition)
- Upside Down Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Watergate Salad (AKA Green Fluff) Made Lighter
- Summer Berry Terrine
- Easy Orange Delight Salad (AKA Orange Fluff made with orange gelatin)
My Grandmother made this for every holiday meal, and called it Golden Glow Salad. I always double the recipe and use the 20 ounce crushed pineapple. This salad, along with the original 5 cup salad, using sour cream, says Holuday to me and my family.