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Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad

This creamy strawberry cottage cheese salad is a favorite throwback to the early 80s. When we were first married, it was our “fancy” salad. Now, it’s just a cool and refreshing jello salad that both kids and adults enjoy.

Pink Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad in a white oval bowl. There is a sliced strawberry garnish at one end of the bowl.
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This may well be one of the easiest and fastest salads you will ever throw together.

Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad has only four ingredients and is gluten-free. It’s a perfect sweet relief for heavy, savory meals.

We’ve served it with every kind of protein, with casseroles, and even with pancakes! Strawberry Cottage Cheese Jello Salad is great at a barbecue with burgers (like this fabulous Smoked Burger Recipe from Couple in the Kitchen) and hotdogs or on the salad table at a summer potluck or family reunion.

Break it out for Easter dinner or Memorial Day weekend with equally happy results.

Pink Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad in a white oval bowl. There is a sliced strawberry garnish at one end of the bowl.

My simple strawberry Jello salad with cottage cheese is as at home next to Mississippi Pot Roast as it is served with Perfect Baked Chicken Breasts, Walking Taco Casserole or the best Crock Pot Ham.

This creamy Cottage Cheese Salad with Strawberries is a gorgeous addition to Easter dinner. Its soft pink color also makes it a pretty option for the refreshment table at a baby or bridal shower.

The Ingredients

Ingredeints for Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad on a concrete counter top: cottage cheese, cool whip, strawberry gelatin powder and fresh strawberries

I wasn’t kidding when I said this was the easiest salad you’ll ever make. With only four common ingredients, it’s easy to stir together at the last minute, whether you’re eating at home or taking a dish to a gathering.

  • Cottage Cheese
  • Cool Whip
  • Strawberry Gelatin Powder
  • Fresh Strawberries

Love It or Hate It

Pink Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad in a white oval bowl. There is a sliced strawberry garnish at one end of the bowl.

Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad was a popular salad I ate as a kid, and as I mentioned, it was an affordable “fancy” salad that David and I often served to guests when we were first married.

Honestly, I feel like this salad will be the one recipe that divides you, dear readers. You’re either going to love it or hate it. There doesn’t seem to be any middle ground.

And that all seems to depend on whether or not you like cottage cheese. We are HUGE fans at our house! A carton of cottage cheese can disappear soon after I bring it home.

So, if you do love cottage cheese, I think you’re gonna flip for this dreamy, creamy, sweet strawberry cottage cheese salad! Eating it AND preparing it will be a pleasure.

Pink Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad in a white oval bowl. There is a sliced strawberry garnish at one end of the bowl.

Possible Variations

I have made Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad with sliced bananas, instead of strawberries. It’s delicious. Slice and add the bananas just before serving to prevent them from turning brown too quickly. Two bananas should be plenty.

Try it with Pineapple Gelatin and cubes of fresh pineapple.

Use Lemon Gelatin and fresh blueberries or Lime Gelatin and a can of well-drained crushed pineapple.

You might also like Orange Gelatin with Mandarin Oranges.

But, next to strawberry cottage cheese salad, Peach Cottage Cheese Salad would be my favorite. Peach gelatin is sometimes more difficult to find. But Walmart’s Great Value brand makes a peach, and Jell-o brand does, too. Sub the peach gelatin for the strawberry and use fresh peaches cut into chunks. Heaven!!!!

How to Make Cottage Cheese Salad

  1. Wash and slice the strawberries.  Set aside.
  2. Add the cottage cheese to a medium mixing bowl.
  3. Add the strawberry gelatin powder and stir to combine with the cottage cheese.
  4. Scoop the Cool Whip into the mixing bowl along with the sliced strawberries.
  5. Stir and combine all the ingredients.
  6. Refrigerate until time to serve.
Pink Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad in a white oval bowl. There is a sliced strawberry garnish at one end of the bowl.

The Recipe

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Pink Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad in a white oval bowl. There is a sliced strawberry garnish at one end of the bowl.

Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 11 reviews

  • Author: Glenda Embree
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

This creamy strawberry cottage cheese jello salad is a throwback to the 80’s.  It was our “fancy” salad when we had company back then.  Now, it’s just a cool and refreshing salad that both kids and adults enjoy.  Vintage can be good!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 (24 oz.) container small curd cottage cheese (4% milkfat)
  • 1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip
  • 1 (3 oz.) box strawberry gelatin powder
  • 1/2 pound fresh strawberries, sliced

Instructions

  1. Wash and slice the strawberries.  Set aside.
  2. Add the cottage cheese to a medium mixing bowl.
  3. Add the strawberry gelatin powder and stir to combine with the cottage cheese.
  4. Scoop the Cool Whip into the mixing bowl along with the sliced strawberries.
  5. Stir and combine all the ingredients.
  6. Refrigerate until time to serve.

Notes

Possible Variations

I have successfully substituted sliced bananas for the strawberries in this recipe.  It’s delicious, but they will brown over time if left sitting too long.  To solve this, simply wait to slice and add them just before serving.

Try it with Pineapple Gelatin and cubes of fresh pineapple.

Use Lemon Gelatin and fresh blueberries or Lime Gelatin and a can of well drained crushed pineapple.

You might also like Orange Gelatin with Mandarin Oranges.

But, next to strawberry cottage cheese salad, Peach Cottage Cheese Salad would be my favorite. Peach gelatin is sometimes more difficult to find. But Walmart’s Great Value brand makes a peach and Jell-o brand does, too. Sub the peach gelatin for the strawberry and use fresh peaches cut into chunks. Heaven!!!!

  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 0 min
  • Category: Side Sish, Salad
  • Method: Cold Prep
  • Cuisine: American

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glenda embree

About Glenda

I believe cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated and that YOU can do it. My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress. Forget takeout or the drive-thru. Let me show you how to make homemade easy. Read more...

18 thoughts on “Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad”

  1. Oh, what a magnificent salad this turned out to be! The creaminess and tangy flavors made this salad very different from anything I tasted before. Will make it many times.






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  2. My dad used to make me cottage cheese with strawberries as a kid and this recipe tugged at my heart strings! Simple, whimsical, and wonderfully tasty. Thank you for sharing this, Glenda!






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  3. My kids were absolutely crazy about this salad! The color, the sweetness and the strawberry bites were perfect. We had it as a Valentine’s Day dessert and it was lovely and refreshing






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  4. I’ve never actually tried this salad (my dad was dairy free in the 80’s) and so I made some if this and it tasted incredible! So delicious and refreshing!!






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  5. Anything strawberries is a hit in my family. Kids went crazy about this cheesecake salad. I bookmarked this recipe to do more often once the strawberry season hits.






    Reply
  6. This took me back to dinners at my Nonna’s! She made something similar with oranges. We loved this and it was perfect for our Valentine meal.






    Reply
  7. I’m a big fan of Jell-O salads, and this is one I’ve never tried before! I think I want to try every flavor variation you suggest!






    Reply

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