Description
Festive Cranberry-Orange Salad brings holiday cheer with its ruby-red elegance and zesty citrus notes. Guests will savor each cool, refreshing spoonful of this classic American side dish that promises to sparkle on your seasonal table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 (14 ounces / 397 grams) can whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1 (3 ounces / 85 grams) package raspberry or cranberry-flavored gelatin
Liquid Ingredients:
- ¾ cup boiling water
- ½ cup cold water
- ½ cup orange juice
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 small orange, peeled and finely chopped
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Pour boiling water over gelatin in a spacious mixing vessel, whisking thoroughly until crystals completely dissipate.
- Incorporate cold water and freshly squeezed orange juice, blending until uniform consistency develops.
- Gently fold crushed pineapple into the translucent gelatin mixture, distributing fruit evenly throughout.
- Introduce finely chopped cranberries and diced celery, stirring carefully to create a vibrant, textured base.
- Delicately mix in chopped walnuts, ensuring balanced distribution of nutty elements throughout the salad.
- Transfer the gelatin medley into a decorative mold, smoothing the surface with a spatula for an elegant presentation.
- Refrigerate the molded creation for several hours, allowing the mixture to set completely and develop a firm, quivering consistency.
- When ready to serve, carefully unmold the chilled salad onto a serving platter by briefly dipping the mold in warm water and inverting onto the dish.
- Garnish with additional fresh cranberries or orange zest for a visually appealing and refreshing side dish that complements various meal settings.
Notes
- Chill gelatin mixture partially before adding fruit to prevent them from sinking to the bottom and create an even distribution throughout the mold.
- Use fresh or canned cranberry sauce for a richer, more intense flavor profile compared to whole cranberries.
- Consider swapping orange juice with cranberry juice for a deeper cranberry taste, or use a combination of both for complexity.
- Lightly coat the gelatin mold with cooking spray before filling to ensure the salad releases smoothly and maintains its decorative shape when unmolded.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 35 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg