Blueberry Jello Salad With Cream Cheese Topping

This blueberry Jello salad recipe, or blueberry gelatin salad is the perfect recipe to branch out from the traditional, plain Jello salad. The rich, fresh flavors make it the perfect side dish or dessert to take to picnics, parties, barbecues, or holiday meals like Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter dinner. We use pineapple because it gives the jello layer a more fruity texture. But if you don’t like the thicker texture, just omit the pineapple and it is still delicious! Some have argued that this is more of a dessert than a salad. I’m not exactly sure why these types of dishes are called “salads”. In all honesty, I think it is more of a side dish or like many of you, closer to a dessert than a salad, but historically it is called a Jello salad so we are just going with it. No matter what you call it, it is a great picnic addition!

Ingredients in Blueberry Jello Salad

This classic blueberry Jell-O salad recipe is always a fun side dish or dessert when inviting over friends and family. It is the perfect combination and flavor. These ingredients are pantry staples and easy to store and make this jello salad when needed.

Blackberry Jello – If you can’t find blackberry jello, you can also use black cherry jello or grape jello. Both of these flavors of Jello are similar to the flavor of blueberries. We like using blackberry because it gives the Jello a nice, deep, true blueberry color. Crushed Pineapple – This is a fun ingredient! It adds texture and flavor to the mixture. Drain the pineapple juice before combining. Rather than mixing cold water, you will use this crushed pineapple in the jello salad recipe. Blueberry Pie Filling – You should be able to find a can of blueberry pie filling in the baking aisle. Cream Cheese – For the smoothest cream cheese topping, let the cream cheese sit out on the counter to soften before using. Sugar – Added in for sweetness! This easy jello salad tastes sweet and delicious! Cool Whip – This is part of the topping. It is smooth and creamy over top of the Jello. Fold and stir the cool whip or whipped topping to spread evenly over top the flavored Jello. Fresh Blueberries – Garnish with fresh blueberries. You can also sprinkle the salad with crushed nuts like walnuts or pecans.

How to Make Easy Blueberry Jello Salad

This is an easy blueberry jello salad dish that kids to adults love! It is layered with a beautiful blue color with a creamy layer of whipped topping, and fresh blueberries sprinkled on top. This blueberry Jello salad combination!

Substitutes or Additions to this Jello Salad

The beauty of Jello salad is you can change up the ingredients any way you like! I love the fresh sweet taste of the blueberries topped with the thick, fluffy cheesecake-like top layer of this salad. The options and variations are endless! Fruits – You can substitute the blueberries with other fruits like bananas, mandarin oranges, strawberries, or raspberries. Toppings – If you don’t want a top layer or you have someone in the family with lactose intolerance, you can just serve it plain without the topping and it will still be great. Jello flavors – Try different flavors of Jello besides blackberry. Try blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, lemon, or whatever you like or have on hand. Any flavor will taste great, but you might not get the color you are looking for. Then you will be making strawberry jello salad, lime jello salad, or orange jello salad for different salad recipes. Fresh ingredients – We have also been asked about using fresh blueberries instead of canned pie filling. You can use fresh, you just won’t have as full of a flavor. You can also use other kinds of pie fillings, but by that point, you may not have “blueberry” Jello salad anymore. Read Next: 50+ Picnic Food Ideas

More Recipes with Jello

This is the perfect make-ahead recipe. You can easily make this a day ahead of your picnic or party. Just cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. If you’re heading to a party, you will be a big hit with this yummy salad. Here are a few other jello recipes you can try the next time you’re planning to attend a potluck.