Congealed Salad – with my favorite ingredient!
Aside from fresh from the garden vegetables and iced tea, nothing says summer gathering to a Southerner like congealed salad. However, outside of the Southern United States, most folks refer to them as Gelatin or Jell-O salads. We just like to be different.
The possibilities of a congealed salad are endless, much to the delight of it’s devotees. My great grandmother, who lived the majority of her life as a sharecropper, considered congealed salads to be the ultimate treat. Back in her day, though, it was a treat which could only be enjoyed in the winter due to them not having a refrigerator. Alabama summers would never allow the gelatin to set up in this heat!
My grandmother says that in the winter time Lela had an old wash tub she kept out back of her house. She’d let it fill up with water and as soon as it got cold enough to freeze, off she’d go to mix up a congealed salad in her kitchen and then set it out on top of that ice to set up in time for dinner.
When Lela was older, she lived with my Grandmama and Granddaddy. Each week they’d make their pilgrimage to the grocery store, the one time Lela went out. She’d get dressed up in her good dress and hard leather shoes, hook her black handbag in the crook of her arm, and come back with twinkling eyes and a brand new container of pre-made congealed salad. In her mind, she had really moved up in the world to be able to afford such a thing!
Much like my great grandmother, I’ve never met a congealed salad that I didn’t like. On a recent visit to Georgia though, my sister in law managed to shoot this one to the top of my list by making this salad with one of my most favorite things in the entire universe! For those of you just tuning in, here’s a hint:
That’s right folks, today we’re gonna make a congealed salad with Diet Dr Pepper! Don’t worry, if you don’t share my DDP addiction, feel free to use your favorite coke, the original recipe called for cherry.
Definition of Coke in the south: carbonated beverage
For our ingredients we’ll need: crushed pineapple, 2 packages of cherry gelatin, 1 can of pie filling, and a diet dr pepper (or coke of your choice).
The actual recipe is at the bottom of this post.
You can use sugar free gelatin if you like as well as low sugar cherry pie filling! It will turn out just as delicious!
Drain your pineapple, reserving the juice.
Since my sister in law is the one who made this, all of these photos were taken in her kitchen. ~waves at Tina~
In a saucepan, bring 1/2 C water and pineapple juice to a boil.
Once boiling, add gelatin. Stir until dissolved.
Stir in Diet Dr Pepper (or coke of choice).
Now the great thing about this recipe is that you aren’t quite gonna use that whole can.
There is a nice little swig left for ya in there!
When you do that, it’s gonna foam up some.
Just lettin’ ya know so you don’t worry.
Add in pie filling and stir that up.
Until it looks like this. Add in pineapple. (That isn’t pictured so use our imagination ~grins~)
To place in a mold, take a jello mold or simply a bundt cake pan and spray with cooking spray. Pour contents inside and refrigerate until firm and congealed, this will take a few hours.
To turn out mold, dip just the bottom in warm (not hot) water for a few seconds to help gelatin release, then turn out onto plate.
Serve cold and think of how lucky we are to be able to have this in the summer time!
Ingredients
- 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple
- 1/2 C water
- 2 packages (3 ounces each) cherry gelatin
- 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
- 3/4 C Diet Dr Pepper (or favorite coke)
Instructions
- Drain pineapple, reserving the juice. Set aside. In a saucepan, bring pineapple juice and water to a boil. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Stir in diet dr pepper. Stir in Cherry pie filling. Stir in pineapple. Pour into mold or serving bowl. Refrigerate until firm. Serve cold.
Print This Recipe
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How to Make Chicken And Dumplings
Yellow Cake With Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Icing (A story that means a lot to me)
How to Make Homemade Banana Pudding (the first post I ever did)
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Gratefully,
Christy 
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Posted by Christy Jordan
on Jul 14 2009. Filed under Dessert, Side Dishes.
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You know I don’t think I’ve ever had a congealed salad. Is my southerer card going to taken from me? As long as I don’t get banned from here I’ll be ok.
Naw, we don’t go takin’ no one’s Southern card away ’round these hyar parts! (We even sneak a few ones out to the new folks, shh!)
A Dr.Pepper salad. Now that sounds very innovative. I will have to try it. Thank Tina for me.
Congrats with the mention on the magazine! Thats awesome! You’re moving on up Christy.
Me, moving up? Folks’ll figure out eventually that I just like eating! ~giggle~
Yum!! Can’t wait to try this one! I make something similar for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, but the DDP or Coke addition sounds intriguing. Now, being originally from Alabama, I know to ask this question: when you say “or coke of choice”, you do mean any soft drink, right?
~snickers~
Yes,that’s exactly what I mean. I missed that one, too, didn’t I? Here I was thinking I was being all clarified! lol
Thank you!
Here in NC, when I ask a guest, “What kind of coke would you like: Pepsi, Sierra Mist or Coke?”, they look at me like I just grew a third eye. They just don’t get it.
So, how do you eat this? Just as a little snack or dessert?
Minus the Dr Pepper, this is like what we’d call fruit jelly. lol
Is the Dr Pepper for the flavour?
Sorry, I’m not a fan of Dr Pepper. Only had it a couple of times but it’s not really my type of flavour. It’s Coke all the way for me. And no Diet!!!!
No diet here either, Su. Diet Coke=dishwater.
I don’t like the taste of Diet Coke.
There is Coke Zero, I’m guessing you have it over there too, which is basically Diet Coke but uses a different type of artificial sweetener to give it a more true Coke flavour, but even that falls short.
Just gimme the sugar!!!
Same here. I’ll seek my diet stuff elsewhere.
Here is where Southerners are brilliant, Su. This salad, kind of like our sweet potato casserole, can be served as a side dish! Even though we all know it is technically sweet and therefore a dessert, you can serve it as a side dish and then STILL get dessert on top of it!
See? Brilliant, I tell ya, brilliant!
A jello salad with Dr. Pepper – that’s a first for me!! Might just have to try it soon.
Thank you, Jody! Hope you like it as much as I did!
Gratefully,
Christy
That looks great, all sorts of possibilities, with all the fruit sodas out there, and all the pie fillings. Heck, you could even use prunes and prune juice if you’re visiting folks in the nursing homes.
Way to go. I love your suggestion!!
yes, or “super giant raisins!” as I call them with my children. ~grins~
It helps if you say it with ENTHUSIASM!
SUPER GIANT RAISINS!!!!!
When I was a kid I loved prunes. Prune juice, no. But the prunes? Loved them.
Wow, that looks yummy I have never had a Congealed Salad before besides a box of jello with a can of fruit cocktail thrown in lol. I will definitely have to try this bet the kids will love it! Thanks again Christy for another delightful recipe!
Thank you so much, April!!!
Gratefully,
Christy
So I guess I have eaten congealed salad before. To me that is just jello with fruit in it. Guess the Californian in me is showin’.
I’m going to try this one. Sounds like a great treat on a hot summer day, and as soon as we get one I’ll make this. We’re having summer a couple of hours at a time, very strange weather here in the northeast. I can’t have caffeine so no Dr. Pepper for me, but I love cherry soda ~no caffeine~ and think it might work just fine.
Thank you for another fun recipe, Christy.
They actually make caffeine-free DDP! =)
Thank you so much, JoAnn! Have you ever been to the south in the summer time? It’s really some kind of hot! I’ve never been up north in the summer, maybe we should start an exchange program?
Have you ever been to Perth in the summertime? Now that is heat. Not that we are competing. Just sayin. Lol
our heat is so dry and the air burns. We hate it but we love it too.
You could use cherry 7up too. The coke (aka soft drink, pop, soda, etc…) is just to add to the flavor. When I serve a congealed salad, my daddy gets excited because he knows he can eat the salad and still have dessert!
Hey, I resemble that. I always thought Jello was dessert. At a dinner, Jello was on the table when we sat down. I could not understand why people were eating dessert first. They did not understand why I was eating my salad last,
I so absolutely LOVE that you found a way to use DDP in a recipe! I will definitely have to try this one, as I share in your addiction! =)
Thank you, Mary Ann! Just you wait, now I feel challenged to provide more DDP recipes! lol
I think I can come up with a few to share!
Sounds delicious. But do you add the pineapple? You only mentioned the juice.
Yes Ma’am, you sure do! That’s what I get for posting after ten p.m.! Now I’m up at two a.m. correcting it because it was bothering me. I fixed it, stirred it in right after the cherry pie filling!
Thanks for pointing that out, y’all are sharp!
Gratefully,
Christy
Wow, can’t believe we like the same drink, besides our tea. I have been drinking DDP for so many years, that I can’t remember. I have seen the cans change colors and designs so many times. Now this salad does sound really good. Will have to make it. We all need something really cool now adays, when temperture in touching 100.
Thanks again, for another great sounding recipe.
Hey Trixie!!! YES YES YES!! Remember the blue can? I have an old metal sign for “Sugar free Dr Pepper” back before they even called it diet. When I was little my grandparents kept sugar free dr pepper at their house and we got to have one when we went to visit. I always thought my grandparents were rich because they had cokes to drink and all of the cantaloupe we could eat!
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and read my ramblings!
Gratefully,
Christy
Went back and checked the recipe really well. Line for line, and it’s true you didn’t mention when to put the pineapple in. Please Christy, answer before tomorrow. I really want to make this one.
Thanks.
~bows head solemnly~ Your wish is my command…
I’ve seen this stuff numerous times In the grocery store and never knew what It was exactly. I would of tried It, but wasn’t about to pay a ridiculous price for It! Now that I know what It Is exactly, I’m going to be giving this a try. Although I’m not a DDP fan, more of a Coke kinda guy.
If I could, I’d be a coke kinda gal. Totally with ya, Shane! I can’t drink sugar though and as far as diet drinks go, DDP is the best I’ve found.
Drink a coke for me today (please), and let me know if you get to try this!
Gratefully,
Christy
Try Cherry Coke Zero sometime, Christy. It’s pretty good! Unfortunately, it’s hard to find smaller sizes, but most grocery stores carry the 2-ltr.
I’ve never heard of a congealed salad made with coke before! My mother always makes a congealed salad with lime or strawberry Jello at the holidays. I’ll have to ask her one of these days what recipe she uses. It always comes out very light and fluffy! My father took some in a container to work once and a coworker asked him what the heck it was. When he said, “Congealed salad,” it only confused the guy worse!
This sounds interesting – never tried making a Jello salad with any kind of soda before.
Interesting isn’t it, what we call things in different parts of the country? Like in CT where I’m originally from, a foot-long sandwich was called a sub. Here in PA where I live now, they call them hoagies.
Thanks for the recipe!
Diane in PA
A congealed salad with Diet Dr. Pepper? I’m there! Can’t wait to give this a go…but I think I might do a variation using peaches because I’m making same peach pies and know I’ll have filling leftover…
Hello Christy!
Since my Diet Coke passion equals your Diet Dr. Pepper addiction I look forward to trying this receipe with my favorite cola. Congealed salads just beg to be served at Sunday Sountern Suppers. I’ll be recreating yours this weekend and thinking of you with every yummy bite!
As always, thank you for sharing receipes from your home and heart! As I make them for my family we’re creating great memories of our own with each tasty one!
All my best,
Maralee
I can’t wait to try this one Christy. I love Dr. Pepper too, but the Cherry Coke also sounds good. I may try them both!! You’re right though, everything here is GA is “Coke”, lol !!
hEY – LOOKS REALLY GOOD. HOW ABOUT ADDING A HANDFUL OF CHOPPED PECANS? I LIKE A LITTLE CRUNCH NOW AND THEN IN MY SALADS. SPEAKING OF SALADS – I MADE THE FIRE & ICE – SO-O-O GOOD! I MADE IT AGAIN AND TOOK IT TO OUR TRACTOR PULL COMMITTEE COOKOUT LAST WEEK AND IT WAS A BIG HIT THERE. I’M SURE YOU DON’T MIND THAT I HAD TO GIVE OUT YOUR RECIPE SEVERAL TIMES. IT’S A GREAT SUMMER DISH, IT JUST SEEMS SO COOL WHEN YOU EAT IT. MY HUSBAND WOULD EAT IT EXCEPT FOR THE CUCUMBERS AND MY SON WOULD EAT ONLY CUCUMBERS, I ATE ALL PARTS, SO WE BALANCED OUT REAL GOOD!!
I have always loved these kinds of desserts and this one looks fantastic too! I’m like Sabrina, I think this is just fittin’ for some pecans!
Hi – This sounds good…..no matter what kind of “coke” you use. I think I’ll fold in some Cool Whip to lighten it up some. My family likes all kind of Jello salads. They’re aso versatile with so many flavor combinations. I just love this website. You’re my kind of cook.
Well duh………why hadn’t I thought of using a cold drink in mine. I’m slippin’ in my old age!!
I was born in and brought up in So. Cal with an Okie step-father, and lived in OK for over 20 years, I just say “soda” anymore, because I just am too confused to know the difference.
I honestly can’t tell the difference from supper and dinner. My husband corrects me everytime when I ask him “what do you want for dinner” and it is after 5pm… It is all too confusing, my mother was from Iowa, so she had her own sayings too…what’s a gal to do?
Hey – haven’t talked to you in awhile – even though I will miss seeing you at Brookhill in a few weeks. I can’t believe the summer is almost over!!! This salad looks so delicious. I love everything except the cherry pie filling. Do they make a strawberry pie filling? If so, could you use that? FYI: Dollar General (the new one on Hwy 251!) has 6 packs of Dr. Pepper/Diet Dr. Pepper on sale for $1.00! I have got to go get some. I think it is for the rest of this week. I don’t know if all of the other Dollar Generals will have them at that price. ???
See ya!
Kim
I’m a Diet DP fan/addict too! There’s a lot of us out there. Remember Diet DP Vanilla? I wish they would bring it back!
[...] Congealed Salad (with my favorite ingredient!) [...]
Guess What? I’m going to make this salad and top it with a tad of that marshmallo, cream cheese mixture….and maybe a cherry on top!
Martha
the best garden vegetables are tomatoes and potatoes, they look great and you can eat them too.`;-
the garden vegetables that we put at home are usually cabbages and tomatoes;.,
I want to make a congealed salad with whole cranberry sauce. As I’m typing this I think I should combine the cranberry sauce with canned mandarin oranges, diced apples, pears, and orange soda. Thanks, for the inspiration.
Toni
Exactly how much pineapple juice do you end up with after you drain it?
I make a salad kinda like this, I use sour cherries and drain the juice and combine it with the pineapple juice for my liquid. I use coke, I always make sure it is NOT cold or it really foams up. I also add a cup of pecans and an 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese cut into little cubes. Try adding these extras, it really makes it special. In fact this is a “must have” at Thanksgiving.
When we cleaned out Mother’s house we found hundreds of individual aluminum and tin congealed salad molds. They had been my grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s, some direct from the Jello company accompanied by jillions of recipe pamphlets. Evidence of a past era that may be reviving with this yummy-sounding recipe.
Here is my family’s recipe for congealed salad. No holiday was dinner without it for at least the last 65 years.
1 Box Lime Jello
1 Box Lemon Jello
2 cups boiling water
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 16 oz carton cottage cheese
1 large can evaporated milk
3/4 cup chopped pecans
dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add pineapple, with juice, cottage cheese and evaporated milk. Stir in pecans. Refrigerate until set.
This recipe is so adaptable. I use sugar free jello and a small can of evaporated milk, low fat cottage cheese and I eliminate the pecans. May try them again someday.
You can use any flavor of Jello and it is wonderful. If you use Orange, it kind of has a creamsicle flavor, Cranberry is great at Thanksgiving, but the “green congealed salad” was the one on my Gran’s and my Mom’s and my Table until
they went to be with the Lord.
Thank you for your DDP congealed salad. Can’t wait to make it. xoxoj
My Granny made a similar salad she called Coca-Cola salad. Same idea but instead of two boxes of cherry you use one cherry and one red raspberry. You also add in small chunks of cream cheese and pieces of walnuts before you cool it.
Pecans-not walnuts! One of the kids started talking to me and I can’t do two things at once apparently!
This is Pie Cherry Salad!!! My mom has been making this for over 30 years. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas it’s on our table. Our recipe is slightly different. We don’t use Diet DP (although I’m sure this is yummy) and we add some vanilla and pecans. It’s gorgeous red color is perfect for the holidays!!
My Mama always made a similar salad at Thanksgiving and Christmas using whole berry cranberry sauce. But here’s the kicker…. put a little dollop of mayo (NOT Miracle Whip, of course) on top of each serving. The creamy tangy mayo balances out the sweet of the fruit and is YUMMY.
I can’t wait to make this. The hot summer day part is no problem here in Madison, AL. I am going to make it as presented. Can the recipe be tweaked with lime jello and diet 7-UP? What would I substitute the cherries for?
I have never thought much about jello salad one way or the other, the only time I ever ate it after leaving home was when I ate at a restaurant called Furr’s that used to be a big chain. They made a green one with cottage cheese and nuts. yours actually sounds like it would be worth the hassle to make! I adore cherry anything so this sounds great to me. now I have to get the ingredients next time I go shopping.
Your congealed salad sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to make it! We have a special family party coming up next week, and I think I know what I will take!!
I know they will love it. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Christy,
My Mom used to make hers with strawberry jello, some banana’s and chopped English walnuts. Then top with whipped cream which later turned to cool whip. But, was good in the summer time.
Bill
This sounds really good. Sunday is the 1st Sunday & we have dinner at church & I plan to take this. I’m sure it will be a big hit.
[...] – Diet Dr Pepper congealed salad…yum. Can’t [...]
There was a baby shower held in my honor a few weeks ago back home (Coffee County, AL…I now live in Madison, AL) and congealed salad was on the catered menu. My cousin and I got a good laugh at this as this is such a Southern dish always present at holidays, reunions, etc… and one that neither of us is usually too fond of. The one they served was really good though, and I’m actually wanting to try my hand at making one for a baby shower I am helping host (these pregnancy hormones have me doing all sorts of crazy things…I’m even putting on makeup and jewelry these days to go to the grocery store and I’m not usually much of a girly girl at all).
This recipe sounds good (need to a caffeine-free soda, though). I’ve visited your site before, but I need to start becoming a regular because this Southern girl needs to improve her Southern cookery. In general, I make better Italian and Asian-style food than Southern food…I can’t even make my husband good fried chicken ( I do have collard greens, black-eyed peas, and fried squash down though).
Oh, I also grew up saying “Coke” when referring to any soda
My family has been making something like this for years, but a little differently. We use black cherry geatin, Dr. Pepper (of course), drained can of pitted black cherries (not pie filling) and no pineapple, but we do add pecans!
I made this with all sugar-free ingredients for my diabetic mother, and boy, was it ever a hit! As soon as the first one was gone I had to make another!!