Cheesy Sugar Free Jello Salad

Finding desserts that satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping sugar intake in check can feel like mission impossible. Between family gatherings, holiday parties, and those moments when you just want something sweet after dinner, it’s tough to find treats that won’t send your blood sugar through the roof or leave you feeling guilty.

That’s where this sugar-free jello salad comes to the rescue: it’s light and refreshing, super easy to whip up ahead of time, and you can customize it with different fruit combinations to keep things interesting.

What Kind of Cottage Cheese Should I Use?

For this retro-inspired jello salad, you’ll want to grab the highest-fat cottage cheese you can find at your grocery store – typically labeled as 4% milkfat or “full-fat” cottage cheese. The fat content matters here because it adds richness and helps keep the carb count low, which is perfect if you’re following a low-carb eating plan. Small or medium curd cottage cheese tends to work better than large curd in this recipe, as it distributes more evenly throughout the salad. Just make sure to drain off any excess liquid from your cottage cheese before mixing it in – this helps prevent your jello salad from becoming too watery.

Options for Substitutions

This keto-friendly jello salad can be customized with several easy swaps:

• Sugar-free Black Cherry Jello: Any sugar-free jello flavor works here – try raspberry, strawberry, or lime for different taste combinations. Just make sure it’s sugar-free to keep it low-carb.
• Cottage Cheese: While cottage cheese gives the best texture, you could use ricotta cheese instead. Just make sure to drain it well first to avoid excess moisture.
• Colby Jack/Cheddar Cheese: Feel free to experiment with other firm cheeses like monterey jack or mild cheddar. Avoid soft cheeses as they’ll change the texture too much.
• Pecans: Not a fan of pecans? Try walnuts, macadamia nuts, or almonds. For nut allergies, sunflower seeds make a good crunchy alternative.
• Swerve Sweetener: Any cup-for-cup sugar substitute works here – monk fruit sweetener, allulose, or erythritol are all good options. Just avoid liquid sweeteners as they’ll change the consistency.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: This is pretty essential for the right texture, but you could use coconut cream if you need a dairy-free option. Just make sure it’s well-chilled before whipping.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest challenge when making sugar-free jello salad is getting the timing right – mixing the ingredients while the jello is too hot can cause the cream to curdle, so make sure to let your jello cool to room temperature before combining.

Another common mistake is not properly whipping the heavy cream to stiff peaks first, which can result in a runny texture instead of the light, fluffy consistency you’re looking for – take the extra few minutes to whip it separately before folding it into your mixture.

When incorporating the cottage cheese, drain any excess liquid first and break up any large curds with a fork, as this will help create a smoother, more uniform texture throughout your salad.

For the best flavor development, let your finished salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight), and avoid using low-fat dairy products as substitutes since they can make the texture watery and affect the overall richness of the dish.

What to Serve With Jello Salad?

This retro-style jello salad makes a great side dish for casual summer cookouts and holiday dinners! Since it’s rich and creamy, it pairs really nicely with grilled meats like hamburgers, hot dogs, or barbecue chicken. For holiday meals, it fits right in alongside turkey, ham, or roast beef. If you’re serving it for a casual lunch, try it with some cold cuts and fresh veggies on the side – the contrast between the creamy jello salad and crisp vegetables creates a nice balance on your plate. Keep in mind that this is already a pretty filling dish thanks to the cottage cheese and heavy cream, so you might want to keep portions modest when serving it as a side.

Storage Instructions

Keep Cool: This jello salad needs to stay chilled! Pop it in an airtight container in the fridge, where it’ll stay good for up to 3 days. The texture is best within the first 24 hours, when all the ingredients are at their freshest.

Make Ahead: You can prep this salad up to a day in advance if you’re planning for a party or gathering. Just keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. The flavors actually blend together nicely after a few hours of chilling!

Not Recommended: I don’t recommend freezing this jello salad – the texture of the jello and whipped cream won’t hold up well when thawed. Plus, the cottage cheese might become watery and separate after freezing.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	0 minutes
Total Time	135-240 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1500-1700
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 130-150 g
• Carbohydrates: 20-30 g

Ingredients

For the gelatin mixture:

• 1 package sugar-free black cherry gelatin dessert (Jell-O brand recommended)
• 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese

For the mix-ins:

• 1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese (or use cheddar)
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans (toasted for enhanced flavor)

For the whipped cream:

• 2 tbsp granular sugar substitute
• 1 cup heavy cream (very cold for best whipping)

Step 1: Chill Mixing Equipment

• 1 cup heavy cream

Place the mixing bowl, beaters, and the heavy cream in the freezer for about 10 minutes before starting.

This step helps the heavy cream whip faster and results in a fluffier texture.

Step 2: Combine Cottage Cheese and Gelatin

• 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese
• 1 packet sugar-free black cherry gelatin dessert (4 serving size)

In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar-free black cherry gelatin dessert powder and the full-fat cottage cheese.

Stir until the mixture is completely combined and the gelatin powder is evenly distributed throughout the cottage cheese.

Step 3: Add Pecans and Shredded Cheese

• 1/2 cup colby jack or cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Add the chopped pecans and shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese to the cottage cheese and gelatin mixture.

Stir gently to incorporate the nuts and cheese completely.

Step 4: Whip the Cream with Sweetener

• 1 cup heavy cream (chilled from Step 1)
• 2 tbsp preferred granular sugar substitute (such as Swerve)

Take the chilled heavy cream (from Step 1), mixing bowl and beaters out of the freezer.

Whip the cream using an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.

Add your preferred granular sugar substitute, then continue whipping until the cream forms stiff peaks.

I like to use Swerve because it dissolves easily and doesn’t leave an aftertaste.

Step 5: Fold Whipped Cream into Jello Mixture

• whipped cream from Step 4
• jello, pecan, and cheese mixture from Step 3

Gently fold the whipped cream (from Step 4) into the cottage cheese, gelatin, pecan, and shredded cheese mixture (from Step 3).

Use a spatula to carefully incorporate everything until the mixture is fluffy and evenly combined.

Step 6: Chill and Serve

Transfer the combined mixture to a serving bowl, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours before serving.

For a refreshing treat, I sometimes sneak a spoonful right away—it’s delicious even before chilling!