This tangy, sweet, salty and creamy dessert is always a family favorite! A dessert with a funny name, strawberry congealed salad, but a surprisingly WONDERFUL taste like strawberry cheesecake!
Here’s How It’s Done
STEP 1. Make the Crust!
Crush the pretzels, melt the butter, add the sugar, mix together and press into the 9×13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
STEP 2. Make the Cream Cheese Center!
Mix cream cheese, cool whip and sugar together and spread onto the crust.
Easy Strawberry Congealed Salad
STEP 3. Make the Jello Top!
Mix up the jello and add the strawberries.
STEP 4. Refrigerate until ready to eat!
Put it all in the fridge until you are ready to DEVOUR!
What To Serve with Strawberry Congealed Salad?
This works GREAT as a dessert following a cookout! Try Hangry Hamburgers, Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs, Corn on the Cob and Potato Salad!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
What IS a Congealed Salad?
Congealed Salads were so popular when I was a kid in the 70’s and are made from gelatin and fruit or vegetables. I know. I know. That sounds so gross.
Trust me. This one is PHENOMENAL and DELICIOUS!
Is This Dish Dessert, a Side Dish or an Actual Salad?
We eat it as a dessert, but hey, I can’t argue with eating strawberry congealed salad as a side or a salad! We love dessert with our meal!
Perhaps you could set it upon a lettuce leaf and fool someone!
Can I use Sugar Free Jello?
Yes, absolutely! Just remember that using sugar free jello does not remove all the carbs from this jello salad.
How Do I Keep The Jello from Seeping Down Into the Cream Cheese Mixture
You will want to spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the dish and try to seal out any places where the jello could seep down.
Cool the whole pan for at least 30 minutes before adding the jello mixture to help it congele more quickly.
Can I Use A Different Type of Fruit?
Yes, but then it won’t be a strawberry jello salad.
How Thick Do I Cut the Strawberries?
You will want the strawberries to be about ¼ of an inch thick.
How Long Does Strawberry Congealed Salad Last?
The completed recipe will last in the refrigerator very well for about 5 days. Do not allow to sit out for more than 2 hours.
Can Strawberry Congealed Salad Be Made Ahead?
Yes, that gives everything time to gel and be super cold for a FUN dessert!
Can I Make This Dish Low Carb or Keto?
Yep, you sure can! Go check out my friend Logan’s page for Keto Strawberry Congealed Salad
Tips and Tricks for Strawberry Congealed Salad Recipe
- Cut the strawberries no more than ¼ inch thick.
- Make sure the strawberries are all about the same thickness.
- Crush the pretzels as small as you can make them.
- Use a rolling pin or a soup can turned on its side to smash the pretzels.
- It is OK to substitute butter substitutes for the melted butter.
- You will want the cream cheese and the cool whip to be room temperature.
- If you want to substitute REAL whipped cream for this recipe, then add 1 heaping tablespoon of sour cream to the whipped cream to help stabilize the whipped cream. Do understand that the pretzel salad will not last as long as the cool whip version.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture as well as you can into the corners and onto the sides to create a barrier against the jello. An offset spatula works well for this job.
- Make sure to allow the jello the resting time in the fridge so that it can cool off and won’t melt the cream cheese mix when you spread it on top.
- Keep the finished dish in the refrigerator and covered.
- Terrific dish for a pot luck!
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Strawberry Congealed Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Crushed Pretzels about ½ a standard sized bag
- ¾ Cup Butter melted
- 3 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese - room temperature
- 1 Cup granulated white sugar
- 8 oz cool whip room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 Cups boiling water
- 2 3 oz packages of strawberry jello - 6 oz total
- 1 lb fresh strawberry slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Crush the pretzels in a gallon size resealable bag with a rolling pin until the pretzels are a fine powder.
- Melt butter and mix in a medium sized bowl with sugar and then add the crushed pretzels. Mix well. Spread into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish and pack down.
- Bake the pretzel crust at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, using a mixer, mix the cream cheese, sugar, cool whip, vanilla, almond and salt.
- Once the pretzel crust has cooled (about 10 mins), spread the cream cheese mixture onto the pretzel crust. Seal as well as you can to the corners and sides so that a barrier will be created between the jello mix and the pretzel crust. Set the entire dish into the refrigerator while you finish the rest of the instructions.
- While the pretzel crust is cooling, mix the boiling water in a medium bolw with the 2 3 oz packages of strawberry jello. Mix with a whisk until the jello dissolves in the water. Set this mixture into the refrigerator for at least 5 minutes.
- Slice the strawberries and add those to the jello mixture. Pour this mixture onto the cream cheese mix and spread evenly. Place back into the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours.
Notes
- Cut the strawberries no more than ¼ inch thick.
- Make sure the strawberries are all about the same thickness.
- Crush the pretzels as small as you can make them.
- Use a rolling pin or a soup can turned on its side to smash the pretzels.
- It is OK to substitute butter substitutes for the melted butter.
- You will want the cream cheese and the cool whip to be room temperature.
- If you want to substitute REAL whipped cream for this recipe, then add 1 heaping tablespoon of sour cream to the whipped cream to help stabilize the whipped cream. Do understand that the pretzel salad will not last as long as the cool whip version.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture as well as you can into the corners and onto the sides to create a barrier against the jello. An offset spatula works well for this job.
- Make sure to allow the jello the resting time in the fridge so that it can cool off and won’t melt the cream cheese mix when you spread it on top.
- Keep the finished dish in the refrigerator and covered.
- Terrific dish for a potluck!
Nutrition
A VERSE TO SHARE
Depending on the circumstance, I find it almost impossible to forgive. Well…. maybe I forgive, but I don’t forget. It eats me alive. That isn’t good. Let’s breath deep and concentrate on forgiviAfter Allerall, we have done wrong too.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness
Wendi Spraker
Friday 8th of November 2019
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