Seafoam salad is a creamy, retro jello salad made with lime gelatin, cream cheese, and whipped cream, giving it a light, fluffy texture. Easy to prepare and perfect for holidays, potlucks, or as a fun dessert, this nostalgic recipe comes together with just a few simple ingredients and a few hours of chilling time.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time3 minutesmins
Chill and Rest Time4 hourshrs35 minutesmins
Total Time4 hourshrs48 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Seafoam Salad Recipe
Servings: 8
Calories: 242kcal
Ingredients
15ouncescanned pear halves in juice,drained but reserve the juice
3ounceslime flavored gelatin
6ouncescream cheese,softened to room temperature
1 ½tablespoonsheavy cream,room temperature
1cupreserved pear juice,or add water to make 1 cup if needed
¾cupcold heavy cream
Garnish
Thawed whipped topping
Maraschino cherries
Instructions
Measure 1 cup of the reserved pear juice. (If it doesn’t measure 1 cup, add enough water to make 1 cup)
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the full 1 cup of liquid (reserved pear juice + water if needed) to a low boil.
Stir the lime flavored gelatin into the hot juice until completely dissolved. Set the bowl aside for about 5 minutes to cool.
Using a medium size mixing bowl and handheld mixer on medium high speed, beat together the room temperature cream cheese and 1 ½ tablespoon heavy cream until completely smooth.
Lower the mixer speed to low and slowly drizzle the gelatin into the cream cheese mixture. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until the mixture slightly thickens but is not fully set.
Mash the pears with a fork, potato masher or ricer. Set it aside.
Add the cold heavy cream to a small mixing bowl and beat on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. (Stiff peaks are formed when the cream holds its shape and stands straight up when held upside down)
Fold the mashed pears into the whipped cream. (Folding ingredients means to use a spoon or spatula to gently lift and fold something heavier into a lighter without deflating)
Remove the cream cheese and gelatin from the refrigerator and fold the mashed pears and whipped cream into the cream cheese and gelatin mixture.
Lightly spray a gelatin mold or bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and spoon the gelatin mixture into the mold. (I used an 8 inch silicone gelatin mold) Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours to overnight.
Just before you are ready to serve, carefully run warm water around the outside of the mold for a 5 - 10 seconds before placing a plate over the top of the mold and quickly flip it over. You can tap the outside of the mold to encourage the gelatin to release. You can top the sea foam salad with small dollops of thawed whipped topping and maraschino cherries.
Notes
Chopped nuts and multi colored or plain mini marshmallows can be added for variety.
Thawed whipped topping can be substituted for the homemade whipped cream for convenience. The measurement is still ¾ cup.
The pear halves can also be mashed in a food processor.