This make-ahead Creamy Strawberry Banana Jello is easy and always a hit at parties. Sour cream and a quick spin in the blender makes it smooth and creamy. You can call it salad. You can call it dessert. I don’t care! We all know it’s delicious. Originally posted April 18, 2014.
You know why I love jello salad? Because you can legitimately serve dessert as a side dish with dinner and nobody bats an eye. Aunt Beatrice signed up to bring a nice green salad for Easter, but shows up with jello salad instead? It’s aaaall good. Â Salad is salad people. Don’t question it.
Eric didn’t like jello as a kid (he has since mended his ways). His grandmother always brought a special jello recipe to family events and would get so offended when he didn’t eat it. She was always trying to convince Eric’s mom to force him to eat it, as if it were something actually nutritious instead of straight up sugar and fruit.
My sister-in-law Sandi has made this jello for multiple events over the past year, and every time I end up back in her fridge eating it with a spoon after the party is over. It was her idea to blend it all up. I love how creamy it is. I am all about fruit in jello, and this one certainly has it, but without the inconvenience of chewing. (It’s like the smoothie of jellos. You could even add some spinach to make it healthy. Oh my gosh I’m just kidding.)
Don’t even worry about the sour cream. It makes it creamy and even adds a nice little tang.
This Creamy Strawberry Banana Jello is a good option for Easter. It’s super easy, and make-ahead to boot. It may not be gourmet, but you know what, I don’t think anyone will complain once they taste it. Jello is a classic, embrace it!
How to make Strawberry Banana Jello
This strawberry banana jello is stupid easy when you have the right ingredients and the right equipment. I love any recipe where basically just mix and pour. Just grab your blender of choice and get going!
Jellooooooo! You know you want this.
Add the boiling water and stir it up.
Don’t worry about mashing the bananas too much, the blender will do that. You just want to make sure to get the lemon juice all over it.
Dump it all in a blender.
And give it a whirl.
If the jello won’t come out, Â hold the mold in a large bowl of hot water for a couple seconds. That should do the trick.
P.S. Happy Easter to everyone! Here’s to remembering the reason for the season. I will be remembering with my family this Sunday that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and Because of Him we can be redeemed. I hope everyone, religious or not, can enjoy this season of joy, family, and rebirth.
More great Jello recipes to try!
- Check out this other jello I posted a while back: Coca Cola Jello Salad with Cherries
- Jello Pretzel Salad – I love the mix of the salty preztels with the sweet jello!
- Coca Cola Jello Salad with Cherries – Use a delicious coke to make this one
- Sea Foam Salad (Creamy Pear Jello) – A must have at all our family holiday gatherings
- Fluffy Lemon Jello Salad from Dessert Now, Dinner Later
Creamy Strawberry Banana Jello
Ingredients
- 1 6-oz package Strawberry Jell-O
- 2 cups boiling water
- 24 ounces frozen strawberries, whole or sliced
- 1 banana
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cups sour cream, light or regular
- fresh strawberries, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Empty the jello package into a large bowl. Carefully pour the boiling water over the top, then stir until the jello is dissolved.
- Add the frozen strawberries and stir until mostly thawed. Pour this mixture into a large blender.
- In a small bowl, roughly mash together the banana and lemon juice. Add this to the blender.
- Add the 2 cups of sour cream. Blend for about 30 seconds, some lumps are okay.
- Prepare a jello mold or a 10-12 cup bundt pan with nonstick spray. (Or just use a pretty bowl, no need to spray).
- Pour the jello into the prepared pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, until completely chilled.
- To invert the jello, place a plate over the mold and flip. If the jello doesn’t come out, fill a large bowl with hot water and hold the bottom of the mold in the water for no more than 1-3 seconds, then invert again. (This will help melt the outer edge, releasing the jello.)
- Serve the jello with fresh strawberries.
This stuff is fabulous and yields well to playing with the recipe. My husband asks for a large bowl to carry to work during the summer months. It’s really hot working on machines when it’s already close to 100’! I mash up strawberries, 2 bananas, plus a cup of chopped pecans; pour half the mixture in the bowl and let it set up. After it sets up enough I whip the sour cream and add a layer on top, then pour the other half on top. It’s not cloudy, but more bright red and more clear appearing without mixing the sour cream into the jello. Also, it has a decorative stripe in the middle and a nice crunch with the toasted cooled pecans:) Hubby says it’s very refreshing in such a hot work place. All his co-workers think I’ve made a great treat:)
I love it Dee! Your version sounds so delicious and very pretty with the layers! Thanks so much for reviewing!
Are the strawberries supposed to be in juice?
Hi Martha! I use regular frozen strawberries, no sugar or juice added. Enjoy!
I made this for Easter, pretty pink color. Tasted wonderful, but did not set up at all. It was more like a smoothie than a Jello Salad.
Hi Jana! I’m sorry this didn’t set up for you. I’ve made it successfully several times since posting. Are you sure you used one 6-ounce package of jello? Some other readers have made the mistake of using one 3-ounce package, which is of course only half the amount you need. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you!
On your email to me, you stated two 6 oz jello packages, on your recipe you stated one, 6 oz jello package, is it two that I was supposed to use?
Hey Jana– I figured that would confuse you! My apologies. I quickly wrote my response and hit publish and then re-read it and realized it was wrong. (Doh! Mondays…) I edited my comment of course but there was no way to change the automated email. Recipe calls for ONE 6 ounce package of Jello.
Hi, Would love to try the Strawberry Banana Jello, but I’m allergic to dairy. Do you think vegan sour cream would work?
Hi Joanne! Sour cream is a significant part of this recipe (a full two cups), and it hasn’t been tested with non-dairy or vegan options. Whether homemade or store bought, non-dairy “sour cream” may give the jello a significantly different texture and/or flavor profile. If you try it, let us know what type you use and how it turns out!
I used to not like jello until I figured out how fabulous it tastes when combined with fruit! Loving the strawberry and banana combo – so glad I’m not missing out anymore. Looks so, so beautiful – the colors are so vibrant!!