Have you been looking for a way to make vegan jello?  This is a simple and easy jello recipe that can be made in minutes with just a few simple ingredients.  With only fruit juice, agar agar (vegan gelatin), and some sugar (optional), you can make your own delicious homemade jello!

Four glasses full of vegan jello in orange, strawberry, grape and lime flavors.

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Regular jello contains gelatine which is made from animal products and is therefore not vegan. For this plant-based recipe, I use agar agar (a seaweed-based thickener) to make jello firm.

Most store-bought boxed jello mixes are not vegan, so it is easiest to make your own.

❤️ You will love this recipe because it is 

  • quick and easy to make.
  • free of all major allergens so everyone can enjoy it!
  • made with real fruit juice and natural ingredients with no artificial colors or flavors.
  • easily be made refined sugar-free.
  • kid-friendly!
A vegan jello mold on a white plate with berries around it.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions

  • Fruit Juice – most fruit juices will work.  Apple juice, grape juice, and cranberry juice work the best.  Orange juice will work as well, but it tends to come out firmer than the other juices.  Citrus juices like lemon juice, lime juice, pineapple juice, kiwi juice, and papaya juice will not set correctly.
  • Agar Agar powder – this is a white powder made from seaweed.  It comes in powder or flakes, but the powder works better.  If you can only find the flakes, you will need to triple the amount of flakes.  (The best deals on agar agar are usually on Amazon or at your local Asian market.  It tends to be very expensive at natural food stores).  Note:  you can also use kappa-carrageenan instead of agar agar in equal amounts.  It is also derived from seaweed and works the same as agar agar, but tends to be more expensive and harder to find.
  • Sugar – to sweeten the jello.  Sugar is optional, but if you want it to taste like the traditional jello that you remember, it will require an added sweetener.  You can use any type of sugar or sweetener that you would like.
A stemmed glass with red vegan jello made with fruit juice.

🥄 How to make vegan jello

Step 1 – Pour the fruit juice, sugar, and agar agar into a medium-sized saucepan and stir.

Step 2 – Turn on the heat to medium and stir frequently with a whisk.

Step 3 – When the mixture begins to boil, turn the heat down and let it boil slowly for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Step 4 – Pour the jello mixture into individual serving glasses and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.

Decorate the tops of the jello with fresh fruit or berries for a pretty dessert.

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips

  • Make sure to boil the jello for a full 5 minutes to activate the agar agar and make it set correctly.
  • Don’t add pineapple, papaya, or kiwi to the jello.  The enzymes in these fruits cause the jello not to set.  (You will also want to avoid using these fruit juices for the jello).

❔ Can I make a jello mold?

Yes!  You can use this jello in a mold and even add fruit!  However, vegan jello is not quite as jiggly and pliable as traditional jello. 

If you double the agar agar add 1 tsp of tapioca starch to the mixture before cooking, it makes it firm enough and gives it a little more stretch to set in a jello mold and get it out again without breaking.

A jello mold made with vegan gelatin with berries around it.

🍓 Can I add fruit to vegan jello?

Yes, you can add fruit to the jello once it starts to cool.  If you want the fruit to be suspended in the jello, you need to watch the jello carefully once it starts to cool.  After about 10-15 minutes, it will cool enough that it will start to thicken, but will still be liquid. 

It is at this point that you will want to add fruit or berries to the jello.  This way they will stay suspended in the jello and not sink to the bottom.

Note: Don’t add pineapple, papaya, or kiwi to the jello.  The enzymes in these fruits cause the jello not to set.  (You will also want to avoid using these fruit juices for the jello).

🌟 Other uses for agar agar

Don’t be afraid to buy a container of agar agar, you can use it to make lots of vegan treats like homemade vegan marshmallows, a firm meringue on a Vegan Lemon Meringue Pie, or a Vegan S’mores Pie, or use it to make your own Homemade Vegan Cheese.

Four stemmed glasses filled with different flavors of vegan jello made with agar agar.

🥂 Vegan jello shots

If you want to turn this jello into jello shots for your next party, it’s just a matter of swapping out some of the fruit juice for vodka and pouring it into shot glasses. You can see the full instructions in my vegan jello shots post.

✨ More no-bake vegan desserts

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

📋 Vegan jello recipe

Four glasses full of vegan jello in orange, strawberry, grape and lime flavors.
5 from 4 rating

Vegan Jello

Yield: 4
Prep: 4 minutes
Cook: 6 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A quick and easy recipe for vegan jello made with fruit juice and agar agar.
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups fruit juice, like apple, grape, or cranberry
  • 1/2 teaspoon agar agar, or kappa carrageenan
  • 1/3 cup sugar, (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Pour juice, sugar and agar agar into a medium-sized saucepan and stir.
  • Turn on heat to medium and stir frequently with a whisk.
  • When the mixture begins to boil, turn the heat down and let it boil slowly for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Pour the jello mixture into individual serving glasses.
  • Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.

Notes

To make jello in a mold
  • Double the amount of agar agar and add 1 tsp of tapioca starch to the mixture before cooking.  (This makes it firmer and stretchier to allow it to set in a jello mold and so that it can be removed without breaking).
  • Use a silicone mold or spray the inside of a metal mold with a little oil to help it come out after it sets. 
  • Allow it to sit for 2 hours in the refrigerator before taking it out of the mold. 
Adding Fruit
  • If you want the fruit to be suspended in the jello, you need to watch the jello carefully once it starts to cool.  After about 10-15 minutes, it will cool enough that it will start to thicken, but will still be liquid.  It is at this point that you will want to add fruit or berries to the jello.  This way they will stay suspended in the jello and not sink to the bottom.
Note: Don’t add pineapple, papaya, or kiwi to the jello.  The enzymes in these fruits cause the jello not to set.  (You will also want to avoid using these fruit juices for the jello).
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 122kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 5mg, Potassium: 125mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 1mg
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