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Written ByDorothy Kern
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Watergate Salad is an easy dessert salad recipe made with pistachio pudding, pineapple, marshmallows, and cool whip. It’s a heavenly retro dessert and it’s done in under 5 minutes!
What is Watergate Salad?
In researching this salad recipe I found that it’s called by several different names: Watergate, Green Goddess, Pistachio Pineapple Delight, or Shut The Gate Salad or colloquially as Green Goop, Green Fluff or Green Stuff.
Classic Watergate Salad got it’s start back in the 70s when Kraft Jell-O came out with pistachio pudding mix. Pistachio Fluff is an iconic dessert that is often a side dish on holiday tables.
I’ll be honest: I’d never heard of sweet salads until I started blogging. Fluff wasn’t something we ate growing up. I think it’s more of a mid-western or southern thing because I’d never even seen ambrosia salad or dessert salad until apple salads started showing up in my Pinterest feed. I absolutely love Oreo Fluff too!
I didn’t think I’d like this but I absolutely couldn’t get enough – and neither could my family. The flavor of pistachio is a favorite or mine – the texture is smooth like pudding but with crunchy and soft bites from the pecans and marshmallows.
What ingredients are in Watergate Salad?
- Pistachio pudding mix: be sure to get instant pistachio pudding
- Crushed pineapple: a 20 ounce can
- Cool Whip: an 8-ounce container
- Pecans: you can use your favorite nuts
- Marshmallows: miniature marshmallows are best
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
How to make Watergate salad Fluff
- Add pineapple and pudding to a very large bowl. Don’t drain the pineapple – the liquid will make the pudding. Note: if you want a thicker salad, drain the pineapple first. This is personal preference.
- Once those are combined, add the whipped topping and stir it together.
- Add the chopped pecans and marshmallows and stir together, then chill. While there aren’t maraschino cherries in the recipe, I love serving them on top as garnish because they’re so pretty, along with some whipped cream.
You can make it ahead of time
You can make Easy Watergate salad up to 2 days in advance. In fact, it’s better the longer it sits. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- Make sure to use INSTANT pudding mix.
- If you find sugar-free pudding mix you can also use sugar-free cool whip but remember that the pineapple has sugar in it.
- Use walnuts in place of pecans if you prefer.
- Don’t skip the marshmallows or your fluff will be too wet.
- Add this to a graham cracker pie crust to make Pistachio Pie!
- Variations: Add 1 cup shredded coconut or mix 8 ounces cream cheese into the pudding mixture. If you want to add cottage cheese you can too, but I don’t, it’s not the traditional way of making it.
Pistachio Salad FAQ
Do you put coconut in Watergate salad?
Traditionally no, but you can add 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut to the recipe.
Do you add milk to Watergate salad?
No – you do not need to make the pudding recipe. Instead, the pineapple juice makes the creamy pudding.
Watergate Fluff Salad Recipe
5 from 34 votes
Watergate Fluff Salad is an easy dessert salad recipe made with pistachio pudding, pineapple, marshmallows, and cool whip.
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Chill Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Yield 12 servings
Serving Size 1 serving
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Ingredients
- 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant pistachio pudding mix
- 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice
- 1 (8 ounce) container cool whip
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
Add pudding mix and pineapple with the juice to a large bowl. Stir to combine.
Fold in Cool Whip. Then stir in marshmallows and pecans.
Chill 30 minutes before serving. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Make sure to use INSTANT pudding mix.
- If you find sugar-free pudding mix you can also use sugar-free cool whip but remember that the pineapple has sugar in it.
- Use walnuts in place of pecans if you prefer.
- Don’t skip the marshmallows or your fluff will be too wet.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 33mg | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern
Did you try this recipe? Click the stars to rate the recipe below
Watergate Salad is an easy dessert salad recipe like ambrosia with pistachio and pudding! This is such an easy no bake and simple recipe for a crowd.
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Last Updated on January 26, 2024
Dorothy Kern
Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.
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27 Comments
Bought pineapple and didn’t realize it was in heavy syrup….is that still ok to use?
ReplyMost likely – it’ll just be a bit sweeter.
ReplyLove this since I was a teenager. Make it every chance I can.
ReplyHelp! I can only find Royal brand pistachio pudding in a 1.85 oz box. The box says it makes 4 1/2 cup servings, which is the same as the 3.4 oz of Jello brand. Unsure if I should double the pudding, or just make with the 1.85 oz box Thank you!
ReplyFrom what the directions are on the box it seems like it would be the same. I think it’s just a brand difference.
ReplyHello I just love Watergate salad! I make it just a little different I add some sweetened shredded coconut and maraschino cherries I also like to use instead of the plain Mini marshmallows I like to use the Lucky Charms little marshmallows but either way is good I thought I would just tell you how I made mine.
ReplyI grew up on this as a kid. Loved it then and love it now. I married into a ready made family and I love introducing new foods. My daughter saw this salad at a store deli and after tasting it fell in love. I made it for her and she practically ate the whole bowl. Being a Texan in a Mexican family I have brought many recipes of Tex-Mex cooking to this native CO family. I have spoiled them forever and recipes like this simple but great tasting salad helps me keep building my home recipe book. Thank you.
ReplyDo you add milk to no cook pistachio pudding when making watergate salad
ReplyJust use the ingredients in the list – the powdered pudding.
ReplyDelicious 😋❗
ReplyI always had this salad before the internet was a thing but never knew what it was called. I loved this recipe, very nostalgic for me.
ReplyI have made this every TG for yrs but mine is different. I use lime jello and add coconut.
Reply
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