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Watergate Salad is a classic retro dessert salad made with pistachio pudding, pineapple, marshmallows, pecans, and Cool Whip. Also known as pistachio salad or green fluff, it takes just a few minutes to make and has a creamy texture with crunchy and chewy bites throughout.
What is Watergate Salad?
I’ll be honest: dessert salads were completely new to me when I started blogging. We never ate fluff, ambrosia, or sweet salads when I was growing up, so I wasn’t sure what I would think the first time I made one. As it turns out, I loved it, and so did my family. Pistachio is already one of my favorite flavors, and paired with pineapple, marshmallows, and pecans, this is one of those quirky old-fashioned recipes that just works.
Watergate Salad has been around since the 1970s (invented by Kraft using their pistachio pudding mix) and goes by all sorts of names, including Pistachio Pineapple Delight, Green Fluff, Green Stuff, and even Green Goop. It differs from Ambrosia because you add pudding mix for extra flavor. Whatever you call it, this easy no-bake recipe is creamy, sweet, nostalgic, and perfect when you need a fast dessert or holiday side dish.
Watergate Salad Ingredients
- Pistachio pudding mix: be sure to get instant pistachio pudding. There is no substitute; this recipe was invented using pistachio pudding.
- Crushed pineapple: a 20 ounce can with pineapple juice
- Cool Whip: an 8-ounce container of frozen whipped topping, thawed. You can use any brand of whipped topping (any fat content, even sugar free). If you want to use 3 cups of fresh whipped cream, you can, but it won’t last as long.
- Pecans: you can use your favorite nuts
- Marshmallows: miniature marshmallows are best, and be sure to use fresh (not stale) marshmallows.
- Because of its pastel color, this is the perfect Easter fluff salad! You could even use colorful marshmallows for more color.
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Dorothy’s Watergate Salad Tips
- Make sure to use INSTANT pudding mix so your pistachio delight sets up.
- You can make easy Watergate salad up to 2 days in advance. In fact, it’s better the longer it sits because the flavors meld and it’ll set up better.
- 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.
Watergate Fluff Salad Recipe
Video
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.
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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How to make Watergate Salad
- 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.
- Be sure to fold in the whipped topping.
- Add the nuts and marshmallows and then chill to set.
Pistachio Salad FAQ
Traditionally no, but you can add 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut to the recipe.
No – you do not need to make the pudding recipe. Instead, the pineapple juice makes the creamy pudding.
On all of your jello or pudding salads, are they not cooked first. Meaning the jello or pudding I a afraid to just mix this all together..
Right you just use the powder. For this one the pudding gets made with the liquid of the pineapple.
Yummy recipes, thank you these yummy 😋 videos too.
Bought pineapple and didn’t realize it was in heavy syrup….is that still ok to use?
Most likely – it’ll just be a bit sweeter.
Love this since I was a teenager. Make it every chance I can.
Help! 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!
From what the directions are on the box it seems like it would be the same. I think it’s just a brand difference.
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