Watergate Salad
Watergate Salad is a classic potluck and holiday dish that is mixed up in about 5 minutes! Easy pistachio fluff made with crushed pineapple, pecans, cherries and pistachio pudding for a festive dish that anyone can make!
Watergate Salad
Rather you call it pistachio fluff, Watergate Salad or that green stuff that grandma always makes, it’s always a hit with the crowd. We also love strawberry fluff and once you see how easy these desserts are to make, you will want to make them all year long.
Just take me to the recipe! If you are just looking for the recipe, just scroll on down to the very bottom. You will find a printable recipe card with ingredients and instructions. Read on for the step by step photos.
I love all of the retro Jello “salads” that my mother in law makes and that I remember from my childhood and Watergate Salad is probably my favorite. The holidays just aren’t the same without it.
How these desserts became known as salads is beyond me, maybe because they have fruits and sometimes vegetables with Jello or pudding… who knows?
Ingredients for Watergate Salad:
- Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix
- Crushed Pineapple
- Cool Whip
- Pecans
- Mini Marshmallows
- Maraschino Cherries
How to Make Watergate Salad:
- Pour crushed pineapple with juice in a mixing bowl.
- Add instant pistachio pudding and mix well.
- Fold in Cool Whip.
- Add pecans, mini marshmallows and cherries.
- Mix well.
- Top with a dollop of Cool Whip, a few more pecans and whole cherries.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Tips for Making Watergate Salad:
- Make this Watergate Salad Recipe up to a day in advance. Keep covered and chilled until ready to serve.
- Drain the cherries well and place on a paper towel, blot off excess juice.
- Quarter or roughly chop cherries. Place on another paper towel and blot off excess juice. This will keep the cherry juice from discoloring the salad. Trust me on this one, no one wants brown pistachio fluff!
- Save a few of the chopped pecans and Cool Whip for garnish and add a few whole Maraschino cherries that you have drained and blotted with a paper towel.
- You can dish the pistachio fluff into individual servings before garnishing and refrigerating to make serving easier.
More Holiday Dishes to Try:
Cranberry Salad is a favorite for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. It is filled with fresh cranberries, apples, oranges, pineapple, pomegranate, toasted walnuts and raspberry jello. This is a surefire hit for the holidays!
- Cranberry Fluff is another dessert salad that we simple have to have for Thanksgiving and Christmas! This version is a little different, skipping the crushed pineapple and adding tart apples and grapes with toasted walnuts. It’s super easy and so delicious.
- Sweet Potato Casserole is another holiday favorite that could be considered a dessert if you are adding the classic marshmallow topping! I skip the marshmallows and just use buttered pecans.
- My Easy Thanksgiving Dinner has everything you need from the main dish, sides, appetizers, desserts and even drinks!
If you love this Recipe as much as I do, please leave a comment and a five star review, and be sure to help me share on Pinterest!
Watergate Salad
Ingredients
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple with juice do not drain
- 3.4 ounce instant pistachio pudding mix
- 8 ounces Cool Whip or frozen whipped topping thawed
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1/3 cup diced maraschino cherries see note, plus more for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Add crushed pineapple with juice to a mixing bowl and add pistachio pudding mix. Stir to combine.
- Fold in Cool Whip (reserve a dollop for garnish if desired).
- Mix in pecans(reserve about a tablespoon for garnish), marshmallows and cherries.
- Top with a dollop of Cool Whip, remaining chopped pecans and whole Maraschino Cherries if desired.
- Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Can be made a day in advance.
always a favorite at our family’s holiday gathering
Take it to the next level and get the fruit flavored marshmallows from Walmart … OMG it’s sooooo good !
And
Your welcome…😝
Loved this when grandma made it, brings back lots of nice memories!
Hi Gina,
I love hearing that!
~ Milisa