Watergate Salad

We love making this classic salad for any family gatherings or potlucks. Everything combines easily in one bowl which makes it the perfect recipe for my kids to help.

The creamy texture, budget friendly ingredients and amazing flavor makes this a must for any celebration. If you have tried out Strawberry Fluff Salad, Orange Fluff or Pineapple Fluff then you are going to love this Watergate Salad. You may even like Raspberry Pretzel Salad.

What is Watergate Salad?

Watergate Salad has been called many different things. You may know it as Pistachio Fluff, Pistachio Delight, Ambrosia Salad and even the green stuff. The taste is still the same and the steps are too.

There are many ways to make it which is why we love it so much. If you grew up on it, now is the perfect time to make for your family.

Ingredients

• Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix – You can use any flavor of instant pudding mix
• Crushed Pineapple With Juice – Mandarin Oranges is a great substitute
• Miniature Marshmallows – Marshmallows make the best fluff salad
• Chopped Walnuts – Chopped pecans is a great substitute nuts
• Whipped Topping, thawed – Cool Whip works best
• Sweetened Shredded Coconut – You can omit if you do not like coconut
• Maraschino Cherries – Love the pop of red color gives to the green fluff

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.

How to Make Watergate Salad

Step 1 – In a large bowl, stir together the pistachio pudding mix and the undrained can of crushed pineapple until the pudding mix is fully dissolved and thickened.

Step 2 – Gently fold in the mini marshmallows and chopped walnuts, and shredded coconut, stirring until everything is evenly combined.

Step 3 – Add the whipped topping and gently fold it into the mixture until smooth and creamy.

Step 4 – Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend and the marshmallows to soften slightly.

• Step 5 – Before serving, garnish the salad with maraschino cherries, if desired.

Expert Tips

• Marshmallows – If you prefer softer marshmallows, be sure to mix them in before chilling for at least an hour, so they soak up some moisture and become soft. If you like them with a bit more chew, you can add them just before serving instead of chilling them in the mixture.
• Combining Ingredients – When mixing the concoction together make sure to gently combine with a spatula instead of a hand mixer. This ensures that the ingredients do not break down.
• Chill Salad – To ensure that the mixture blends together, we recommend placing it in the fridge covered with plastic wrap to chill.

Serving Suggestions

Watergate Salad is a classic side dish that we make for potlucks, Christmas and Thanksgiving. Some of my family like to enjoy it with their Christmas Turkey and Crockpot Spiral Ham.

But you can also enjoy as a dessert salad.