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Home » Dessert » Watergate Salad

Watergate Salad

August 8, 2022 by Sarah Olson 2 Comments

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Watergate salad is one of my favorite dessert salads! There’s really nothing quite like this pistachio pineapple delight full of mini marshmallows. If you’re looking for a simple side dish or a crazy good dessert, you’re not going to want to miss out on this green fluff.

The best part about this delicious and sweet treat is that it’s served chilled and has tons of flavors. This is the perfect fluffy treat and taste that everyone is going to love. Be sure to check out my Snickers Salad and my Pineapple Cheese Ball for even more crazy good treats.

watergate salad in small white bowl.

What is watergate salad?

Classic watergate salad is made with pistachio pudding, whipped cream, crushed pineapple, walnuts, and miniature marshmallows. This pistachio delight has been around for many years, with the rumor mill saying that it was actually a chef at the watergate hotel that created this yummy dish.

Even if the watergate scandal propelled the popularity, I still crave this delicious green goop! It’s one of those recipes that perfectly combine pineapple and pudding and make it a truly yummy fruit salad.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients for watergate salad on table.
  • Pistachio pudding mix – The pistachio flavor is key for this watergate salad. (although, if you wanted to shake things up, you could use a different type of instant pudding mix)
  • Walnuts – Any type of crushed nuts will work for this recipe. I think that pecans would be great as well!
  • Crushed pineapple – Be sure to drain out the juice.
  • Mini marshmallows – If you don’t have miniature marshmallows, you can cut regular marshmallows to make them tiny.
  • Cool whip – You can use any type of whipped topping that you’d like.

Step-by-Step Directions

before and after preparing watergate salad.

Step One – Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir well.

Step Two – Make sure that the pudding mixture is dissolved all the way, as this is key for the flavor of this watergate salad. Place the completed recipe in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.

2 bowls of watergate salad.

Variations

  • Make a watergate cake. This recipe can easily be changed into other fun recipes.
  • Add coconut flakes. If you want another topping suggestion, shredded coconut is always a good idea.
  • Change up the nuts. Walnuts or pecans are great, but you could also use peanuts or any other options. Just break them up so that they’re small and not overpowering.
  • Add other fruits. Even though a typically watergate salad recipe only has pineapple, you can also mix in cherries or other sweet fruits. Just drain the juice so that it doesn’t turn into a soggy mess.
  • Create a fun topping. Everyone knows that toppings are always a good idea! You can add maraschino cherries on top, sprinkle on some mini chocolate chips, add extra crushed pineapple, or even add some sugared crushed nuts.
overhead shot of watergate salad.

Recipe FAQs

Is ambrosia salad the same as watergate salad?

No, these two recipes are not the same. Ambrosia salad has coconut shreds and oranges in it, while watergate salad is made with instant pistachio pudding and pineapple pieces.

Can you use a different pudding besides pistachio pudding mix?

Yes, you can. Even though the recipe originated using pistachio pudding, you can change up this water gate salad recipe with other ingredients.

Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned?

Canned pineapple is just faster and easier to use when you want to serve this dish quickly, but you can easily use fresh pineapple to prepare. Just cut the pineapple and drain the juice in the same way that you would canned.

How long does this last?

Watergate salad is best the day it’s made, though the leftovers are good for two days.

bowl of watergate salad with cherries on top.

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close up of watergate salad in white bowl.
Print Pin
5 from 2 votes

Watergate Salad

Funny name for a pudding but the taste and texture can't be beaten! Pistachio pudding with marshmallows, walnut, and cool whip.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword watergate salad
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 40 minutes minutes
Servings 6
Calories 296kcal
Author Sarah Olson

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. Cool Whip
  • 3.4 oz. pistachio pudding
  • 20 oz. crushed pineapple drained
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
US Customary – Metric
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions:

  • Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
  • Make sure to mix until the pudding has completely dissolved.
  • Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

  1. Using canned pineapple is just faster and easier to use when you want to serve this dish quickly, but you can easily use fresh pineapple to prepare. Just cut the pineapple and drain the juice in the same way that you would canned.
  2. Have leftovers? Watergate salad is best the day it’s made, though the leftovers are good for two days.

Nutrition:

Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 267mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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Comments

  1. Tina says

    March 24, 2023 at 8:31 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and delicious!! Everyone enjoyed it! But the drain comment next to the marshmallows is meant for the pineapples 🙂

    Reply
    • Retro Potluck says

      April 2, 2023 at 5:30 pm

      Oops and thank you for letting me know!

      Reply
5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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