Pistachio Watergate Salad is a retro dessert that takes me right back to childhood. I remember eating it at family gatherings as a kid and I forgot about it until I recently came across it in an old family cookbook. Also known as Pistachio Fluff and Pistachio Delight, is an easy dessert recipe made with pistachio pudding, canned crushed pineapple, marshmallows, nuts, and real whipped cream. I seriously LOVE this stuff! And if you love pistachios or pistachio pudding, you're going to love this too
What's not to love about whipped cream and pistachio flavors in a quick 5 ingredient dessert? This great recipe goes by many names, with Watergate salad being only one of them. It makes a great Easter dessert for your holiday table, or spring or summer potluck dessert. However, it's wonderful any time of the year!
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This Pistachio Salad also goes by many different names, including Pistachio Fluff, Pistachio Pineapple Delight, Pistachio Mallow Salad, Pistachio Fluff Salad, "green fluff, "green stuff," or even "green goop". It's a simple classic recipe that's easy to make, fluffy, light, and quick to throw together, making it the perfect last-minute dessert!
Fluff is a good name for this recipe because it perfectly describes the texture of this dessert- light, airy, and cloud-like fluffy!
If you LOVE pistachio desserts, be sure to check out my Pistachio Pudding Dessert and my White Chocolate Pistachio Cake.
🥘 Ingredient Notes
Most versions of this simple dessert are made with Cool Whip, but I prefer to use real whipping cream. It just tastes so much better! And although I'm not really a big fan of marshmallows, this dessert, like my Cherry Cha Cha dessert, is an exception.
Something magical happens when the whipped cream and marshmallows meld together in this delicious dessert. I truly understand why it's also named Pistachio Delight!
You only need a handful of simple ingredients for this pistachio fluff recipe:
- Whipped cream. I use real whipped cream because it tastes delicious and is real food. Use 33-35% fat whipping cream.
- Pistachio instant pudding mix. Just add the dry mix and nothing else.
- Pistachios. It's important to use pistachios that haven't been salted. You can buy them with shells, but they are a pain to shell. Look for "raw pistachios" near the bulk section of the grocery store or at a natural food store.
- Canned crushed pineapple. Make sure it's the crushed pineapple (or your fluff will be too lumpy if you use pineapple chunks) and do NOT drain it.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Make it Dairy-free: Pistachio pudding mix (Jell-O) is dairy-free so if you use dairy-free milk AND dairy-free whipped cream (like Nutri-whip), this can be a completely dairy-free dessert!
- Make it Weight Watchers Friendly: The only way to make this dessert WW friendly is to use lighter whipped cream (like a non-fat Cool Whip) and you can bring down the points substantially by using a sugar-free pistachio pudding mix and sugar-free marshmallows. Personally, I just take the hit on the points because I don't like using artificial sweeteners. If you're interested in WW desserts that aren't sugar-free, then check out my Weight Watchers friendly desserts without artificial sweeteners. I have also known some people use cottage cheese to replace mini marshmallows. You get a similar texture but without all the sugar and points!
- Make it Gluten-free: Use gluten-free mini marshmallows! (affiliate link) and Jello Pistachio pudding is naturally gluten-free.
🔪How to Make Pistachio Watergate Salad
- Step 1: Using an electric mixer, beat whipping cream to stiff peaks in a large mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Fold in pistachio pudding (dry mix) into whipped cream (or Cool Whip or Nutri-whip), whichever you are using.
- Step 3: Add crushed pineapple with juice and marshmallows and mix.
- Step 4: Then stir in chopped pistachios.
- Step 5: Cover with plastic wrap (I prefer to use Glad Press n' Seal)) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Garnish with additional whipped cream, maraschino cherry, and extra nuts (chopped pistachios) if desired. (optional)
Expert Recipe Tips
- Use Real Whipped Cream for the Best Flavor. While many recipes call for Cool Whip, using real whipped cream (33-35% fat) gives the fluff a richer, creamier texture.
- Add the Pudding Mix Directly. Do not prepare pudding separately—just mix the dry instant pistachio pudding mix straight into the whipped cream for the best consistency.
- Do NOT Drain the Canned Pinepple. You need the pineapple liquid to balance the dry ingredients and flavor of this recipe!
- Choose Raw Unsalted Pistachios. Salted pistachios can overpower the sweetness of the dish. Look for raw, unsalted pistachios for the perfect balance.
- Let It Chill for Maximum Flavor and texture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to allow the flavors to meld and the marshmallows to soften and combine with the other ingredients.
- Adjust the Sweetness. If you prefer a less sweet version, simply add more unsweetened whipped cream.
- Garnish for a Retro Look. A classic maraschino cherry and extra chopped pistachios on top make it look as nostalgic as it tastes!
- Make It Dairy-Free or Weight Watchers Friendly. Use dairy-free whipped topping and milk for a dairy-free version. For WW-friendly, use sugar-free pudding mix, sugar-free marshmallows, and light Cool Whip.
- Serve It Cold, and Don’t Freeze It. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days—freezing will ruin the texture.
You may know this dessert by the name 'Watergate salad' or 'pistachio pudding salad', but it's not a salad. Sweet salads with marshmallows just bring back too many traumatic memories. I believe those were called Ambrosia salads.
Remember those strange crunchy textured jell-O salads that were popular back in the day? You know, the ones that contained not only marshmallows, but also fruit, like mandarin oranges and such, but sometimes even vegetables ?!Ugh.
Some people even put weirder things like cottage cheese, nuts, or pretzels in them. Also known as "Jell-o salads", they were popular in the 1960s, '70s and unfortunately, my Grandma was carrying on the trend into the '80s.
These salads lured kids in with their colorful Jell-O and marshmallows, only to discover that they weren't actually a dessert. Yet they weren't actually a salad either. I always felt duped. Rest assured- this is not that salad. This really is a dessert salad with no crunchy weird stuff.
👪 Serving size
This Pistachio Fluff Fruit Salad recipe has 10 servings and each serving is about ¾ cup. But you can adjust it for the number of people you need to serve (it's best to half, double, triple, or quadruple it, however). Simply click on the serving size in the recipe card, select the number you need and the ingredients will adjust accordingly.
🔢WW Points
This recipe can be made Weight Watchers friendly if you use lighter whipped cream (like a non-fat Cool Whip) and you can bring down the points substantially by using a sugar-free pistachio pudding mix and sugar-free marshmallows. I have also known people to use cottage cheese to replace mini marshmallows.
❔Recipe FAQs
The name "Watergate Salad" became popular after an unnamed Chicago food editor renamed the recipe to generate interest when publishing it in her column. This happened around the time of the Watergate scandal when satirical recipe names were trending. Kraft originally called it "Pistachio Pineapple Delight" and based it on a 1975 recipe for "Pineapple Delight" that combined Cool Whip and Jell-O pistachio pudding mix. Consumers started requesting the recipe under the name Watergate Salad, and it eventually stuck. Although not directly related to the scandal, its name aligned with other Watergate-themed recipes of the time, such as"Nixon’s Perfectly Clear Consommé" and "Liddy’s Clam-Up Chowder." However, similar recipes existed much earlier—Helen Keller published one in 1925 called "Golden Gate Salad," which included pineapple, nuts, marshmallows, and whipped cream. Other names for this dish include Shut The Gate Salad, Green Goop, Green Goddess, and Green Fluff.
Ambrosia Salad Tastes Like Coconut, Watergate Salad Tastes Like Pistachio. One of the first things that sets ambrosia and Watergate salads apart is the flavor profile of each dish. Watergate salad uses a pistachio instant pudding packet and often calls for additional garnishings of pistachio on top
Store this pistachio fluff in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It does not stand up well to freezing.
This dessert is a great last-minute light dessert for bringing along to a summer potluck, picnic, or backyard BBQ. But it's also quick and easy to throw together when you just need a sweet fix. It makes a great dessert side dish too! So if you're looking for fluff recipes, you'll love this one!
But whatever you choose to call it, if you are looking for an easy dessert, this tasty Pistachio Fluff dessert is delicious, quick to throw together, and won't make you or your kids feel like they were duped into eating salad for dessert!
🍰 More Retro Desserts
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📋 Pistachio Watergate Salad Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 cups whipped cream * this is 2.5 cups of whipping cream (will double in volume when whipped)
- ¼ cup pistachios, chopped can substitute pecans
- 3.4 oz -pkg. of instant pistachio pudding mix (dry mix) 99g
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 14 oz can crushed pineapple (with pineapple juice) *do not drain
Garnish
- additional whipped cream
- maraschino cherries
- pistachios, chopped
Instructions
- Beat whipping cream to stiff peaks.
- Fold in pistachio pudding (dry mix) into whipped cream (or Cool Whip or Nutri-whip), whichever you are using,
- Add crushed pineapple with juice and marshmallows, then pistachios.
- Pour into large bowl and chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
Garnish
- Garnish with additional whipped cream, maraschino cherry and extra nuts (chopped pistachios) if desired.
Notes
-
- Use Real Whipped Cream for the Best Flavor. While many recipes call for Cool Whip, using real whipped cream (33-35% fat) gives the fluff a richer, creamier texture, and tones down the sweetness.
-
- Do not Drain the Pineapple. You need the pineapple liquid to balance the dry ingredients and flavor of this recipe!
-
- Add the Pudding Mix Directly. Do not prepare pudding separately—just mix the dry instant pistachio pudding mix straight into the whipped cream for the best consistency.
-
- Choose Raw Unsalted Pistachios. Salted pistachios can overpower the sweetness of the dish. Look for raw, unsalted pistachios for the perfect balance.
-
- Let It Chill for Maximum Flavor and texture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to allow the flavors to meld and the marshmallows to soften and combine with the other ingredients.
-
- Adjust the Sweetness. If you prefer a less sweet version, simply add more unsweetened whipped cream.
-
- Garnish for a Retro Look. A classic maraschino cherry and extra chopped pistachios on top make it look as nostalgic as it tastes!
-
- Make It Dairy-Free or Weight Watchers Friendly. Use dairy-free whipped topping and milk for a dairy-free version. For WW-friendly, use sugar-free pudding mix, sugar-free marshmallows, and light Cool Whip.
-
- Serve It Cold, and Don’t Freeze It. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days—freezing will ruin the texture.
Terri Gilson
This pistachio fluff brings back so many childhood memories! I love how it's creamy and light, with that perfect mix of pistachio and pineapple flavors. It's such an easy dessert to whip up, and using real whipped cream instead of Cool Whip makes it taste even better.
Rose
How big are the servings?
Terri Gilson
Hi Rose:
Each serving is about 3/4 of a cup.
Hope that helps!
Terri