This Old Fashioned Pistachio Salad, also known as Pistachio Jello Salad or Watergate Salad, is a creamy and fluffy dessert loaded with pistachios, marshmallows, and crushed pineapple. Perfect for holidays like Christmas or Easter!
Table of Contents
Pistachio Fluff Salad
Hi folks,
If you’re looking for a nostalgic treat that’s creamy, sweet, and a little nutty, this Old Fashioned Pistachio Salad is the answer! Whether you know it as Pistachio Jello Salad, Watergate Salad, or just “that green fluff,” it’s a dessert that has stood the test of time.
With its mini marshmallows, crushed pineapple, and Cool Whip, this classic pistachio pudding salad is a holiday favorite and must-have side dish for Christmas, Easter, and potlucks. Plus, it’s super simple to make with just 5 minutes of prep time!
What I Love About Pistachio Salad:
- It’s incredibly simple to make.
- It’s perfect for literally every single holiday or get-together, no matter the time of year! This salad makes its way onto my Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas table.
- The texture is Heavenly! The contrast between fluffy Cool Whip, chewy marshmallows, crunchy pecans, and juicy pineapple keeps every bite exciting.
Ingredients and Estimated Cost
Per Serving Cost: $1.25
Recipe Cost: $10.01
- 20 oz can crushed pineapple: $2.08
- 3.4 oz box instant pistachio pudding: $1.28
- 2 ½ cups mini marshmallows: $0.79
- 1 cup pecans: $3.24
- ½ cup sweetened coconut: $0.26
- 8 ounces Cool Whip: $2.36
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the pricing for this recipe in November 2024.
Essential Tools:
- Large mixing bowl
- Fine mesh strainer
- Rubber spatula
- Large measuring cup
How To Make Pistachio Salad
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a large measuring cup and drain the crushed pineapple. Reserve the juice for later.
- In a large bowl, combine the instant pistachio pudding mix with the reserved pineapple juice. Stir until smooth.
- Add the crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, pecans, and shredded coconut to the pudding mixture. Stir well to coat everything evenly.
- Gently fold in the Cool Whip using a rubber spatula until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
- Spoon the salad into serving dishes and garnish with dollops of Cool Whip, maraschino cherries, and additional chopped pecans.
Serving and Storage Tips
SERVE: You can leave this pistachio salad out for about 30-60 minutes before refrigerating it.
STORE: This fluff salad will keep for about two days in the refrigerator.
FREEZE: I do not recommend freezing the fluff salad. The mini marshmallows do not hold up well once frozen and then defrosted.
Recipe Variations
- Nuts: Swap pecans for pistachios or walnuts.
- Fruit: Add drained mandarin oranges or drained and halved maraschino cherries for more color.
- Cottage Cheese: Stir in 1 cup of pureed cottage cheese for added creaminess and protein.
- Color Boost: Add a drop or two of green food coloring to enhance the festive green color.
The origins of this salad are still a bit of a mystery, unlike the actual Watergate Scandal. This dish was first created in the 1970s but has nothing to do with the Watergate Scandal.
Many believe that the name was a way to gain attention and promote a food editor’s column based on the current events of the time.
You can. However, I do not recommend swapping it as homemade whipped cream is not as stable as Cool Whip, so the salad’s texture will be softer and not hold as well.
Yes, just remove the pecans. You can substitute sunflower seeds for them to retain that crunchy texture while offering a nut-free option. This will slightly alter the overall taste of the pistachio salad.
More Vintage Desserts:
- Lemon Lush
- Frog Eye Salad Recipe
- Pineapple Cake
- Old Fashioned Raisin Cake
- Homemade Creamy Butter Mints Recipe
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Pistachio Salad
Video
Equipment
- large measuring cup
- fine mesh strainer
- mixing bowl
- rubber scraper
Ingredients
- 20 oz can crushed pineapple in juice
- 3.4 oz box instant pistachio pudding
- 2 ½ cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup pecans chopped into small pieces
- ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed
FOR GARNISH:
- Cool Whip
- maraschino cherries drained
- chopped pecans
Instructions
- Place a medium fine mesh strainer over a large measuring cup. Drain the pineapple and reserve the crushed pineapple in the strainer until ready to use.
- In a large bowl add the pudding mix.
- Stir in the pineapple juice until combined.
- Add the crushed pineapple, marshmallows, pecans, and coconut.
- Mix until combined and all of the marshmallows are coated in the pudding mixture.
- Fold in the Cool Whip.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
- Spoon the salad into serving dishes and garnish with cool whip, maraschino cherries, and pecans.
Notes
- You can use this Watergate Salad recipe as frosting! Just exclude the mini marshmallows, and you’re good to go!
- Instead of pecans, you can use chopped unsalted pistachios or chopped walnuts.
- Sometimes, I also like to add 2 small cans of drained Mandarin orange to this salad. I especially like doing this for Christmas.
- For the holidays, I like to punch up the green color of this salad by adding 1-2 drops of green food coloring during step 2 of the recipe below.
Nutrition
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Have made this for many years. We know it’s called Watergate , but we call it Green Fluff because it’s easier for the smaller kids to remember. We leave the marshmallows out because we prefer it that way. It is still good with out them.
I too like pistachio flavors. I’ve heard the term Watergate Salad but didn’t realize what it was until this post.
I love pistachios so this dessert looks totally yummy. Making it ahead for the next day is perfect, too!
How fun is this! A great way to use pistachios too, which I LOVE!
Such a fun recipe, and so great to be able to make it ahead — and have it taste even better the next day. Brilliant.
Love how quickly this dessert is to prepare. The flavours and fluffy texture sounds heavenly! Love the cherry on top too.
Looks and sounds so delicious! Perfect for any gathering!
This is really perfect for any occasion any get together!
I made this last week and you were right, it was even better the second day! Loved it, thank you for the great share!
So glad you loved this pistachio salad!
I grew up eating Watergate salad because my mom made it for every single potluck dinner we went to. She used to add mandarin oranges to hers. She never shared the recipe with me, so thanks for giving me a chance to relive my childhood!