Name: Watergate Salad Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, NOT drained; 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant pistachio pudding ((or use a 1-ounce box of sugar-free instant pudding)); 1 cup miniature marshmallows; ½ cup chopped pecans; ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes; 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed; Maraschino cherries, for topping

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This vintage Watergate Salad recipe is a classic 5-minute side dish or easy dessert that has been loved for generations! The sweet, creamy, and fluffy pistachio salad with pineapple, coconut, pecans and maraschino cherries is a perfect treat for just about any occasion.

Classic Watergate Salad recipe in serving bowls

If you've ever been to a potluck or enjoyed a holiday meal at Grandma's house, then you've most likely enjoyed this beautiful green dish! Watergate Salad is a dessert salad that has been popular since the 1970's, with the release of pistachio pudding mix. While there are many versions of the Watergate Salad recipe, General Foods was the first to publish a recipe for "Pistachio Pineapple Delight" back in 1975.

The basic ingredients remain the same:

Instant pistachio pudding mix
Pineapple
Nuts
Coconut
Marshmallows
Cool Whip
Maraschino cherries (optional)

Why do they call it Watergate Salad?

The recipe was originally called "Pistachio Pineapple Delight," and has since been referred to as "Green Goop," "Green Stuff," "Pistachio Delight," "Shut the Gate Salad," "Pennsylvania Puddle Pudding," and "Green Fluff" -- but it's now most commonly known as Watergate Salad. It's not clear where the name came from, but there are a couple of different explanations floating around. Some say that an unnamed Chicago food editor renamed it Watergate Salad to promote interest in the recipe when she printed it in her column. Other rumors suggest that a Watergate Salad recipe was created by a sous chef at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. Regardless of the origin, one thing is clear: this pistachio pudding salad is here to stay!

Front shot of Watergate Salad recipe on a blue wooden surface with red and white stripe towel in background

How to make a classic Watergate Salad recipe:

Watergate Salad is very similar to Ambrosia Salad, with the sweet, creamy, and fruity combination of pineapple, marshmallows and coconut. It's one of those dishes that everyone loves, it can be prepared in advance, and it only takes about 5 minutes to stir together. No cooking required!

A quick note about the Pistachio Pudding:

You want to make sure that you buy instant pistachio pudding mix. You only need the dry mix -- you do not need to prepare the pudding according to the package instructions. A 4-serving small box is all that you need (either a 3.4 ounce box of the regular instant pistachio pudding mix or a 1-ounce box of the sugar-free instant pistachio pudding mix). I use the sugar-free version because that's all that my grocery store carries, but either variety will work!

Why is pistachio pudding green?

The Watergate Salad gets its beautiful pastel green color from the pistachio pudding mix. I assume the pudding has traditionally been dyed green because when you crack open a pistachio, the nut inside is a bright green color too!

First, stir together the pineapple (and its juice), dry pudding mix, marshmallows, pecans and coconut.

Gently fold in the Cool Whip, cover, and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour.

When you're ready to serve the dish, garnish with maraschino cherries for a pretty pop of color and a bit of added flavor.

Close shot of maraschino cherry on top of watergate salad recipe

What to serve with this Watergate Salad recipe:

Here are a few entrées that go well with the fruit salad:

Of course, you can also serve the Watergate Salad as a light and fruity dessert at any potluck, cookout, or dessert buffet.

Is Watergate Salad healthy?

I've used sugar-free pistachio pudding and sugar-free Cool Whip for a lighter salad recipe. Each serving contains about 218 calories, 11 grams of fat, 12 grams of sugar, and 31 grams of carbohydrates. It's a dessert salad -- not a typical leafy green salad with the health benefits of veggies -- so enjoy in moderation!

This Watergate Salad recipe is not Keto-friendly, low-carb or dairy-free.

Horizontal shot of two glass dishes full of pistachio salad

Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:

How to make Watergate Salad fluffy: Do not thaw the Cool Whip on the countertop. Instead, allow at least 4-5 hours for the Cool Whip to thaw in the refrigerator. This will maintain its fluffy texture. Next, make sure that you gently fold the Cool Whip into the salad -- do not stir. This will maintain the air in the whipped topping.
Prepare the Salad in Advance: The salad needs at least 1 hour to chill in the refrigerator and "set up" before serving, and can easily be made a day ahead. The salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. After about 24 hours, however, the texture of the salad is less fluffy.
Can I freeze Watergate Salad? I do not recommend freezing this recipe, since the texture of the marshmallows will be "off" when thawed. The salad will not maintain its fluffy texture, either.
Some versions of Watergate Salad incorporate the maraschino cherries into the salad (rather than just using them as a garnish). If you'd like to do this, I recommend rinsing the cherries and patting them dry first. Otherwise, they will turn your salad pink.
Any nuts will work in this salad, so feel free to swap out the pecans and use walnuts, almonds or pistachios instead.
If you're looking for a similar green fruit salad, you can try this version with lime Jell-O and cottage cheese.

Two bowls of watergate salad with cherries on top

More easy fruit salad recipes that you might enjoy:

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