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Watergate salad is a light and fluffy dessert salad. With pistachio pudding, juicy fruit, and creamy whipped topping. Its creamy, fruity flavor is reminiscent of childhood.
Watergate Salad
This fluffy pistachio salad couldn’t be easier to make. Just mix the ingredients, chill it in the fridge, and serve! Watergate Salad is a classic dessert salad recipe that’s perfect for holidays and potlucks.
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Ingredients:
- instant pistachio pudding
- crushed pineapple – You can also use pineapple tidbits for a slightly different texture.
- mini marshmallows
- walnuts- Try chopped pecans instead.
- cool whip
- maraschino cherries
Instructions:
Mix the pudding. In a large bowl, stir the pineapple with the pudding mix until well combined.
Make it fluffy. Add the cool whip to the pudding mixture and combine well.
Add texture and crunch. Fold in 2 cups of the marshmallows and ½ cup of walnuts. A full printable recipe card with all the measurements can be found at the end of this post.
Chill. Chill covered for at least 1 hour in your refrigerator. You could, however, make this the night before you planned to serve it. Just leave the additional whipped cream and cherries until right before serving.
Additional Flavor Options
Make this sweet and creamy dessert salad your own by adding any extras you like. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Extra marshmallows are always a hit.
- Add sweetened coconut shavings for a tropical touch.
- Include a tiny drop of almond extract or ½ teaspoon orange extract.
- Mandarin orange slices would be great folded into the pudding mixture for a pop of color.
Storage
To store leftover Watergate salad, transfer it to an airtight container. You can store this in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. After that, your Watergate salad will likely start to separate. You can give the entire mixture a good stir to recombine.
More Easy Dessert Ideas
Watergate Salad Recipe
Watergate Salad
Equipment
- Large Bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups
- plastic wrap to cover your bowl
Ingredients
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package of instant pistachio pudding mix, dry powder not prepared
- 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple (with the juice)
- 1 (10 ounce) bag mini marshmallows (divided)
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts, divided
- 1 (8 ounce) tub cool whip, thawed
- Maraschino cherries (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Mix the pudding. In a large bowl mix the pineapple with the pudding mix until well combined.
- Make it fluffy. Add the cool whip to the pudding mixture and combine well.
- Add texture and crunch. Fold in 2 cups of the marshmallows and ½ cup of walnuts.
- Chill. Chill covered for at least 1 hour in your refrigerator.
- Garnish. Top with additional marshmallows, remaining walnuts, and cherries. Serve chilled.
