Aunt Betty’s Comfort Kitchen · Salads

Watergate Salad

Name: Watergate Salad
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: 85 g cream cheese; 1 can crushed pineapple; 1 box instant pistachio pudding; 50 g miniature marshmallows; 110 g pecans; 340 g whipped topping (Cool Whip)

The pale-green pistachio “fluff” — instant pudding, crushed pineapple, marshmallows, pecans, and whipped topping folded together and chilled. A retro potluck “salad” that's really dessert, and proudly so.

10 min total 1 hr+ chill

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Gluten-Free

Servingsamounts scale to match

Units

Ingredients

Fold it all together and chill — that's the whole recipe. The dry instant pudding thickens against the pineapple and whipped topping into the classic pale-green fluff. Beat the cream cheese smooth first so there are no lumps, then fold everything in and let it set in the fridge.

Easier, if you like

It's already about as easy as it gets — dump, fold, chill.
Add the juice back (skip draining) if you like it softer and don't mind a looser set.

Method

Cook's notes

Watergate salad — also called pistachio “fluff” or “Green Goddess” — is a no-cook potluck staple from the 1970s, named after the boxed-pudding craze of the era.

The cream cheese makes this version extra rich; many recipes skip it and leave the pineapple undrained so the pudding sets against the juice.

It firms up as it chills, so make it ahead — it's even better the next day.

A handful of mini marshmallows or extra pecans on top makes it look the part.

Gluten-free as written; vegetarian with one swap

Vegetarian: use vegetarian (gelatin-free) marshmallows — standard marshmallows contain gelatin, which is why this isn't marked vegetarian as written.

Gluten-free: naturally — just check that the pudding mix is gluten-free.

Lighter: light whipped topping and light (Neufchâtel) cream cheese both work.