Pistachio Fluff Salad Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links which won't change your price but will share some commission. Read more here.Call it a dessert or salad, Pistachio Fluff (also called Watergate Salad) is made in minutes from simple ingredients you already have on hand!
Nothing says home cooking like a church cookbook! Some of my family’s favorite recipes come from the tattered, smudged pages of the church where I grew up.
On one of the pages I wrote a recipe for “green salad” (otherwise known as Pistachio Fluff or Watergate Salad) passed down to me via a phone call from my mom as a newlywed.
Do your cookbooks look like this? This page collected the remnants of recipes in past years. Since my mom passed several years ago I treasure the recipes she made in my childhood. (Another cookbook favorite is Orange Fluff Jello Salad.
The great thing about this recipe is there is no prep time and no baking! Plus, it’s a quick dessert salad for potlucks or Christmas dinner and can be made ahead of time. Win win!
Ingredients
- crushed pineapple
- instant pistachio pudding mix
- whipped cream
- mini marshmallows
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1. Pour the canned pineapple into a large bowl.
Step 2. Add the instant pudding mix.
Step 3. Mix together both ingredients.
Step 4. Add thawed cool whip and stir gently.
Step 5. Fold in the tiny marshmallows into the pudding mixture and refrigerate until chilled.
Step 6. Chill this pistachio delight in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Variations
- If you enjoy walnuts or chopped pecans you can add these to the mix.
- Swap out (or add) mandarin oranges or fruit cocktail to the flavors.
- Use maraschino cherries as a garnish.
FAQs about Pistachio Fluff Salad
Have you ever had this old time recipe? I guarantee it’s delish!
Pistachio Fluff Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 2 20- oz cans crushed pineapple with juice
- 2 3- oz boxes instant pistachio pudding mix
- 16 oz. whipped topping thawed
- 1 10.5- oz pkg tiny marshmallows
Instructions
- In large bowl mix together pineapple and pistachio pudding mix.
- Add thawed whipped topping and marshmallows until blended.
- Refrigerate until chilled and serve.
Video
Notes
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Will this do well made the day before and then travel in a cooler for several hours?
Hi, Nancy. I think the salad does fine the day before but I’m not sure about traveling in a cooler unless you can keep it sealed tight with a lot of refrigeration. The salad keeps well but it can get a little mushy if it sits out a while. It will still tastes good but may not be pretty 🙂 Does that help?
How many people does this serve? Will I need to double it for 30 people?
Hi, Amanda. You would definitely need to at least double it for 30 people and maybe even triple it. If it was something like a potluck dinner with several other dishes then doubling it should be fine. Good luck!
I love you too Momma 🙂
Thanks so much for the recipe for the recipe for pistachio salad-I’ve enjoyed at many pot-lucks-now I have the recipe-thanks, again, Ell Ell Ell
Hi, Linda. I’m so glad you found the pistachio salad recipe. It’s definitely a great recipe for potlucks! Enjoy!