Most people have a nostalgic reaction to this recipe – whether you call it Watergate salad, Pistachio Fluff, or “that green Cool Whip pistachio pudding thing that granny makes for every potluck”…lol…personally, it’s one of my FAVORITES.
There are some flavors that will take you straight back to your childhood with sweet nostalgia upon the first bite. This Pistachio Pineapple Watergate Salad does that for me. In an instant, I’m at my grandpa’s ranch, with a paper plate, eating Grandma Clara’s go-to favorites. I’m certain that this fluffy green potluck favorite will take you back as well. It is so very simple to make – just 5 ingredients and a quick stir – and this delicious side dish is ready to go! (Ha! I say side dish like I don’t just sit down with a fork and eat this as my main meal!)
Other vintage recipes that are perfect potluck food include mandarin orange pretzel salad, peach pretzel salad, and coca-cola cake.
My mom has this recipe written out with either Pistachio pudding mix or Lime Jell-o, but the pistachio is what’s familiar to me. Once you’ve mixed all the ingredients together, transfer the salad immediately to a serving dish and refrain from further stirring – this will keep it looking fluffy and smooth. Refrigerate it until you’re ready to head to your family picnic!
Watergate Salad Ingredients:
- 8 oz. tub Cool Whip (Lite or regular)
- 8 oz. (small can) crushed or chopped pineapple, undrained
- 16 oz. container cottage cheese (small curd preferred)
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 4 oz. pkg. Pistachio flavored pudding mix (can substitute lime gelatin), unprepared
- chopped pecans and maraschino cherries for garnish
How to Make Pistachio Fluff Salad:
- Sift pistachios from pudding mix (optional).
- Place cottage cheese and crushed pineapple (undrained) in a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle pudding/jello mix over cottage cheese and pineapple and stir together.
- Stir in marshmallows.
- Fold in Cool Whip.
- Transfer immediately to serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate 1 hour and serve. Garnish with chopped nuts (I like pecans) and maraschino cherries if you wish.
This fluffy pistachio salad will keep in the refrigerator for several days. Most recipes omit the cottage cheese, so if you do not like the texture of the added cottage cheese, simply leave it out and follow the instructions without it. I suspect some granny along the way decided to pack a little protein punch into this otherwise pure candy delicious salad. You know – kinda like when we hide chopped spinach in the spaghetti sauce. LOL. Anyway, I grew up eating this treat with the cottage cheese and I enjoy the depth and added protein that it provides.
This recipe can be served in a number of serving dishes. You can take the classic Tupperware bowl to your outdoor picnic. You can serve it on the dining room table in a pretty glass or ceramic serving bowl. It is especially fun and pretty to serve in cute little ice cream or single serve dishes. Aren’t they so cute?
Watergate Salad
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz. tub cottage cheese
- 1 8 oz. tub Cool Whip
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows
- 1 3.4 oz. package Pistachio pudding mix (or lime jello)
- 1 cup crushed pineapple
- maraschino cherries for garnish
- chopped pecans or nuts for garnish
Instructions
- Mix together cottage cheese and undrained pineapple.
- Sprinkle pudding mix over the cottage cheese/pineapple mixture and stir together.
- Stir in marshmallows.
- Fold in Cool Whip.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with maraschino cherries and chopped nuts if you wish.
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Comments & Reviews
ferahtia.FS says
Your posts are very instructive, thank you for the recipe.
djamila_st says
Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Amel snv says
Merci pour l’article.