Looking for the perfect retro dessert for your next gathering? This pistachio pineapple delight, otherwise known as an easy Watergate salad, is just the ticket!

Learn how to make classic pistachio fluff with just a few simple ingredients! It’s a great recipe for holidays, potluck dinners, backyard BBQs, and more!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase, this site may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Pistachio fluff salad is one of those dishes from a bygone era that feels just as comforting now as it did in years past.

The green fluff is endlessly customizable based on preferences, often filled with such goodies as mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries, Cool Whip, crushed pineapple, and more.

It can be difficult to know whether to classify the dish as a side dish, salad, or dessert…so maybe we’ll just call it a dessert salad. 🙂

Pistachio fluff is one of those time-honored traditions that’s known by many different names.

Some of these include Watergate salad, pistachio salad, green goddess fluff, pistachio fruit fluff salad, and pistachio delight.

The original recipe for pistachio pudding salad is said to have been published in a newspaper around the time of the Watergate scandal, which is why some people call it Watergate salad.

It’s similar to ambrosia salad, but without the mandarin oranges.

But no matter what you call it, this is a vintage favorite that everybody enjoys!

It’s perfect for holiday gatherings, potluck dinners, backyard BBQs, and more! In fact, it’s one of our favorite pistachio pudding dessert recipes!

What is Pistachio Fluff?

If you’ve never encountered a large bowl of the green stuff at a family gathering, church potluck, or other such event, you may be wondering what “fluff salad recipes” even are.

This pistachio dessert is sort of like a creamy fruit salad, made with instant pistachio pudding mix and whipped topping.

These ingredients automatically make this a cool and creamy dessert with a lovely pastel green color.

It’s ideal for St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, summer Potlucks, church dinners, and more!

For some extra texture, our pistachio fluff recipe includes some crushed pineapple (with its pineapple juice), mini marshmallows, chopped pistachios, and some maraschino cherries for garnish.

Some people like to add cottage cheese for a bit of tang and protein, but we prefer to leave it out.

If you want to add some in, we recommend using small curd cottage cheese.

But this is one of those easy recipes that’s perfect for those times when you want an easy no bake dessert that won’t be too heavy after a big meal.

It only requires a handful of ingredients, and you can enjoy a pistachio fluff fruit salad in just minutes!

More Pistachio Pudding Recipes You’ll Love:

• No Bake Pistachio Cream Pie
• Pistachio Pudding Cookies with Cherries
• Easy Pistachio Bread
• Pistachio Pudding Cookies
• Pistachio Ooey Gooey Cake
• No-Churn Pistachio Ice Cream
• Pistachio Whoopie Pies
• Pistachio Banana Bread
• Holiday Pistachio Cranberry Bread
• Easy Pistachio Cake
• Homemade Pistachio Muffins
• Pistachio Puppy Chow
• Pistachio Cupcakes
• Easy Pistachio Sheet Cake
• No-Bake Pistachio Cheesecake
• Pistachio Kiss Cookies

How to Make Pistachio Fluff

It’s easier than you think to whip up a batch of pistachio mallow salad in just minutes! Here’s our favorite way to make this old-school recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• Pistachio instant pudding mix
• Canned crushed pineapple in juice
• Whipped topping, such as Cool Whip
• Mini marshmallows
• Chopped pistachios
• Maraschino cherries

How to Make it:

(Full printable recipe card is available below)

Combine juice and pudding mix. Drain the canned pineapple, reserving the juice. In a large bowl, whisk together the juice with the pistachio pudding mix until fully moistened. It will look like green goop at this point, but that’s okay!

Add whipped topping. Gently fold in the whipped topping, just until combined and no streaks remain.

Add mix-ins. Fold in the crushed pineapple, marshmallows, and pistachios until uniformly combined.

Chill. Refrigerate the mixture for a least 4-6 hours, allowing it to chill completely. You can also allow it to chill overnight if needed.

Serve. When ready to serve, you can add maraschino cherries on top of the bowl or simply add them to individual servings.

You can also garnish with some more chopped pistachios!

Notes and Adaptations:

• Feel free to add different nuts to your jello salad, such as chopped pecans or walnuts, if preferred.
• You can use lite whipped topping if you prefer, or make your own.
• If you can’t find crushed pineapple, canned pineapple tidbits would be the next best choice.
• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Keep in mind that the pineapple will continue to release juices over time, which can cause the marshmallows to soften more. We think it’s best when eaten within 1-2 days.

Be sure to save this to your dessert or side dish board on Pinterest!