Watergate Salad

Watergate Salad is a classic, crowd-pleasing side dish everyone loves. Creamy, light, and perfect for get-togethers, picnics, or the dinner table, it’s made with Cool Whip, marshmallows, pistachio pudding, and pineapple. Best of all, it’s incredibly easy to make.

Watergate Salad is a classic, crowd-pleasing side dish everyone loves. Creamy, light, and perfect for get-togethers, picnics, or the dinner table, it’s made with Cool Whip, marshmallows, pistachio pudding, and pineapple. Best of all, it’s incredibly easy to make.

This Watergate Salad recipe is one I grew up with every holiday. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July, and so on – if you name the holiday, it was there.

It’s a classic, and I honestly thought for years that this side dish was just for me. It wasn’t until recently I found out this dish is more than just a tradition in my family, but many, many, many other families, too.

Of course, everyone has their twist on this classic, and my mom always made her Watergate Salad with no walnuts because of my sister’s allergies.

But since all of my kids love walnuts, we add them back in, and to add some extra holiday cheer, we add some chopped cranberries, which makes this version of Watergate Salad look perfectly festive.

Easy Watergate Salad Recipe

My favorite thing about this Watergate Salad recipe is its ease. This is a great side dish that doesn’t need the oven, stovetop or a ton of refrigerator space. You can make it a day or two in advance or immediately before; it only takes minutes to prepare. 

how to make watergate salad

In a medium/large mixing bowl, add Cool Whip and pistachio pudding and beat until combined and you can no longer see any of the pudding powder.

Add crushed pineapple and beat again until well combined. Stir in marshmallows, walnuts & dried cranberries (optional).

Top with a sprinkle of dried cranberries and walnuts, and serve immediately. Or cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

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