Pistachio Fluff Fruit Salad

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Making this pistachio salad is quick, easy, and cheap. It doesn’t matter if you call it watergate salad, pistachio fluff, or pistachio fruit salad, they’re all names for the same delicious dessert! 

Right now the way to my heart is pistachio salad. Remember when I used to think pistachio things were just for old people? Well, now I’m officially an old person. Pistachio salad all the way!

The salad kick I’m on lately is strong(hello, Cucumber Salad I posted last week). I love making this pistachio fluff style fruit salad. It’s cheap and easy to make, so easy, done in 5 minutes kind of easy, which makes it a winner for any party, gathering, or event.

I also just now realized I hardly ever cook/bake with pistachios so that’s pretty sad. There is my Pistachio Pasta which I made from a cookbook Mr. Wishes got me. I also have my Pistachio Muffins….which….YUM.

Another reason to love this delicious dessert recipe is the fact that there’s only a handful of ingredients in the recipe and it takes almost no time to whip up. It’s also really nice to bring a completely empty dish home from a party or BBQ…no need to worry about leftovers, there won’t be any! The creaminess, ugh. It’s absolutely wonderful.

I feel like every family has some kind of pistachio salad or watergate salad recipe floating around. It’s a staple dessert recipe all year long and thanks to simple ingredients it’s also something anyone can make, no matter how much or how little kitchen experience you have! 

Where does watergate salad get its name? 

It’s rumored that a Chicago based food editor renamed the salad after it was debuted by Kraft Kitchens to generate interest. The name certainly stuck and there are still folks around today who only know this pistachio salad as “Watergate salad”. 

What is in this watergate salad recipe? 

This simple but delicious fruity fluff salad has just seven ingredients. Most of them are probably already hanging around the house. If not, they’re easy to get and there’s nothing fancy included. You can also add your favorite ingredients if you aren’t seeing them in this list. 

This pistachio salad recipe is such a classic that a lot of family recipes also include other chopped nuts, more cherries, or even cottage cheese! Feel free to play with the ingredients and make this watergate salad recipe your own! 

• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple (with juice, do not drain)
• 1 (3 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
• 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, completely thawed
• 2 large bananas, sliced thin
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can fruit cocktail, drained
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange slices, drained

How to make pistachio salad: 

The recipe for pistachio fluff is as simple as the ingredients list. It’s just a few steps and you’ll have an amazing dessert that everyone will love. Let’s dive in and see just how easy this pistachio fruit salad is to make. 

1. Pour the instant pudding into a large mixing bowl.  Add crushed pineapple (with juice), and mix well. The juice is going to help mix up the pudding so don’t skip that part or drain your pineapple! 
2. Mix in whipped topping. Stir in bananas, marshmallows, fruit cocktail, and mandarin oranges. 
3. Cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

It’s just that simple! Keep in mind that you will want to give it plenty of time to chill. Making it in advance is better than having it be warm in my opinion! Honestly, the texture will be best once it has time to chill and for the flavors to all pull together so let this easy recipe sit after it’s finished before you serve it. 

That may be easier said than done, I know, everyone will be chomping at the bit to get a dish of this tasty dessert! 

Can I make pistachio fluff in advance? 

You can definitely make this watergate salad in advance. It lasts for several days in the refrigerator so feel free to make a batch ahead of time if you know you’ll be needing a delicious and crowd pleasing dessert. 

Tip: If you will NOT be serving the pistachio fruit salad right away, slice and add bananas at the last minute so they don’t turn brown/get mushy.

Can I double this pistachio fruit salad recipe? 

If you are feeding a crowd I would definitely suggest you double or even triple the recipe. It will get eaten, for sure, no doubt about it. Serve it alongside my Grilled Strip Steaks with Herb Compound Butter. Yum! 

The other nice thing is that making a huge batch of this tasty pistachio salad doesn’t cost very much and the extra servings add no extra work to the recipe itself. I like to keep the ingredients on hand so I can whip up a batch of watergate salad whenever I know we need a quick dessert. 

Everything except the bananas can be kept on hand in the pantry or the freezer, add these items to your next grocery list and give this recipe a try, you won’t be disappointed!

Now this is all I want to eat.

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