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If you love a sweet salad filled with pineapple, marshmallows, pecans, Cool Whip, and pistachio pudding, then this Easy Watergate Salad is just perfect! A deliciously cool and creamy addition to any dinner plate, this salad is impressive yet very quick and easy with only 5 ingredients.

Easy Watergate Salad

Easy Watergate Salad

This incredibly easy Watergate Salad is perfect for your holiday dinner table, but you might also want to make it any weeknight just because it’s delicious. Simply toss the ingredients into a bowl, stir, and chill for a short time–so simple!

While you’re here, check out these other sweet salad recipes: Easy Orange Creamsicle Salad | Ambrosia Salad | Twix Caramel Apple Salad | Strawberry Pretzel Salad

The Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make the watergate salad (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the printable recipe card):

  • Instant pistachio Jell-O pudding mix
  • Canned crushed pineapple
  • Miniature marshmallows
  • Chopped pecans
  • Cool Whip

ingredients to make Easy Watergate Salad

How to Make Easy Watergate Salad

Start by mixing together the dry pudding mix, crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, and chopped pecans.

stirring together pecans, crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, and Jello mix

Next, fold in the thawed Cool Whip until well combined.

watergate salad in a mint green bowl

Chill the watergate salad until you’re ready to serve.

Easy Watergate Salad with mini marshmallows and pecans

You may want to serve the salad in one large bowl, or you can scoop it into individual ramekins, cups, small bowls, or mugs. Individual servings are a really lovely presentation!

Easy Watergate Salad in glass mugs

Substitutions and Toppings

Nuts – Instead of pecans, you could use chopped walnuts or pistachios.

Whipped cream – If you prefer real whipped cream to Cool Whip, you can definitely use your homemade whipped cream instead.

Toppings – For an extra pretty touch, top the watergate salad with a big dollop of Cool Whip and a maraschino cherry (or a few!).

Easy Watergate Salad

How to Store Leftovers

Keep the leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Easy Watergate Salad

More Recipes You’ll Love

5 from 139 votes

Easy Watergate Salad

If you love a sweet salad filled with pineapple, marshmallows, Cool Whip, and pistachio pudding, then this Easy Watergate Salad is just perfect! A deliciously cool and creamy addition to any dinner plate, this salad is impressive yet very quick and easy.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 8
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Start by mixing together the dry pudding mix, crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, and chopped pecans. 
  • Next, fold in the thawed Cool Whip until well combined.
  • Chill the watergate salad until you're ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 213kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 205mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 2gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 89IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Easy Watergate Salad on Pinterest

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Jill

About Jill Mills

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5 from 139 votes (62 ratings without comment)

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163 Comments

  1. Deb L says:

    Do you use 1 small box of pudding mix

    1. Jill says:

      Hi Deb. Yes, you will use one small box.

  2. June says:

    5 stars
    Very easy to make and so pretty. Favorite around here.

  3. Catrina says:

    5 stars
    Love this!! So easy to make and disappears quickly. It’s made it into my go-to dish to make for potlucks as well. Haven’t had a negative comment at all.

  4. Leslee says:

    5 stars
    Did the pistachio salad with walnuts. YUMM. Such an easy recipe, can’t keep my husband from making more..lol

  5. Diana Wilson says:

    I lightened my Watergate Salad with sugar free pudding and light cool whip without altering the flavor.

  6. Patty says:

    5 stars
    It was very good & super easy to make.

  7. Kathy says:

    5 stars
    I love this recipe! Very good and easy to make.

  8. greg M says:

    5 stars
    I need to make delicious my family loved it I’ll make it all the time

  9. Amy says:

    5 stars
    Delicious and so easy! The added nuts make it even better.

  10. Lori says:

    5 stars
    This is a favorite of my grandkids.