Watergate Salad

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Total: 4 hr 15 min (includes chilling time)
  • Active: 15 min
The combination of fresh whipped cream with pineapple and marshmallows makes this pistachio-flavored classic an enduring showstopper. Our version adds a bit of cream cheese to the whipped cream, providing a welcome tang to the sweet notes. Although the origin of the name might be cloudy (some say it was a newspaper that renamed Kraft's pistachio pineapple delight with the name of the famous Washington, D.C. hotel), no one will dispute its appeal at the dessert table.
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Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 

3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 

One 20-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice 

One 3.4-ounce box instant pistachio pudding mix, such as Jell-O 

1 cup chopped walnuts 

1 cup mini marshmallows 

8 maraschino cherries, drained

Directions

  1. Slowly whisk the heavy cream into the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until very smooth, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until medium-stiff peaks form.
  2. Combine the pineapple (with juice), pistachio pudding mix and 3/4 cup of the walnuts in a separate bowl until the pudding mix is dissolved. 
  3. Fold in the marshmallows and 2 cups of the whipped cream-cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours. 
  4. To serve, spoon into small bowls and top with the remaining whipped cream-cream cheese mixture, remaining 1/4 cup walnuts and the maraschino cherries. 

Cook’s Note

To cut down on prep time, use store-bought whipped topping instead of making the whipped cream-cream cheese mixture.

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Amy Rothrock

Delicious! I love pistachio pudding, so it would be the next best thing to make this.

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