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Green Stuff Recipe

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My  oh-so-easy Green Stuff recipe, more commonly called Watergate Salad. A fun and delicious dish that is perfect as a side or as dessert.

Do you have a favorite recipe from your childhood? Something that’s your go-to when you need something quick and easy…and completely yummy? 

My Green Stuff recipe, that you could find at most of our family gatherings when I was growing up, is that special recipe for me.

green stuff with walnuts on top in a small white bowl

I’m not really sure who it came from and what its proper name really is, but we always referred to it as Green Stuff.

Probably because it’s….well, green. The green, that comes from the pistachio pudding mix, is what makes it fun.

Everybody in our family, young and old, absolutely loved it.

I’ve taken it to many holiday gatherings, parties and picnics since I started my own family and most people are afraid to even try it.

Maybe because of its green color?

I’m not sure but once they do, they love it too.

Not only is Green Stuff beyond yummy but it is truly the easiest recipe to make, with just 3 ingredients.

ingredients for green stuff recipe, whipped cream, pistachio pudding and crushed pineapple

I’m a traditionalist when it comes to my Green Stuff and stick to the main 3 ingredients, but it would also be fun to add mini marshmallows or walnuts for a little extra crunch.

ingredients laid out to make Green Stuff recipe

I know, I know…it’s not very sophisticated, and not even a little bit healthy for you. Every once in a while though, it’s good to have something green and totally delish.

That’s what life is all about.

green stuff in white bowl sprinkled with chopped pecans

Am I right?

Have you ever had Green Stuff (or more commonly called Watergate Salad or Pistachio Fluff)?

Looking for more easy holiday dessert recipes?

Pumpkin roll with mascarpone cream filling

Gluten free almond horn cookies

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Thanks so much for stopping by!

Yield: 8 servings

Easy Green Stuff Recipe

Easy Green Stuff Recipe

A quick and easy Green Stuff recipe that we always had at all of our family gatherings. So yummy and totally easy to make with just 3 ingredients.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple
  • 3.4 oz. box of instant pistachio pudding
  • 8 oz. container of Cool Whip, I used lite
  • 1 tsp. chopped pecans or walnuts, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Drain some of the juice from the crushed pineapple
  2. Add the pineapple, pudding mix and Cool Whip into the mixing bowl
  3. Gently fold ingredients, making sure you mix pudding well
  4. Sprinkle with chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
  5. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours
  6. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 141Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 13mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

Mention chatfieldcourt

44 Comments

  1. Marlene Stephenson says:

    I love your green stuff and my mom made it on holidays for all 20 of us it was easy and oh so good. Have a happy, Happy Thanksgiving.

    1. It’s pretty good, isn’t it?! Thanks for sharing, Marlene! Happy Thanksgiving to you!

  2. My mom made this for Christmas each year after she got the recipe from a family member. She has been gone over 40 years now (I was 25) and I still think of her when I make it for my family. I have a son who always asks for it at Christmas.

    1. I love stories like this! Green stuff goes way back in our family too. Thanks so much for sharing, Judy!

  3. This was my favorite dish my mom made, I am guessing her mom taught her but we used lime Jello, cottage cheese, whip cream and crushed pineapples and chilled. I always looked forward to our neighborhood picnic because I knew this dish was going to be there, so to pass it on I think I will take it to our National night out neighborhood gathering tonight! I think I need to try your version too! Thanks for sharing!

    1. Thanks so much, Heather! It’s so nice to hear about different versions and how families have handed down this easy but delish recipe. I hope that my girls do the same with our version. 🙂

  4. I have made this for years. Since my kids were little, and now they have families of their own. They laugh when I bring it for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but just about everyone loves it when they give it a try. It is Grandma’s funny green salad. So glad to see it is still around.

  5. Susan Scimeca says:

    I’ve had that and its pretty darn good.
    I make a favorite one out of orange jello, vanilla pudding, cool whip, crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges. I could eat the whole bowl by myself… lol

    1. It is good, isn’t it Susan? 😉 Oooh, I’ve never had it with orange Jello. I’ll have to give that one a try. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    2. Kimberly McMillan says:

      So you drain the juice to make this? I am dying to use vanilla pudding and orange Jello!! Any quantity changes?

      1. I’m not sure of the exact recipe that Susan is talking about, but I’ve seen several that you make with water so you need to drain the fruits that you use. I’ve never made it though. 😉

  6. Great Recipe, easy and fun

  7. Pistachio Salad! Ours has cottage cheese in it. We’ve had this as long as I can remember as a side to turkey dinners or steak suppers.

    1. Ooooh, never had it with cottage cheese. I’ll have to try it. 🙂

  8. Yum yum! My favorite green salad lol! We also add mini marshmallows and pecans!
    Thank you for sharing, Kristi ?

    1. My fave too Sandra! My hubs likes it with marshmallows too but I’m a traditionalist. 😉 Good either way.

      Thanks for stopping by and for rating my recipe, I appreciate it. 🙂

  9. Marlene Stephenson says:

    I got that recipe from my mom, it’s an original Jello recipe called Watergate salad. I would love to hear how it got it’s name,when my mom passed away i found it in her recipes and i love it.

    1. I’ve heard that it is called Watergate Salad but I don’t know the origins of the name. Everyone in my family just started calling it Green Stuff and it stuck. Whatever it is called, we all love it here.

      Thanks for stopping in to check it out! 🙂

  10. This is so bizarre! For years my Aunt made this for all occasions – big or small. I named it Aunt Frances’s Green Stuff about 30 years ago and even though she is gone now everyone in the family still refers to it by the original name.

    1. Wow, so cool. That’s how it was in our family too and although I now know that it’s called Watergate Salad, it will always be Green Stuff to me.

      Thanks so much for sharing your Green Stuff story! 😉

      K.

  11. We call it Watergate Salad in the South…we add marshmallows and pecans! Sooo good!

    1. Marshmallows and pecans do sound good Debbie. Thanks so much for the info on my Green Stuff and for stopping by.

      K.

    1. It is so easy and very good. Thanks for stopping by.

      K.

  12. So funny….I knew exactly what you meant when I saw the words GREEN STUFF…I have loved this dish for years. Thanks for sharing with the Thursday Blog Hop!

    1. Thank you for hosting Pam. Love coming to your Thursday Blog Hop! 🙂

      K.

  13. Hi Kristi, just came over from SSS. I’ve been around for awhile and this is called “Watergate Salad” because it was first served and was a signature salad at THE Watergate Hotel in Washington DC. Love this stuff and it’s just as good when you use sugar-free ingredients.

    1. Wow, thanks so much Debra. I don’t know why I never heard of that before. Now I’ll have to let my family know (also about the tip on sugar-free ingredients). 🙂

      Thanks for stopping over from SSS.

      K.

  14. My grandmother used to make that for holiday dinners, and I haven’t seen it in so long. But, I do have Cool Whip and pineapple, and now I’m tempted to go pick up some pudding! 🙂

    1. You must get some pudding Dee and make it. You must…;) I think my Aunt is the one who started our tradition. This is a tradition I’d like to keep too…yummy and easy. Doesn’t get any better.

      K.

  15. I made it for Thanksgiving this year. My recipe calls for miniature marshmallows as well. My mom used to make it but this is the first time for me. So easy but so good! With the lite cool whip I don’t really think it would be unhealthy. Better than pie, but I ate pie as well. LOL

    1. Marshmallows sound good Kerry. I’ve had another type of fruit salad with sour cream and marshmallows. I’ll have to try it next time.
      I ate pie and Green Stuff as well. I think you’re allowed extra desserts on Thanksgiving. 😉

      Thanks for dropping by today and sharing your tip.
      K.

  16. I have had green stuff, not sure if it’s the same green stuff but I have always wondered what was in it. So now I know and can make my own 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Your welcome! So simple but so good. If you make it once I’m sure you’ll make it again. 🙂

      K.

  17. Yes I remember green stuff! 🙂

    they often still have it in our grocery store deli section

    now if you are into old school jello recipes google Ribbon Jello ! 🙂 I remember making about 8 layers of that at the holidays and the kids loved it. But don’t make it and take it to a potluck picnic in the hot summer as the layers all slide off of each other. Ask me how I know, ha ha : )

    1. I didn’t know that you could find Green Stuff in the deli section. I’ll have to keep an eye out.

      I’ve never made ribbon jello but it looks fun. Thanks for the heads up on serving it in hot weather. Nothing like having your dessert melt into a puddle before you can eat it. LOL…too funny. 🙂

      Thanks so much for stopping in today Deb!
      K.

  18. I’ve never heard of “green stuff” but I’ve made a few different fruit salads throughout the years that have cool whip and/or pudding in them. My 22 yr old son loves that kind of thing so I think he’d also like the green stuff.
    I love to bake and pumpkin pie is what I’m asked to bring to the table. Funny thing is, I don’t even like pumpkin pie.

    1. I’m really surprised that so many have heard of it. I guess I live in a bubble. 😉 I would love to know if you make it and if your son likes it.
      I like to bake too but I’ve never baked pumpkin pie…my husband and I have never liked it. You are a good woman to make a dessert that you don’t like Shirlee. 😉

      It’s always great to hear from you.
      K.

  19. Love the recipe, anything less than 5 ingredients is great! My baked beans is my signature. Sometimes I get tired of people asking me to bring it when I ask, “What do you want me to bring?” I just started making this Pumpkin Roll. It is delis because it has cream cheese in it, but that is the best part. I will have to write it down and send it to you. Oh, and my chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese and peanut butter frosting! Mmmm!

    1. I know what you mean MJ. Sometimes you just want to make a different dish. Everyone usually has their favorites though and they look to that certain person to keep making it.

      Oooo, your pumpkin roll sounds yummy. My cousin used to make it years ago but it’s been so long since I’ve had it.
      All this talk of delicious desserts has made me hungry…I’m off to get a snack! 😉 Thanks for sharing.
      K.

  20. My mom loves this stuff! I have no clue where she found the recipe for it, or if it’s something she always knew of, it just randomly showed up one holiday season, and she makes it for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year. It’s super easy, and no, not very good for you, but it has pineapple, so that has to count for something, right?! My mom goes back and forth between green and red. I asked for orange once, but she said that wasn’t festive enough, ha! My mom calls it “cottage cheese salad”, though – I think she forgot what the recipe called it years ago!

    1. Ha…great story. I think it’s easy to get hooked on it and I’m not sure if it’s the taste, the ease of the recipe or the nutritious pineapple ;). Anyway, thanks so much for sharing your family’s Green Stuff story.

      K.

  21. Regarding the Green Stuff.. A couple of hand fulls of pretzels in this is great. Weird, I know. But trust this stranger on the internet! ha

    1. Never would have thought of that Karen. I’ll trust you, a stranger on the internet, and give it a go. 😉

      Thanks!
      K.

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