FOOD NEWS
What's The Difference Between Ambrosia And Watergate Salads?
BY EMMA SEGREST
At first glance, you might not be able to tell the difference between Watergate and ambrosia salads, but each has distinct features and a unique history.
Watergate salad consists of pineapple, walnuts, pistachio pudding mix, a whipped topping like Cool Whip, and marshmallows. It's sweet, refreshing, and a great textural array.
It's believed that Watergate salad got its name from a cake that used similar ingredients with a nearly identical taste. It reached its height of popularity in the '70s.
Ambrosia salad has flavors of coconut, pecans, mandarin oranges, pineapple, marshmallows, Cool Whip, and sour cream, which adds a slightly savory and tart finish to the dish.
The sour cream is what makes ambrosia salad unique. Its name comes from Greek mythology, where ambrosia was referred to as the food of the gods.
A big difference between the two salads is the flavors. Watergate has a nutty, sweet flavor from the pistachio flavoring while ambrosia features a prominent coconut flavor.
Another dead giveaway is the signature minty green color of a Watergate salad that comes courtesy of the pistachio pudding blend while ambrosia salad has a white color.