Apple Pie Salad (Vegan)

I dare you to challenge me for calling this sweet, creamy dessert a salad! It’s a salad and that’s all there is to it.

Watergate Salad is one of those love it or hate it kind of recipes, and I LOVE IT! The marshmallows, nuts, and creamy cool whip hold a special place in my heart and I love making it for special occasions. I wondered, why isn’t there a Fall version of Watergate Salad or Cherry Fluff? So I decided to combine the flavors of apple pie with the nostalgic flavors of those southern potluck salads we all crave and keep it vegan.

This apple dessert starts with a can of apple pie filling that’s mixed with pudding and whipped topping and a few other ingredients for a new twist on a vintage holiday recipe that can be a dessert or a side! It is a salad afterall.

Why You’ll Love Apple Pie Salad

• Nostalgic fluff salad texture
• Fall apple dessert flavor
• Ready in 5 minutes
• Easy to make ahead

Key Ingredients in Apple Pie Salad

• Vegan Cool Whip alternative (I love the SO Delicious brand)
• Apple Pie Filling (store bought works best here because the apples are still crisp)
• Vegan Marshmallows (I like the Dandies brand)
• Vanilla Instant Pudding mix (like jello instant pudding yes, it’s vegan friendly pudding)
• Pecans
• Cinnamon
• Soy or almond milk

Tips for Making Apple Pie Salad

Mix the marshmallows in just before serving. The marshmallows can deteriorate a little as the salad sits, so to keep the best texture add them just a few minutes before serving.

You can make this recipe the day before and it will keep great in the fridge, just add the marshmallows just before serving.

Add extra fall spices to amp up the flavor like apple pie spice, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, or cloves. Just start with a dash, don’t go overboard or you can ruin the flavor.

Serve with Nilla Wafers or Graham Crackers to turn this salad into a dip!

How to Make Apple Pie Salad

To make Apple Pie Salad, combine the vanilla pudding mix with some soy milk or almond milk and whisk together until most of the lumps are gone. Then add that to a large bowl along with all the other ingredients except marshmallows into a large mixing bowl. Stir until fully combined, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Then stir in the marshmallows and top with extra apple pie filling and pecans if you want to make it look pretty!

Store fluff salads in the fridge for up to two days.

Other Recipes to Try:

Vegan Rotel Dip

Homemade Vegan Star Crunch