Waldorf Salad
Best enjoyed as a light lunch, appetizer, or side dish, this classic recipe for Waldorf Salad never disappoints! A medley of sweet apples and grapes, crunchy walnuts, and crisp celery are tossed together in a delightful homemade dressing. You’re going to love this refreshing summertime staple!
Waldorf Salad
So, what exactly is a Waldorf Salad? Essentially, it’s just apples, grapes, walnuts, and celery that are all tossed together in a light and creamy homemade dressing. The dressing features key ingredients like mayonnaise, low fat Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and more. If you’re trying to beat the heat this summer with some deliciously fresh flavors, this is the dish to do it with!
The unique name for this salad comes from none other than the historic Waldorf-Astoria hotel itself! The upscale hotel is credited for being the creator of this fruity salad. Way back in 1869, this salad was first tossed together and served at the hotel as part of a charity party that was being hosted there. I guess it was so popular that it stuck around not just for that night, but for the following 153 years.
One of the most satisfying elements of this easy to make salad (besides the sweet freshness of it) has got to be the crunch! Between the crunchy walnuts, fresh apples and sliced celery, there are plenty of textures here that you’ll love munching on. I love a salad that actually has a good chew to it, and this is certainly one of them! While this crunchy salad is tasty all by itself as a light lunch or appetizer, I also like to plate it as a side dish next to entrees like Roasted Chicken Breasts.
How to Make Waldorf salad
This salad with a highbrow name is SO easy to make! Don’t worry, this simple salad will still feel fun and fancy to serve to all your friends.
- Toss the salad ingredients. In a large bowl, toss together the grapes, apple, walnuts and celery. Set aside.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley and chives until smooth.
- Toss the dressing and salad together. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to combine.
- Serve or store, and enjoy! Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Variations to Try
- The two different colors of grapes are signature for this salad! However, you can just stick to one color if preferred.
- A low fat Greek yogurt is preferred, but a full fat one can also be used in the dressing. It shouldn’t drastically change the consistency or flavor.
- Red apples are used in this salad for their sweetness. In a pinch, you could use honeycrisp apples since they’re also sweet! Avoid green apples, as they’re fairly sour. However, if you like a more tart flavor as opposed to sweet, green apples might be better suited for your tastes!
Can Waldorf Salad be frozen?
Because of the freshness of the fruits, I do not recommend freezing this salad! The fruits will not hold up well in the freezer at all. Additionally, the dressing won’t freeze well due to the dairy products in it.
How should I chop the fruit?
For the best bite AND presentation value, try to chop up all of the fruits the same size. When they’re uniformed in size, the fruits look great tossed together and fit well on your fork. When you get a little bit of everything on your fork, it’s the best way to make sure you enjoy every single flavor and texture this salad has to offer all at once.
Toss up more of my favorite summertime salads!
- Chicken Waldorf Salad
- Sparkling Fruit Salad with Champagne Mimosa Dressing
- Peach Burrata Salad with Hot Honey Vinaigrette
- Watermelon Feta Salad with Blueberries and Cucumber
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Get the Recipe: Waldorf Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup halved red grapes
- 1 cup halved green grapes
- 2 cups chopped red apple
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup low fat greek yogurt
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon poppyseeds, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
Equipment
- bowl
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss together the grapes, apple, walnuts and celery. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, poppyseeds, salt, pepper, parsley and chives until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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