Waldorf Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love this Waldorf Salad Recipe:

• CLASSIC: It’s always fun to make old school recipes! This one has been around since 1896, making it certified vintage. Why mess with the original when it tastes this good?
• FRUITY: The apples and grapes lend a fruity flavor to every bite, which is beautifully complimented by the sweet honey and fresh lemon juice in the dressing.
• THE TEXTURES: You have leafy greens, candied walnuts, juicy grapes, crisp apples, and crunchy celery in this salad. All of those varying textures make for seriously satisfying bites!

What is a Waldorf salad?

Waldorf salad is a salad named for the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City, where it was created. It includes fresh apples, celery, walnuts, and grapes coated in a mayonnaise dressing and served over a bed of lettuce.

Is Waldorf salad sweet or savory?

It’s a little bit of both! The fruits and nuts contribute sweetness and tartness, the celery adds saltiness, and the dressing adds a savory, creamy component.

What are the best apples for Waldorf salad?

You can use any kinds of apples you like in this salad. I like to do one red apple (like Honey Crisp or Gala) and one green apple (like Golden Delicious or Granny Smith) for more variety and color.

How do I prevent the apples in Waldorf salad from browning?

To prevent browning, toss the cut apples in lemon juice.

• You can substitute Greek yogurt for up to half of the mayonnaise in the dressing.
• For a sweeter salad, you can fold some whipped cream into the dressing and mini marshmallows into the salad.
• Use your favorite variety of apples in this salad, or try it with chopped pears!
• You can use red or green grapes in this salad, or try a mix of both.
• Instead of walnuts, try pecans, almonds, or pistachios!
• Try adding dried fruits, such as raisins, dates, or dried cranberries!
• Instead of mixed greens, you can serve over any lettuce you like or enjoy the salad as is without lettuce.
• Add leftover shredded or diced chicken, turkey, or tofu to this salad to make it a meal. It’s great as a sandwich!

• Use crisp varieties of apples. Crisp apples will stay crunchy for longer once dressed. Honey Crisp, Gala, and Red Delicious are great crisp red apples, while Golden Delicious and Granny Smith are great crisp green apples.
• Try to chop all of the ingredients to about the same size. It’ll make the salad more uniform and allow you to get a bit of everything in each bite.
• Sprinkle the cut apples with lemon juice to prevent browning. You can add a little sugar to enhance the sweetness as well.
• Toast the nuts for a deeper flavor.
• Mix the dressing together before adding the fruit to ensure that everything gets evenly coated.
• Add the nuts just before serving. Nuts go stale quickly, especially when refrigerated.