Waldorf Salad Recipe

Creamy and light, this Waldorf Salad Recipe is a mix of apples, celery, grapes, and walnuts, tossed in a delicious Greek yogurt dressing. It comes together in just 15 minutes for an easy and refreshing side dish!

You may also love my easy grape salad recipe.

You simply cannot go wrong with a flavorful fruit salad, like this classic Waldorf Salad! It’s super quick & easy to make, and the combination of sweet fruit, crunchy walnuts, and a creamy dressing will have everyone coming back for more! I love to serve this at potlucks and parties, it’s also a great addition to holiday meals because it’s colorful and pairs well with turkey and ham.

Recipe Highlight

• Easy to make: All you need is a handful of ingredients and just about 10 minutes of hands-on time to chop everything up and toss it together.
• Flavorful: With the perfect blend of flavors and textures — creamy, sweet, and crunchy. Waldorf salad is a crowd favorite!
• Versatile: This salad is a great dish to serve at barbecues, picnics, parties, and alongside any holiday spread. You can also change up the fruit and other ingredients with whatever you’re craving!

Ingredients for waldorf salad

This simple Waldorf salad recipe is packed with fresh ingredients and tossed with a tangy, slightly sweet creamy dressing. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Apples: Feel free to use any favorite apple variety, or even both red and green apples for a nice pop of color and extra flavor.
• Honey & lemon juice: Just 1 tbsp honey adds sweetness, and lemon juice keeps the apples from browning.
• Celery: Diced celery sticks add a crisp, fresh crunch to the dish.
• Seedless grapes: For extra color, I like to use a mix of purple grapes and green grapes.
• Walnuts: A traditional ingredient in Waldorf salad for a delicious nutty crunch.
• Kosher salt: Balances out the sweetness and brings the flavors to life.
• Greek yogurt & mayonnaise: I like to use half Greek yogurt and half mayo for a perfectly creamy, yet lighter dressing.

How to make waldorf salad

1. Prep the apples: Quickly dice the apples and place them in a mixing bowl. Stir in the honey and lemon juice.
2. Add the other salad ingredients: Mix in the celery, grapes, walnuts, and a pinch of salt.

3. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt and mayonnaise until combined. Add this mixture over the salad and toss to coat.
4. Chill & serve: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, to allow the flavors to meld.

Recipe Tips

• The best apples for this dish are crisp and crunchy! If you’d like to use a red and green apple, try a Granny Smith apple and a Honey Crisp, Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady apple.
• For extra flavor, try toasting the walnuts. You can toast them in a small pan on the stove over medium heat for a couple of minutes or in the oven at 350 degrees F. for about 7 minutes, and until they’re lightly golden and fragrant.
• This is a great make-ahead salad! Assemble it up to 4 hours before you plan to enjoy. Simply, store it covered in the refrigerator, and then give it a good stir before serving.
• Waldorf salad can be served as a side to turkey, ham, steak, or chicken. I also love serving this with sandwiches, or for a light main, scoop it over butter lettuce cups.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

I adore this salad exactly as-is, however, you might want to try switching up the recipe to use up ingredients you have on hand or for a different taste. Here are some options:

• Add protein: To make this a complete meal, try adding diced or shredded chicken.
• Change up the dressing: Mix up any of the following using a total of 1/2 cup: non-fat yogurt, Miracle Whip, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or mayonnaise or light mayonnaise.
• Extra additions: You can add in or take out anything to make this salad your own. Dried cranberries or raisins would be wonderful and diced avocado would add an extra bit of creaminess.
• Nuts: Walnuts are the classic option for this fruit salad, however, you can also use pecans or almonds, if you prefer. You could also omit the nuts for a nut-free recipe.

Storage recommendations

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. If it’s been sitting in the fridge long, give it a good stir before enjoying it.

More salad recipes

• Jennifer Aniston Salad
• Grilled Chicken Apple Spinach Salad
• Italian Kale Salad Jar
• Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Salad
• Healthy Chicken Taco Salad
• Chickpea and Feta Salad
• Chicken Arugula Salad

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