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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.
My kids love it
So here is the thing. When I make this waldorf salad, my kids think I’ve made dessert and save it for the end lol. I mean I can’t really blame them. Fruits combined with some creamy goodness is something I would want to have for dessert myself. Get them to chop those fruits with you too!
Ingredients for Waldorf salad
Below is a quick visual and list of ingredients I used to make this salad. Full measurements are listed further down in the recipe card. 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
Here is a step-by-step visual on how I made it. You can always also refer to the recipe card for measurements.
Step 1: Prep the apples: Quickly dice the apples and place them in a mixing bowl. Stir in the honey and lemon juice.
2- In a bowl, add the chopped grapes, apples, and celery.
Step 3: Top the fruits with the chopped walnuts and a pinch of salt.
Step 4: In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt and mayonnaise until combined. Add this mixture over the salad and toss to coat. 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
The salad recipe traditionally contains chopped walnuts. Feel free to substitute the walnuts with chopped pecans or almonds, if preferred.
To keep your apples looking nice and fresh for longer, I recommend mixing them with the lemon juice and honey immediately after dicing them. The acid from the lemon juice will lower the pH of the food surface and keep it from turning brown.
You can use any other nuts you like such as pecans, almonds, pistachios, pine nuts, or cashews. I personally like almonds or walnuts best.
Yes. Even though a bit of mayo gives it a nice taste, you may only use greek yogurt. Or you can also mix in a bit of cream cheese instead of the mayo.
You can add in some shredded rotisserie chicken. So good!
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.
I do not recommend freezing this salad.
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
If you try a recipe and you like it, leave me some feedback in the comment section below, and don’t forget to rate it! I would love it if you shared it with friends and family.
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Waldorf Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large apples, cored and diced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 2 cups mixed seedless grapes, halved or whole if small
- 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- a pinch Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Quickly dice the 2 large apples and place them in a mixing bowl. Stir in the 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Add in the 2 celery sticks, 2 cups mixed seedless grapes, 1/2 cup walnuts, and a pinch Kosher salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk the 1/4 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup mayonnaise until combined. Add this mixture over the salad and toss to coat.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, to allow the flavors to meld.
Video
Notes
- You may use any grapes you like
- Try to use lite mayo or avocado oil based mayo
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this salad ❤️
We really loved this salad. Different and tasty