Best Waldorf Salad Recipe - Food Lovin Family (2024)

Home Salad Waldorf Salad Recipe with Yogurt

By Heather

5 from 14 votes

Jan 29, 2019, Updated Feb 10, 2024

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Waldorf salad is a classic recipe filled with apples, grapes, and nuts. A family favorite that is always served at holiday gatherings. This creamy fruit salad is always a hit.

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This is one of those dishes that always makes an appearance during a holiday meal like pea salad, ambrosia salad, and Watergate salad. Creamy and slightly sweet, it has become a dish my kids ask for on every special occasion.

What is an Apple Waldorf Salad?

This salad is made with fruit and nuts and typically has a mayonnaise dressing served on lettuce. Oscar Tschirky, who worked at the New York City Waldorf Astoria hotel in 1896 is credited with developing the recipe for a charity ball that was held at the hotel.

The original classic waldorf salad recipe consisted of apples, celery, and mayonnaise.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Greek vanilla yogurt – Used to make the creamy dressing for the salad. You can also substitute with plain Greek yogurt to cut down on the sweetness.
  • Honey – Adds a hint of sweetness to the dish.
  • Lemon juice – Lemon juice helps to prevent the apples from browning.
  • Apples – Use your favorite apples like green apples, red apples, honey crisp apples, fuji apples, or others.
  • Grapes – Red grapes and green grapes are used for this recipe but you can also just use red or green.
  • Celery – Diced celery adds a nice crunch.
  • Pecans – Chopped pecans add more crunch and flavor.

Variations

Want a little something different? Try some of these add-ins.

  • If you don’t have yogurt, try using mayonnaise or sour cream for a tangy flavor.
  • To make this a full meal, try adding shredded or chopped chicken.
  • Try a little added texture with dried fruit like raisins, golden raisins, or cranberries.
  • Different fruit like mandarin oranges or diced pears are also great additions.
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How to make this Recipe for Waldorf Salad

This recipe uses Greek yogurt instead of the classic mayonnaise. If you prefer mayonnaise, feel free to substitute.

  1. Start by making the dressing. Stir together the Greek yogurt, honey, and lemon juice.
  2. Cut apples and celery into small pieces and cut grapes in half.
  3. Pour dressing over apples, celery, grapes, and nuts. Stir until everything is covered.
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Recipe Tips

  • If you like your salad a little sweeter you can add a pinch of sugar or use vanilla Greek yogurt.
  • Make sure to choose crisp apples for the salad so that it doesn’t become mushy in texture.
  • Make sure to cut fruit in bite size pieces.
  • Toss the apples in the dressing as soon as they are cut. The lemon juice acid in the dressing is key to preventing browning of the fruit.
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How long will this Waldorf Salad Recipe with Yogurt last?

This salad will last about two days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can make it the night before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Where does Waldorf salad originate from?

The Waldorf salad was first introduced in 1893 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The executive chef, Edouard Beauchamp and the maitre d’hotel, Oscar Tschirky came up with the simple salad.

What do you eat Waldorf with?

This salad pairs well with a variety of dishes like ham, chicken, and pork.

How do you keep apples from turning brown in Waldorf salad?

The acid in the lemon juice will help prevent the apples from turning brown.

More salad recipes

  • Chicken salad is a delicious salad with a hint of spice and vegetables.
  • Egg salad is creamy and perfect for an on the go lunch.
  • Tuna salad – A classic, easy dish.
  • Salmon salad – Similar to tuna salad.

Best Waldorf Salad Recipe - Food Lovin Family (6)

5 from 14 votes

Waldorf Salad without Mayo

By Heather

Waldorf Salad with Greek yogurt.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
  • 1 tablesppon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 apple diced
  • 1/2 cup green grapes, sliced in half
  • 1/2 cup red grapes, sliced in half
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • lettuce, optional

Instructions

  • Stir together yogurt, lemon juice and honey in a bowl.

  • Add diced apples, grapes, celery and pecans. Pour dressing over ingredients and stir until covered. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

  • If you like your salad a little sweeter you can add a pinch of sugar or use vanilla Greek yogurt.
  • Make sure to cut fruit in bite size pieces.

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 3.6mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

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FAQs

What fruit does a Waldorf salad typically contain? ›

What fruit does a Waldorf salad typically contain? Waldorf salads are typically made with apples and grapes, along with celery, walnuts, and a mayonnaise dressing, all served on a bed of lettuce.

What are 5 components of a satisfying salad? ›

There are five elements to a perfect salad: greens, sweetness, creaminess, crunchiness, and dressing.

How to make a salad better? ›

How to Make a Salad You'll Actually Want to Eat
  1. 1: Think Beyond Lettuce and Greens.
  2. 2: Add Heft with Grains and Nuts.
  3. 3: Add Beans or Other Proteins.
  4. 4: Make Your Own Homemade Salad Dressing.
  5. 5: Make it a Flavor Party.
Jan 18, 2024

What is the main ingredient which forms the foundation of the Waldorf salad? ›

The original recipe consisted only of diced red-skinned apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts were added later to this now American classic.

Does Waldorf salad contain celery? ›

A Waldorf salad is a fruit and nut salad generally made of celery, fresh apples, walnuts, and grapes, dressed in mayonnaise, and traditionally served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer or a light meal. The apples, celery, and grapes can all be green, which harmonizes the color palette of the dish.

What can I put in a salad to make it more interesting? ›

Add spices and flavours such as paprika, chilli flakes, curry powder, harissa or parmesan. Add acidity or sourness with vinegar, lemon juice or pomegranate molasses to transform your salad.

What is the most popular salad ingredients? ›

A typical salad starts with raw greens, such as lettuce, spinach, kale, mixed greens or arugula. However, you can also add several other raw vegetables. Some popular raw veggie toppings include chopped carrots, onions, cucumbers, celery, mushrooms and broccoli.

What ingredient is used to improve the taste and richness of flavor of salad? ›

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Adds richness and a “fullness” to a lusterless, dry salad. 2. Salt: Subdues bitter flavors and perks up the rest of them.

What are the three 3 keys to a quality salad? ›

The three keys to ensuring a quality salad are:
  • freshness of ingredients.
  • the ingredients blend together in harmony.
  • appealing to the eye.

What binds a salad all together? ›

Bound Salad

Bound salads are held together with a binding agent like mayonnaise or a thick dressing. They look a bit different than traditional composed or tossed salads, as vegetables aren't a requirement.

What are the three keys to a quality salad? ›

The three keys to ensuring a quality salad are:
  • The freshness of ingredients.
  • Having all the ingredients blend together in harmony.
  • Making sure the salad is appealing to the eye.

What is the healthiest salad you can eat? ›

Best: Spinach or Kale Salad

They have the most nutrients. Case in point: Kale and spinach have over 10 times more immune-boosting vitamins A and C than iceberg lettuce.

How to make salad at home taste like restaurant? ›

Do This to Make Restaurant-Quality Salads at Home
  1. Use the freshest ingredients. Pre-bagged salads may make life easier, but they taste kind of blah. ...
  2. Choose the right lettuce. ...
  3. Add some crunch. ...
  4. Add color. ...
  5. Include protein. ...
  6. Give it some bulk. ...
  7. Mix sweet with savory. ...
  8. Add herbs.
Jun 27, 2023

What are the healthiest vegetables to put in a salad? ›

Some of the most nutritious greens include spinach, kale, romaine, watercress, and arugula (see "Salad greens by the numbers").

Which fruits does the fruit salad contain? ›

Common ingredients used in fruit salads include strawberries, pineapple, honeydew, watermelon, grapes, and kiwifruit. Various recipes may call for the addition of nuts, fruit juices, certain vegetables, yogurt, or other ingredients. One variation is a Waldorf-style fruit salad, which uses a mayonnaise-based sauce.

What fruit is in a fruit salad sweet? ›

Fruit Salad is a type of "raspberry & pineapple flavour chew" according to its packaging. It is a chewy confectionery.

Which type of salad is usually sweet and contains fruits and nuts? ›

Dessert salads are usually sweet, often containing fruits, sweetened gelatin, nuts, cream, and/or whipped cream. The BASE or UNDERLINER of the salad is usually a layer of greens. The BODY of the salad is the main ingredient.

What are the features of fruit salad? ›

With the right quantity and type of fruits, a fruit salad can work wonders for you, for it will provide you with a power-packed dose of fibre, vitamins and antioxidants. At the same time, you will also get a wide range of health benefits, right from lower blood pressure levels to weight management.

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