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 is Waldorf salad dressing made of? ›

Waldorf Salad Ingredients

These are the simple ingredients you'll need to make this restaurant-worthy Waldorf salad recipe at home: For the dressing: mayonnaise, white sugar, lemon juice, and salt. For the salad: apples, celery, walnuts, and (optional) raisins.

What fruit does a Waldorf salad typically contain? ›

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.

Does Waldorf salad contain celery? ›

Classic – This recipe has been around since the late 1800's in New York City at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. There are different variations, but they all contain the typical Waldorf salad ingredients of apples, celery, grapes, and nuts in a mayonnaise based dressing.

How to make salads yummier? ›

Toss on a little something extra.

Try herbs, fruit, grains or cheese. Here the list is truly endless. When it comes to grains, go whole and choose something like quinoa, bulgur, farro, or wheat berries. With cheeses like goat or feta, a little goes a long way to add flavor.

What is the most popular salad dressing in the world? ›

Most Famous Dressings in the World
  1. Ranch Dressing. The ranch is a salad dressing or dip made with buttermilk, salt, garlic, onions, herbs (dill, parsley, chives, etc.), and spices (mustard seeds, black pepper, paprika, etc.) ...
  2. Fry Sauce. ...
  3. Chermoula. ...
  4. Blue Cheese Dressing. ...
  5. Thousand Island Dressing. ...
  6. Italian Dressing.

Is Waldorf salad a carbohydrate fat or protein? ›

Waldorf Salad (1 cup) contains 14.9g total carbs, 11.7g net carbs, 20.8g fat, 2g protein, and 242 calories.

What country is Waldorf salad from? ›

According to the American Century Cookbook, the first Waldorf salad was created in New York City in 1893, by Oscar Tschirky, the maître d'hôtel of the Waldorf Astoria. The original recipe consisted only of diced red-skinned apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts were added later to this now American classic.

What is ambrosia salad made of? ›

Ambrosia Fruit Salad

The best Ambrosia Salad recipe is made with pineapple, mandarin oranges, yogurt, mini marshmallows, coconut and whipped cream. This easy side dish has a delicious tropical sweetness and is always a crowd favorite!

What is the meaning of Waldorf salad? ›

noun. Wal·​dorf salad ˌwȯl-ˌdȯrf- : a salad usually containing apples, celery, nuts, and mayonnaise. Etymology. named for the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

What is the Bella Hadid salad? ›

Here's how to make the viral Bella Hadid salad with arugula, cucumber, bell pepper, avocado and parmesan all drizzled with lemon juice, olive oil and a balsamic glaze. It's light, refreshing and so easy to whip up!

Is celery a good substitute for lettuce? ›

9. Celery. Celery is a fresh, crunchy and hydrating vegetable just like lettuce. Celery leaves and stalks can be used in both salads and sandwiches.

What foods is celery hidden in? ›

You will find celery in:
  • Stock cubes and gravy granules.
  • Soups, stews and broths.
  • Salads, dressings and sauces.
  • Spice mixes.
  • Condiments such as marmite.
  • Crisps.
  • Tomato juice and smoothies.
Jan 10, 2022

Why does restaurant lettuce taste better? ›

Restaurants salt their salads.

In the restaurant I worked in, I also noticed that cooks seasoned every element with a pinch of salt — even the lettuce. This resulted in every bite tasting vibrant and flavorful. "Season your salad just like you would anything else," Simpson said.

Why do my salads never taste good? ›

The greens should be as dry as possible in order for the dressing or vinaigrette to adhere to them properly for even seasoning. Also, be sure to keep your ingredients in the fridge until you're ready to add them to the salad. Tepid or warm ingredients are the enemy of most good salads—the refreshing and crisp ones!

What to add to salad to make it taste better? ›

Think cubes of smoked cheese or chunks of smoked fish. Other add-ins to try: briny olives, salty capers, tangy sauerkraut, full-flavored blue cheese or gorgonzola, or a spoonful of jarred mango chutney. It's all about adding a bit of wow factor to make it even more appetizing to have salads on your daily menu.

What is buttermilk salad dressing made of? ›

Buttermilk salad dressing is very similar to a classic ranch dressing, but just pared down a little bit. This simple mix is a blend of rich mayonnaise, tangy buttermilk, punchy garlic, herbs (here, parsley or dill), and usually a little more acid from either lemon juice or a splash of vinegar.

What is salad dressing made of? ›

It's a basic recipe made simply with olive oil, lemon juice (or vinegar), garlic, Dijon, salt and pepper that can be whipped up in just 5 minutes. And I'm telling you — this salad dressing somehow magically works with just about any type of salad you might be craving!

What's the difference between Miracle Whip mayonnaise and salad dressing? ›

In order to be labeled “mayonnaise” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that a product have at least 65% vegetable oil in it by weight. Miracle Whip doesn't meet this qualification, so it is called a “dressing” by the FDA.

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