Healthier Waldorf Salad Recipe - How to Make it... (2024)

Waldorf salad reminds me of the holidays. It’s my mom’s favorite salad, so every Christmas or New Year’s Eve, it was included in the festive menu along with roasted turkey and mashed potatoes!

WALDORF SALAD

The recipe my mom used called for mayonnaise and whipped cream. I replaced them with low-calorie mayo and Greek yogurt.

Even my mom said it was the best Waldorf salad dressing recipe she ever tasted! So easy to make and really good.

So please, don’t deprive yourself of making the comfort food you love. Just make better ingredient choices. This delicious salad is perfect with my Bbq chicken wings, teriyaki chicken thighs, or chicken breast!

WHAT IS WALDORF SALAD?

Waldorf salad originated in the United States and it was first served at the Waldorf Hotel in 1893, hence the name. The recipe has been changed throughout the years.

The original one was a mixture of chopped apple and celery with a mayonnaise-based dressing. Later, nuts were added (usually walnuts) and grapes.

Over the years, variations have arisen. Some use raisins instead of grapes or use both green and red apples and green and red grapes. The mayonnaise dressing has also evolved as people started looking for healthier options like yogurt.

HOW DO YOU MAKE WALDORF SALAD?

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread roughly chopped walnuts on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast them in the oven for 10 mins
2. Make the dressing by whisking together yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey, and salt and pepper to taste
3. In a medium-sized bowl, place chopped apples, sliced red and green grapes, sliced celery, roasted walnuts, and craisins.
4. Add the dressing and toss carefully to coat everything well. Serve over a bed of butter lettuce leaves.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH WALDORF SALAD

Since this is a creamy recipe, I like to serve it with a strong flavored main dish like our Miso salmon, Brown sugar, and garlic chicken or our Cilantro lime chicken, please check them out. Also, I find it goes perfectly with a whole baked turkey or roasted meat dish.

WHAT CAN YOU ADD TO WALDORF SALAD?

The beauty of cooking is that you can change a recipe to your liking by changing the ingredients.

• You can add more than one type of apple for example a mix of red and green.
• If you like fresh grapes, you can use red or green grapes or both. If you want to change it a bit, you can use regular or golden raisins. I like to add craisins because I love how the tart flavor balances the creaminess of the dressing.
• Why not add pears as well as apples?
• Mayo can be replaced by non-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt for a healthier option. You can also use light mayo or like me, a combination of both.
• Some people like to add whipped cream to the dressing as well as mayo.
• Don’t like lemon juice in your dressings? By all means, replace it with apple cider or red wine vinegar.
• A nice way to upgrade this salad is to use pistachios instead of walnuts.

WALDORF SALAD DRESSING:

The keyword here is creamy. Great ingredients for the creamy base are mayonnaise, light mayonnaise, nonfat yogurt, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or whipped cream.

The creamy ingredient of your choice is mixed with a tart counterpart, which can be lemon juice or vinegar. Cider vinegar or red wine vinegar are great choices.

For the salty and sweet elements, add salt and pepper to taste and sugar, honey, or maple syrup.

TIPS FOR EASY WALDORF SALAD:

What I like to do is make the dressing first. That way, as soon as you chop the apples, you can mix them with the dressing and the acid present in it will keep them from turning brown.

Also, buy seedless grapes so you don’t have to deal with them. For this recipe, I roast the walnuts in the oven, so if you can find roasted walnuts, you can skip this step.

More Easy Salads

• Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing
• Tossed Salad
• Olive Pasta Salad

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• What Kind Of Apples Are For Waldorf Salad?

The best apples are the ones you like the best. I would recommend using crispy, crunchy apples like Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady, Gala, or Honeycrisp apples. Soft and dense apples, in my opinion, don’t make a great Waldorf salad.

• How Far In Advance Can You Make Waldorf Salad?

I would recommend making it no more than 3 days in advance.

Please remember to keep the lettuce leaves apart from the fruit mixture or they will wilt, and store it in an airtight container for best results.

• How To Keep Apples From Browning In Waldorf Salad?

To prevent this, just add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to the chopped apples. The acid prevents the enzymes from oxidizing the flesh.

• How Long Does Waldorf Salad Last In The Fridge?

The beauty of this salad is that no greens are mixed in, so it lasts up to 5 days in the fridge. When greens are added to salads, they tend to wilt because of the acid in the dressing.

If you like this recipe, please leave a comment and give this recipe a rating. I would love to hear from you and I truly appreciate your feedback! I will always do my best to respond to every comment ASAP. Thank you for following along! and happy cooking!