When I’m craving a salad that’s equal parts sweet and fresh, I love to make this classic Waldorf salad. It’s loaded with fresh apples, grapes, celery, candied walnuts, and mixed greens all tossed together in a creamy homemade Waldorf dressing. It’s nice and light, but it’s definitely not light on flavor or texture. It’s creamy, crunchy, and ridiculously delicious.
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Made with just 10 ingredients, this Waldorf salad is simple to make and so delicious. The creamy Waldorf dressing is made with mayo, honey, lemon juice, and just a pinch of salt and pepper– so easy! This is a great quick and tasty salad to serve with any meal.
What’s in This Waldorf Salad Recipe?
- Mayonnaise: Makes the dressing creamy. For a lighter dressing, try swapping up to half of the mayo out for plain Greek yogurt.
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing.
- Lemon Juice: Balances the sweetness of the salad by adding a touch of tartness.
- Salt + Pepper: Enhance the overall flavor of the salad.
- Apples: You can use any kind of apples you like in this salad. I like to do one red apple (like Honey Crisp or Gala) and one green apple (like Golden Delicious or Granny Smith) for more variety and color.
- Grapes: I like to use red, but a mix of red and green is also delicious. For a little extra sweetness, try adding some raisins or dried cranberries, too!
- Celery: Enhances the crunchiness of the salad and balances out the sweetness of the apples and grapes.
- Candied Walnuts: Add a delightful nuttiness and crunch. Pistachios, pecans, or almonds would also work well here.
- Mixed Greens: Form the perfect bed for this delicious crunchy salad.
Tips for Success
- Try to chop all of the ingredients to about the same size. It’ll make the salad more uniform and allow you to get a bit of everything in each bite.
- Sprinkle the cut apples with lemon juice to prevent browning. You can add a little sugar to enhance the sweetness as well.
- Toast the nuts for a deeper flavor.
- For a sweeter salad, you can fold some whipped cream into the dressing and mini marshmallows into the salad.
- Mix the dressing together before adding the fruit to ensure that everything gets evenly coated.
- Add the nuts just before serving. Nuts go stale quickly, especially when refrigerated.
How to Store
Waldorf salad is best enjoyed on the day it is made; however, it will remain fresh for up to 1 day if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve cold. I do not recommend freezing this salad.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve this Waldorf salad as a light lunch all by itself or topped with some grilled chicken or salmon. It’s a great side to serve with buttermilk fried chicken or baked pork tenderloin, too!
Waldorf Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad
- 2 apples chopped or cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup red grapes halved
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1 cup candied walnuts plus more for garnish
- Mixed greens for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together to create the dressing.6 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- In a large bowl, add the apples, grapes, celery, and candied walnuts. Toss to combine.2 apples, 1 cup red grapes, 1 cup thinly sliced celery, 1 cup candied walnuts
- Pour the dressing into the bowl and toss to combine. Plate over greens, top with extra walnuts, and enjoy!Mixed greens
Video
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make a Waldorf Salad Step by Step
Mix the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper together to create the dressing.
Toss the Salad: In a large bowl, add 2 chopped or matchsticked apples, 1 cup of halved red grapes, 1 cup of thinly sliced celery, and 1 cup of candied walnuts. Toss to combine.
Dress the Salad: Pour the dressing into the bowl and toss to combine. Plate over mixed greens, top with extra walnuts, and enjoy!
