This Waldorf Salad Recipe is a classic fruit-based salad made with crisp apples, toasted walnuts, crunchy celery, and sweet grapes coated in a tangy-sweet, mayo dressing. It’s simple, refreshing, and yes, named after the hotel.
Made with crisp apples, juicy grapes, crunchy celery, and earthy walnuts, the Waldorf salad is a perfect combination of sweet, savory, and fresh flavors. The creamy mayonnaise dressing ties everything together for a satisfying balance of texture and taste with every bite. It’s light yet hearty, refreshing yet rich. It’s the kind of feel-good food that keeps you coming back for more. My mom made very similar salads when I was little and they were always the first to go from the table.
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Waldorf Salad Ingredients
Original versions of the Waldorf salad were made with just apples, celery, and mayonnaise. This version stays true to the original dish, but I’ve included popular additions like grapes and walnuts for texture and sweetness. It’s delicious scooped straight from the bowl or serve it on a bed of fresh lettuce for a light lunch or side dish.
Best Apples for Waldorf Salad
For fresh salads like this one, it’s best to choose an apple variety that resists browning. These apples stay fresh-looking longer. Taste and texture also matter—look for apples that are sweet with a hint of tartness and have a firm, crisp bite. My top picks are:
- Pink Lady
- Honey Crisp
- Granny Smith
- Piñata
- Golden Delicious
Customize Your Waldorf Salad
Waldorf salad is incredibly versatile, and there are plenty of ways to make it your own:
- Add Protein: Stir in chunks of cooked chicken breast, shredded chicken, or roast turkey breast to turn this light salad into a more satisfying meal—perfect for lunch or a quick dinner.
- Incorporate Dried Fruit: For a boost of sweetness and chewy texture, try adding raisins, dates, or dried cranberries.
- Change Up the Dressing: While the classic version uses only mayonnaise, you can lighten it up by mixing in plain or Greek yogurt. Some recipes even use a bit of freshly whipped cream for extra richness.
- Swap or Add Fruit: Pears are a great alternative to apples—just make sure they’re ripe but still firm. You can also experiment with other fruits like mandarins or pineapple for a tropical twist.
- Mini Marshmallows: For a fun, retro variation, try folding in a handful of mini marshmallows. It’s not traditional, but it’s a nostalgic favorite in some versions!
Recipe Tips
Here are a few simple tips to help you make the best Waldorf salad possible.
- Use cold ingredients: Chilled apples, celery, and grapes help keep the salad crisp and refreshing.
- Chop the apples last: This helps minimize browning and keeps them looking fresh for longer.
- Cut ingredients uniformly: Dice the apples, celery, and grapes into similar sizes for better texture and presentation.
- Add the nuts just before serving: If preparing the salad ahead of time, wait to stir in the walnuts (or any other nuts). Refrigeration can make them lose their crispness and taste stale.
- Serve immediately for best texture: Waldorf salad is best served soon after assembling to maintain its crunch. If making ahead, store the components separately and mix just before serving.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
You can make Waldorf salad ahead of time, but for the best texture and flavor, I recommend preparing it no more than one to two hours in advance. This helps keep the apples crisp and prevents the dressing from becoming watery.
If you’re prepping further ahead, it’s best to store the individual components separately—chopped fruit and veggies in one container, dressing in another, and nuts in a third—then mix everything together just before serving.
Like most salad recipes, this Waldorf salad is definitely best enjoyed the same day it’s made, but leftovers will keep for up to 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container and give it a gentle stir before serving again. Freezing is not recommended, as the creamy dressing and fresh produce do not thaw well and will lose their texture.
Serving Ideas
Waldorf salad is best served cold—not warm. Not only will it taste better, but serving it warm may also pose a food safety risk due to the mayonnaise-based dressing.
I like to serve it over a bed of butter lettuce or peppery arugula for a light lunch or side dish. Sometimes I’ll add freshly baked bread, soft dinner rolls, or wrap it in a tortilla for a quick and easy lunch or dinner. To make it more filling, add a protein like grilled or baked chicken, salmon, or even sliced pork chops.
Looking for more delicious fruit-filled salads? You’ll love these:
- Orzo Arugula Salad with Feta and Grapes: A vibrant mix of juicy grapes, toasted pine nuts, feta, and asparagus tossed in a lemon vinaigrette.
- Creamy Grape Salad: A sweet and tangy combination of red and green grapes with crunchy pecans in a cream cheese dressing, topped with brown sugar.
- Spinach, Pear, and Feta Salad: A delightful blend of baby spinach, ripe pears, feta cheese, walnuts, and pomegranate arils, dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.
- Easy Spinach Salad with Apples: A quick salad featuring baby spinach, crisp apples, red onions, pistachios, dried cranberries, and creamy avocado, tossed in a red wine vinaigrette.
RECIPE CARD
Waldorf Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups red grapes - cut in half
- 1 cup celery - chopped
- 3 medium apples - cored and chopped into bite-size chunks
- ½ cup walnuts - roughly chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- Salad greens or lettuce - for serving
Instructions
- Add the prepared grapes, celery, apples, and walnuts to a large mixing bowl. Gently toss to combine.
- In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise and sugar until completely combined.
- Add the mayonnaise mixture to the bowl filled with the apples, grapes, and celery. Gently mix to combine.
- Serve in bowls with your favorite mixed salad greens or lettuce and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Jessica’s Notes
- Any type of crisp and sweet apple is perfect for this recipe. Examples include golden or red delicious apples, in addition to Pink Lady apples.
- If you prefer chopped pecans use those in place of the chopped walnuts.
- Ripe, yet firm, pears are a great alternative to apples.
- Some Waldorf salad recipes recommend tossing the apples in a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning. I (personally) skip this step as I feel the lemon juice makes the mayonnaise taste a little funny. This step, however, is up to you.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
I use apple cider vinager an brown sugar i my Helmans 2 or three tablespoons to make dressing for waldworf salad.
Thanks for the rating and suggestions, Donna 🙂
I always add a dollop of whipped cream (or non-dairy whipped topping) while tossing. No added sugar required.
This is the best Waldorf salad I have ever tasted used Fresh squeeze lime juice and place of the lemon and sugared walnuts yikes delicious
Nothing about this “grape” salad comes close to the original Waldorf Hotel Salad. No to statement made that lemon juice used to keep apples from darkening will affect taste of mayonnaise is not true, as most great homemade mayonnaise recipes are made with the addition of fresh lemon juice.
Usually love your recipe ideas but this one is too far from the original to ever name it after the original.