Best Waldorf Salad Recipe with celery, apples, spinach, grapes and walnuts, amazingly fresh and crunchy. It has a homemade salad dressing made of light Greek yogurt and a bit of mayo, and a good drizzle of lemon juice. The perfect recipe when you want something quick and easy, but also healthy.
Salads might be seen as a summer dish, but they can work wonders in the cold season too, especially after a heavy gargantuan feast like Thanksgiving, Christmas or the New Year. And this delicious waldorf salad uses simple ingredients that can be available throughout the year.
I do love a good salad, although, you know me, l wouldn't just eat leaves, that's not food. Throw some other ingredients in, and you can count on me. If you'd like to make this salad a bit more filling, you can added cooked chicken to it, or any other leftover meat from your dinner.
There are a few variations of the Waldorf salad, and you'll probably find that most recipes call for lettuce, rather than fresh spinach, but you can go for whatever you have around. I love spinach, and I tend to always have a bag around.
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Ingredients needed to make Waldorf Salad
Originally, Waldorf salad was made only of apples, celery and mayonnaise, and later on nuts were added too. Nowadays, grapes and lettuce are common ingredients in the salad too. Although I don't say no to mayo, I think it's a bit too heavy for my liking to use only that as a dressing.
Hence why I added Greek yogurt too, and a good drizzle of lemon juice. If you cut the apples in advance, the lemon juice keeps them fresh, otherwise, they turn brown pretty quickly.
I used spinach instead of lettuce, I'm usually a spinach girl, but you can totally use lettuce for this recipe. Others nuts can used too along with the walnuts, pecans and almonds would be a particularly good choice. If you like your salads more filling, try adding cooked chicken pieces, it can only make it even tastier.
To make it, it's just a matter of chopping the apples, grapes and celery, and adding them to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients, apart from spinach. The leaves will act as a bed for the salad to be arranged on.
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- Wash, core, peel and chop the apples in chunks.
- Chop the celery stalks and grapes, then add them all to a bowl together with the walnuts.
- Drizzle the lemon juice over, add yogurt and mayonnaise and combine well.
- Arrange spinach leaves on a plate, then top with the salad.
- Serve immediately.
Is Waldorf Salad healthy?
Absolutely, especially if it's not drenched in heaps of mayo. If you are worried about your calorie intake, you can omit mayonnaise altogether, and use yogurt only.
It will still be as delicious, and a lot healthier. I usually go for Greek yogurt, it's creamy, silky, and its thicker texture binds the salad ingredients together a lot better. All in all, it's a lovely salad that l so much enjoyed, worth giving it a go. As with any salads, it's best to serve it as soon as possible.
But if you want to prepare it in advance, l would just cut up the ingredients and drizzle some lemon juice over to keep fresh, and only add the dressing when you are ready to eat it.
Other salad recipes
Looking for another lovely salad? How about my Healthy Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Feta? Or a fresh Mixed Bean Salad. Equally delicious, and as healthy.
If you’ve tried my BEST WALDORF SALAD RECIPE or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
Waldorf Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 celery stalks
- 2 apples
- 1 cup seedless red grapes
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Instructions
- Wash, core, peel and chop the apples in chunks.
- Chop the celery stalks and grapes, then add them all to a bowl together with the walnuts.
- Drizzle the lemon juice over, add yogurt and mayonnaise and combine well.
- Arrange spinach leaves on a plate, then top with the salad.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
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April
Surely, you mean "four ribs" of celery, and not "four stalks." A stalk of celery is an entire unit, whereas "one piece" of celery is a rib. Does the recipe call for four ribs or celery? Or four entire stalks?
Patti @ Cooks Recipe Collection
I haven't had Waldorf Salad for so long. Reminds me of my childhood. Thanks for sharing this!
Daniela Anderson
Thank you for your comment, it's a very nice salad, l'll definitely make it again.
Kortney
I never really knew what a Waldorf Salad was! I would love to try and make this food allergy friendly.
Daniela Anderson
I am sure you will love it, the salad is very light and tasty.
Martyn @ AmateurChef UK
What a perfect salad, will give it a go as it looks really yummy!!
Daniela Anderson
Thank you, Martyn! I hope you enjoy it!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
I love a good Waldorf salad. And I'm with you on not wanting just leaves. I need some substance to my salads. This salad looks awesome!
Daniela Anderson
Thank you, Elaine! Happy you like it! ?
ronit
One of my favorite salads. Looks so very tasty! 🙂
Daniela Anderson
Thank you, Ronit! I really liked it too.