This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Crisp apples, juicy grapes, celery, and toasted walnuts tossed in a bright, creamy dressing—this Waldorf salad recipe is all about the crunch.
Originally created at New York City’s Waldorf Hotel in the late 1800s, Waldorf salad started out as a simple combination of apples, celery, and mayonnaise. My version keeps the spirit of the classic but adds a little more flavor and texture: grapes for sweetness, toasted walnuts for richness and crunch, and sour cream, lemon, and fresh herbs to give the creamy dressing a bright, fresh flavor without feeling heavy.
This Waldorf salad recipe is delicious on its own, spooned over greens, or tucked into radicchio cups for a little color and contrast. Add diced chicken, and it easily becomes a satisfying lunch or light dinner. It’s also right at home on a spread with sliced turkey, ham, and good bread or rolls.
What You’ll Need To Make Waldorf Salad
- Red Onion: Adds a crisp texture, a pop of color, and a mild bite to the salad.
- Mayonnaise and Sour Cream: Form the creamy base of the dressing. The sour cream lightens the mayonnaise and adds a subtle tang. Use a good-quality mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: Adds fresh, bright flavor and a subtle tang. The juice also helps prevent the apples from browning.
- Honey: Adds just enough sweetness to balance the tangy lemon and sour cream.
- Apples, Celery, and Grapes: Apples add juicy crunch and sweet-tart flavor, celery brings fresh crunch, and grapes add juicy sweetness. A mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples provides a nice balance.
- Walnuts or Pecans: Add nutty flavor and crunch. Toasting them first makes a noticeable difference, and stirring them in just before serving keeps them crunchy.
- Fresh Herbs: Chives or tarragon add a fresh, savory note that cuts through the richness of the creamy dressing.
- Mixed Greens or Radicchio Cups: Optional for serving. Mixed greens make the Waldorf salad feel more substantial, while radicchio cups add crisp texture, beautiful color, and a pleasantly bitter contrast to the salad.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make WalDorf Salad
Step 1: Soak the onions. Soak the red onion in cold water for about 10 minutes while you whisk together the dressing. That quick soak takes some of the sharp bite out of raw onion without getting rid of its flavor or crunch; just be sure to drain and dry it well so you don’t water down the dressing.
Step 2: Make the dressing. Whisk together the mayo, sour cream, lemon zest and juice, honey, and seasoning until well combined.
Step 3: Toss and finish the salad. Add the apples, celery, grapes, and drained onion to the dressing and toss until well coated. You can refrigerate the salad at this point for up to 8 hours—the lemon in the dressing helps keep the apples from browning. Wait until just before serving to add the toasted nuts and fresh herbs so the nuts stay crunchy and the herbs taste fresh, then taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve as is or over mixed greens or in radicchio cups.
Waldorf Salad Variations
- Add some peppery crunch: Replace ¾ cup of the celery with ¾ cup thinly sliced radishes. They add a little bite while keeping the salad crisp and fresh.
- Swap out the grapes: Use raisins or dried cranberries in place of the grapes for a chewier, slightly sweeter variation.
- Add protein: Add a few cups of grilled chicken or poached chicken to turn the salad into a meal.
- Change up the nuts: Walnuts and pecans are traditional, but for something a little different, try toasted almonds, cashews, or pistachios.
More Salads You’ll Love
Waldorf Salad
This fresh take on classic Waldorf salad combines crisp apples, grapes, celery, and toasted nuts with a creamy, tangy dressing.
Ingredients
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion, from 1 small onion
- ½ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
- ¼ cup sour cream
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tart-sweet apples, unpeeled, cored, cut into ½-in pieces (see note)
- 1½ cups thinly sliced celery, from 4 to 5 stalks
- 1 cup grapes, halved
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans (or a mix), toasted and chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as chives or tarragon
- Mixed greens or radicchio cups for serving (optional; see note)
Instructions
-
Place the onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
-
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream (or yogurt), lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
-
Add the apples, celery, grapes, and red onion and toss to coat. At this point, the salad can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours before serving.
-
Right before serving, stir in the nuts and 1 tablespoon of the herbs. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more herbs if desired. Spoon the salad over mixed greens or into radicchio cups, if using, and serve.
Notes
- For the apples, I like using two Honeycrisp apples and one Granny Smith for a sweet-tart balance.
- To make radicchio cups, separate the leaves from a small head of radicchio, rinse and dry them well, then spoon in the salad. The crisp leaves look pretty and add a pleasantly bitter contrast to the salad.
- Variations: Use ½ cup raisins or dried cranberries as an alternative to the grapes; add a few cups of diced cooked chicken; or replace ¾ cup of the sliced celery with ¾ cup thinly sliced radishes.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The dressing can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Up to 8 hours before serving, combine the dressing, apples, celery, grapes, and onion and refrigerate. Stir in the nuts and fresh herbs just before serving so they stay crisp and vibrant. If serving over greens or in radicchio cups, assemble right before serving.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (8 servings)Calories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 3gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 248mgFiber: 4gSugar: 13g
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.