Waldorf salad is a classic side dish with a nostalgic flair. Prep it ahead for your next holiday dinner, or throw this easy salad together in minutes for the perfect side.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
This original Waldorf salad recipe was created in New York by the head chef of the Waldorf hotel in 1896. It’s a salad as delicious as it is nostalgic!
- Flavor: Waldorf salad is crisp and refreshing with just the right mix of sweet, tangy, and creamy flavors.
- Prep Note: Chill ingredients before mixing for extra crunch.
- Swaps: Try Greek yogurt instead of mayo, or swap walnuts for pecans or almonds.
- Versatile: It’s make ahead, simple, travelable, and goes perfectly with just about any spread.
What’s In A Waldorf Salad
- Apple: Crisp, sweet apples like Honeycrisp, MacIntosh, Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady work best. Use Granny Smith apples for a tart Waldorf salad.
- Grapes and Raisins: This salad mixes red and green grapes with raisins or tangy dried cranberries. Try other dried fruits like blueberries, goji berries, or cherries for a fun twist.
- Walnuts: Walnuts add crunch and flavor, but almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, or sunflower seeds work too. Use unsalted nuts or swap with extra celery to cut calories.
- Dressing: Simple mayo with sugar added keeps this salad creamy. Try swapping half the mayo for sour cream, or for a lower-fat option, swap for plain Greek yogurt.
- Variations: Make it your own with pepitas, mini marshmallows, poppy seeds, or hemp hearts.
How to Make Waldorf Salad
- Wash and chop apples, slice celery, and halve grapes.
- Whip mayonnaise with sugar (full recipe below).
- In a large bowl, toss the apple mixture with dressing. Chill.
Save and Serve Later
Make-Ahead Tip: Chop the apples and toss them in a quick lemon juice and water mix so every piece is coated. This keeps them from browning and adds a fresh, bright pop of citrus to the salad.
Leftovers: Store salad in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Drain any excess liquid, then stir in a teaspoon or two of fresh mayonnaise, a pinch of sugar, and a little squeeze of lemon. Delish!
This is a classic creamy salad made from celery, grapes, apples, walnuts, raisins, and mayonnaise. It is most often served on a bed of lettuce.
Serve on its own on a bed of lettuce. Turn it into a hearty main by adding chopped chicken and onion. For a polished presentation, scoop into small bowls, martini glasses, or lettuce cups.
Sweet and Savory Salad Recipes
Did you enjoy this Waldorf Salad? Leave a rating and comment below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 apples cut in thin chunks
- 1 cup halved seedless grapes red, green, or both
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts
- ¼ cup raisins optional
Instructions
- Combine mayonnaise and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside
- In a medium bowl, toss together chopped apples, grapes, celery, walnuts, and raisins (if using).
- Stir in the mayonnaise mixture until fully coated.
- Chill for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Love the recipes sent to me and new recipes too.
Is the serving size based off of using it as a side dish or as the main dish? I’m looking to make this for a dinner theatre and will use it as a side so I am trying to figure out how much I need for 100 people.
Hi Emily, this is based off a side dish. It is approximately ½ cup per serving.
I love this salad! I might be odd but I like to put chicken breast (diced) in this sometimes.
Sounds like a delicious addition, Kathleen!
Love some of the recipes but just too many. I have made a number of the dishes. Just got a ninja air fry flip. Would like some recipes. Thank you
You can see all of our air fryer recipes here Jan!
I usually make the waldorf salad with mayo & whipped cream combined……
Hello I didn’t make the wardorf salad because my son-in-law has a nut allergy could I replace the nuts with granola possibly?
I’d think that granola may soften in the dressing. Perpas pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds would work?
One of my favorites. Had it served where I live today, and the recipe seemed very sweet, so I went looking. I guess it can be depending on who is making it. We like to make a chicken curry version: apples, celery, walnuts, raisins, poached chicken cut up, about 2 tsp lemon juice and about 2 -3 tsp curry powder added to the mayo before we mix it up. Amount of curry powder depends on type and show I am making this for. Some like it HOT!. Letting is sit for a couple of hours so the flavors can meld is crucial for the curry powder not to taste raw. I do prefer raisins to grapes, I must say….but the original seems to have called for apples, celery and lettuce only. We have come a long way in 100+ years.
That sounds delicious Judy, thanks for sharing your chicken curry version!
Great desert
Love it. Just like my mom always makes except she adds maraschino cherries.
I made just two changes to this recipe, last-minute. The red grapes were omitted after discovering they had soured. I compensated with a handful of raisins on my portion, as I’m the only raisin lover in the family. Also, we’re a Miracle Whip family, mayo wise, and it tends to be more tart than regular mayo. The simple, two-item sauce was great, in large part because I was able to scale down the quantity of the ingredients. All in all, high praise from those who ate it last night (including me) and will probably request me to make another batch today, as our supermarket-roasted chicken will supply us with at least one more and maybe two meals. Thanks, Holly
I leave out the nits , but add cut up snicker bars.always a big hit
The version of waldorf salad i grew up with apples, celery(sometimes to stretch the recipe), dates, and walnuts with a mayonnaise based salad dressing.
Substitute stevia for sugar and double the recipe because it is delicious.
So glad you think so Ramona!
I finally found the exact recipie one of my grandmas had. In stead of raisins I do coconut! My family went for second helpings . And I will have it for breakfast! Lol very Very Good!
I should have known just to click on your site for this recipe. Every time I am looking for something and your site comes up I know it’s going to be simple and delicious. Thank you HOlly
Aww, thank you so much!! Enjoy the recipe. :)
Can’t wait to try out these recipes as they are some of my favorite dishes!
We have made this for over 30 years every Thanksgiving .Love it@
Look delicious
Thank you Heather, it sure is!
Awesome awesome awesome! Best I’ve ever eaten!!
Yay! So happy this recipe was a hit for you Joanne!
Can the Waldorf salad be made the night before for a noon luncheon?
If you are serving this to guests, I would suggest cutting the apples the day of serving so they don’t brown. The rest can be prepared ahead of time. Enjoy!
I have been looking for your cranberry salad for years I am so happy that I found you..
I am so glad you found the recipe you wanted Debbie!