7 traditional and innovative recipes for Waldorf salad. Try them all!

Salad doesn’t always have to be a boring, lifeless meal that you consider more like a punishment.

Prepare at least one of our Waldorf salad recipes and see for yourself.

The version with dragon fruit, blue cheese cream or pears will get you going!

Enjoy it!

Traditional Waldorf salad

A salad with crispy apples, celery stalks and toasted nuts is a classic favorite recipe that you can treat your loved ones to at any time of the year.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced apples
• 1 spoon of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• 1 cup diced celery stalks
• 1 cup grapes, halved
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Method

1. Add the diced apples to a large bowl and sprinkle with the sugar and pour over the lemon juice.
2. Mix it up.
3. Add the celery stalks, grapes and nuts.
4. In another bowl, beat the whipping cream until peaks form, then gently fold in the mayonnaise.
5. Carefully fold into the apple mixture and season with salt.
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
7. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
8. Serve alone or on a leafy salad.

Waldorf salad with chicken and cabbage

A delicious version of the Waldorf salad with kale, apples, celery stalks and chicken that you and your whole family will love!

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 spoons of honey

For the salad:

• 1 bunch cabbage without stems, torn into small pieces
• 500 g of chicken breast, grilled with salt and pepper
• 1 cup candied walnuts
• 2-3 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
• 1 cup grapes, halved
• 1 apple, diced

Method

1. In a small bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, toss the shredded cabbage with the dressing.
3. Top with sliced chicken breast, candied walnuts, celery stalks, grapes and apples.
4. Serve!

Fruit and celeriac salad with blue cheese cream

Prepare a modern version of the classic Walfdor salad, fresh and crunchy, with a spicy blue cheese cream. It’s a real treat!

Ingredients:

For the blue cheese cream:

• 100 g of creamy blue cheese
• 100 g Creme Fraiche

For the leaf mixture:

• 200 g of celery or parsley
• 2 hard-boiled and cooled eggs
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• teaspoon of salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 100 ml of cold-pressed rapeseed oil

For the croutons:

• 2 thick slices of bread
• 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil
• teaspoon of sea salt

For the crunchy walnuts:

• a teaspoon of cayenne pepper or chili
• 100 g of walnuts
• 75 g granulated sugar
• 75 ml of water
• 400 ml rapeseed oil

For the salad:

• 500 g of stalked celery
• 4 firm and sour apples
• 150 g of green grapes
• 24 slices of smoked meat

Method

1. Gently mix the cheese with the crème fraîche until a smooth cream is formed.
2. Scoop the cream into a bag with a syringe and put it in the fridge.
3. Put the celery or parsley, egg, vinegar, salt and pepper in a blender and blend to a smooth, thick cream.
4. Add the oil gradually so that the mixture absorbs it slowly.
5. Season to taste.
6. If the cream is too thick, you can add a little water until the texture is like a thick mayonnaise.
7. Scoop the mixture into a bag and place in the fridge.
8. Cut small pieces of bread into the desired size of croutons.
9. Mix the bread pieces with oil and salt.
10. Place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and bake in the center of the oven for approximately 10 minutes at 200° until golden and crispy.
11. Put all the ingredients for the crunchy walnuts – except the oil – in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to the boil.
12. Cook until the syrup thickens, about 2 minutes.
13. Drain the nuts thoroughly in a sieve.
14. Pour the oil into a heavy-bottomed pan and heat it.
15. Fry the nuts in small portions for about 1 minute until golden and crunchy.
16. Carefully remove them from the oil with oven mitts.
17. Let them drain well and place them on a piece of baking paper (not a paper towel) to cool.
18. Cut the celeriac into thin slices, using a mandolin or other slicer.
19. Place the slices in ice water.
20. You can process the apples into balls using a ball cutter.
21. Or cut them into small cubes.
22. Cut the grapes in half.
23. Remove the celery stalks from the water and dry well with a towel.
24. Arrange on plates – meat first, then grapes and apple balls.
25. Stack the walnuts and celeriac in slices and finally put a little of both creams among the other ingredients.
26. Sprinkle with bread croutons.

Waldorf salad with potatoes

A traditional Waldorf salad recipe is usually a mixture of apples, celery stalks and walnuts, but adding potatoes makes it a more substantial and hearty dish. Try it out!

Ingredients:

• 2 kg of baby potatoes
• juice of 2 lemons and zest of 1
• 180 ml of olive oil
• 120 ml crème fraîche
• 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 green apples, cored, finely chopped
• 5 stalks of celery, chopped
• 200 g pieces of toasted walnuts
• torn leaves of a large bunch of watercress

Method

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 10-15 minutes.
2. Drain and then tip the potatoes into a large salad bowl to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the lemon juice and zest with the olive oil, crème fraîche and mustard.
4. Season to taste, then toss with the warm potatoes.
5. Add the remaining ingredients, mix again and serve immediately warm.

Pear salad with stalked celery and nuts

This salad is inspired by the classic Waldorf salad, but instead of apples we use pears, whose ripe sweet taste is absolutely perfect in the dish!

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

For the salad:

• 2 ripe pears, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped celery stalks
• 1/2 cup grapes, halved
• 3 tablespoons of golden raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 cups chopped fresh lettuce

Method

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mix well and let cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
3. In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients (pears, celery stalks, grapes, raisins, walnuts and lettuce).
4. Before serving, add the dressing to the salad and mix well.
5. Serve cold.

California’s version of Waldorf

A luxurious version of the American classic with the perfect balance of crunchy apples, juicy grapes, sweet raisins, crunchy walnuts, delicate baby spinach and a light dressing.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt or sour cream
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 2 teaspoons curry spice
• 1/2 teaspoon honey or sugar
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery stalks
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup halved green grapes
• 1 unpeeled apple
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts
• 140 g of baby spinach

Method

1. Put the yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice and zest, curry and honey in a small bowl and whisk together.
2. Place the celery stalks, raisins, grapes, apple and nuts in a large bowl.
3. Add about half of the yogurt dressing and mix.
4. Just before serving, add the spinach and stir.
5. Add more dressing if needed.

Waldorf salad with dragon fruit

Adding dragon fruit as the main ingredient of the salad transforms the Waldorf into an epic taste sensation. It tastes absolutely incredible with the dressing and goes well with the other ingredients. You just have to try this!

Ingredients:

• 1 piece of ripe dragon fruit, diced
• 1 piece of green apple, cut into cubes
• 1 red apple, diced
• ½ cup red grapes, cut in half
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 spoons of eggless mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons of honey
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
• 2 tablespoons chopped cashews
• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
• 5 – 6 lettuce leaves

Method

1. Add the dragon fruit cubes, red apple and green apple to the bowl.
2. In another small bowl, mix the yogurt, honey, mayonnaise, salt, ginger and lime juice.
3. Pour the prepared dressing over the chopped fruit.
4. Next, add the grapes, chopped almonds, cashews, walnuts and coriander.
5. Toss, making sure the dressing coats the fruit well.
6. Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes.
7. Serve cold on a bed of salad.

5 tips for the best Waldorf salad

1. Use the crispest varieties of apples . Ideally green Granny Smith apples.
2. Chop the ingredients to the same size. This will ensure that there is a crunchy and beautifully sweet taste in every bite you take.
3. Cover the sliced fruit with lemon juice and sugar . Sliced apples can color quickly. Mixing it with lemon juice slows oxidation, while sprinkling the fruit with sugar increases its sweetness.
4. Mix the wet ingredients and then add to the dry ingredients. This ensures a homogeneous, creamy dressing.
5. Toast the nuts for a fuller flavor

And which version of the Waldorf salad did you like best? Write to us in the comments!