Waldorf Salad

This creamy Waldorf Salad recipe includes a variety of fruit, crunchy celery, toasty walnuts, and a wonderful refreshing sweet dressing. It’s perfect served in bowls or on lettuce leaves for a spring or summer brunch, lunch, the holidays, or any time!

Including tart apples, grapes, toasted nuts, and a creamy sweet dressing, a Waldorf Salad has so much flavor and texture. Perfectly refreshing for springtime or on a hot summer day, but also great for bunches, bridal showers, and a simple side to go with any dinner. It’s wonderful.

What is Waldorf Salad?

This salad was first served at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in 1893 for a charity event, thus the name. Then in 1896, the salad appeared in Oscar of the Waldorf’s Cookbook, by Oscar Tschirky, who was the maître d’ of the hotel and credited for this salad creation. Originally the salad only included apples, celery, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. The grapes and nuts came much later.

Tips and Variations

Over the years, like so many classic recipes, it’s been altered. Everyone has their favorite version of the Waldorf Salad! The recipe I’m sharing is my favorite, but here are some ways to change it up, if preferred.

• Make the dressing lump-free. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature and blend with an electric mixer before adding the other ingredients to ensure the dressing is smooth, creamy, and lump-free.
• Use additional yogurt instead of mayo. If you do, though, I would suggest adding a touch of honey to balance out the tart yogurt flavor.
• Try it with pears. Swap out the apples with pears for a different, but delicious flavor.
• Don’t like celery? Replace the celery with jicama so you still have the crunch.
• Add in raisins. This is a nice salad addition for a little natural sweetness.
• Add some protein. Toss in some chopped up baked chicken breast for more of a meal.
• You might need extra dressing. Keep in mind that if you add ingredients, instead of replacing, you may need to make extra dressing.

Creamy Waldorf Salad

5 from 13 Ratings

This creamy Waldorf Salad recipe includes fruit, celery, walnuts, and a wonderful refreshing sweet dressing. Serve in bowls or on lettuce leaves. Perfect for brunch, lunch, spring and summer, the holidays, or any time!

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Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 & 1/2 ounces cream cheese , softened
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 medium Granny Smith apples , cubed
• 1 cup red grapes , cut in half
• 3/4 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• Bibb lettuce , for serving, optional

Instructions

• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat 1 & 1/2 ounces softened cream cheese until creamy and lump-free.
  
• Blend in 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, and 1/4 cup sugar until combined and smooth.
  
• Add in 3 cubed Granny Smith apples, 1 cup halved red grapes, 3/4 cup sliced celery, and 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts; toss to coat.
  
• Serve in bowls or on lettuce and enjoy!
  

Notes

Possible variations: Feel free to swap the pears with apples, replace the celery with jicama, add some raisins, or toss in some chopped up roasted chicken breast for more of a meal. You can also replace the mayo with more yogurt, but I would add in a bit of honey to balance out the tartness. Proper storage info in included in the article below.

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

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Proper Storage

• Can you make Waldorf salad in advance? You can, but this salad is best served the same day you make it. The longer it sits, the dressing will separate and start to get runny.
• How long does Waldorf salad keep? As mentioned above, this salad is best served the same day you make it. However, it will keep in the fridge, in an airtight container up to 3 days. Stir to incorporate everything again before serving.
• Can you freeze Waldorf salad? No, sorry. Once thawed the fruit will be mushy and the dressing will be a runny mess.

More Classic Salad Recipes:

• Chicken Salad
• Egg Salad
• Ham Salad
• Tuna Salad
• Pea Salad
• Macaroni Salad

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!