This traditional salad is delicious, and you can vary the ingredients to your preference. Try adding diced, roasted chicken to make this salad a meal!
I looked at several Waldorf salad recipes before I settled on this one, based on other reviews. I wanted to find a recipe I could throw all that leftover Thanksgiving turkey into! It's very good, I added a little more lemon juice to counter the sugar sweetness (a good idea is to chop the apples first and then drench them in the lemon juice to keep them from browning!), and where folks had either grapes or raisins, I used Craisins (sweetened dried cranberries) to complete the whole leftover turkey-with-cranberries, apples and celery experience!
Read MoreThere is no need for salt, lemon juice, or sugar. Cut up the apples last and immediately mix the mayonnaise in. It will do the same thing the lemon juice does (keep the apples from browning). The salt and sugar just baffle me entirely. Walnuts and apples provide plenty of sweetness. It's your standard basic Waldorf Salad recipe. Easy, delicious, nutritious ... even tastier if you add cooked chicken to it. Grapes and/or raisins are another variation, but I don't often use them. Good variations would be using plain yogurt instead of mayo. Slightly different flavor (a little sweeter, for those that want that) and lower fat.
Read MoreI looked at several Waldorf salad recipes before I settled on this one, based on other reviews. I wanted to find a recipe I could throw all that leftover Thanksgiving turkey into! It's very good, I added a little more lemon juice to counter the sugar sweetness (a good idea is to chop the apples first and then drench them in the lemon juice to keep them from browning!), and where folks had either grapes or raisins, I used Craisins (sweetened dried cranberries) to complete the whole leftover turkey-with-cranberries, apples and celery experience!
I took the advice of other reviewers and tossed the diced apples in the lemon juice first in the bowl and I needed to add more to coat them. I used Miracle Whip Light instead of Mayo and it was delicious, though I needed more than called for of this too, basically just put in enough to coat everything. Sunmaid makes a bag of raisens called "mixed raisens", they are huge and extremely plump and moist and were simply perfect for this salad. I also added diced chicken to make this a dinner salad and I served it on sandwhich croissants. It was a huge hit with my guests, everyone just loved it!
This is a perfect traditional waldorf salad recipe. Very good on its own, but I was trying to recreate a salad they have at a deli near my house "tropical waldorf salad" so I started with this as a base and added mandarin oranges, a little pineapple, cranberries and some coconut and it came out perfect. Great either way! Thanks
A very good Waldorf salad recipe. I didn't peel the apples, I toasted the walnuts, and instead of raisins, I used 1/2 cup dried cranberries. I added the walnuts just before serving so they would stay crisp.
This is good, a solid 4 stars, but it could be better. First, there is too much dressing. The apples and walnuts kind of swim in it. I'd decrease the mayo to about 1/3 cup, and add an extra apple. The amount of walnuts is fine, but make sure they're chopped very small or they taste a little bitter. The celery is a fabulous addition, adds great crunch, and the recipe could actually use just a little more than it calls for. The raisins I'm undecided on. I didn't like them at first, but they're growing on me. With or without, this recipe is a good one. By tweaking it a little, and using very crisp apples, this is a five star recipe. Thanks!
I omitted the celery, kept all the other ingredients the same. I used both red delicious and golden delicious apples---absolutely no need to peel them; the different peels add color and taste just fine. also used both golden and dark raisins; this made for a more colorful salad too. Excellent recipe, everyone loved it!
I added the chicken breast and also added some red grapes. I served it over chopped romaine lettuce and made a meal of it. I took it on a picnic to the zoo (I put the lettuce and salad in separate large ziplock bags to conserve space in the cooler), and it was a big hit.
There is no need for salt, lemon juice, or sugar. Cut up the apples last and immediately mix the mayonnaise in. It will do the same thing the lemon juice does (keep the apples from browning). The salt and sugar just baffle me entirely. Walnuts and apples provide plenty of sweetness. It's your standard basic Waldorf Salad recipe. Easy, delicious, nutritious ... even tastier if you add cooked chicken to it. Grapes and/or raisins are another variation, but I don't often use them. Good variations would be using plain yogurt instead of mayo. Slightly different flavor (a little sweeter, for those that want that) and lower fat.
I have been searching for a GREAT Waldorf Salad recipe and I FOUND IT! I did omit the celery and reduce the mayo to 1/4 cup. Enjoy!
So simple. So refreshing. We can't do nuts because of allergies, but it's great without. I usually toss the apples in the lemon juice instead of putting it in the dressing.
I made this for Thanksgiving this year. Classic Waldorf Salad ... perfect! Tripling the recipe, I used three Granny Smith apples, three Galas, and three red-skinned heirloom apples (wish I could remember the variety) from the farmers market. Don't peel the apples (and resist the temptation to use barbarisms like cool-whip. yogurt, salad dressing or *gasp* marshmallows!). I thought the proportions were perfect -- not too dry and not too goopy/runny, by the way Thanks!
I love Waldorf Salad, but I used Miracle Whip here, and left out both the sugar and salt, opted for large pieces of walnut and celery, and added seedless black grapes. I also put the lemon juice in the bowl first, to coat the apples as I cut them into chunks. I don't want them to brown while I'm preparing the other ingredients.
This is a great, basic Waldorf Salad recipe. I must have been confusing this with another recipe and I bought red and green grapes to put in this. Well, when I realized my error, I put them in anyway instead of the raisins. I toasted my walnuts (350 for 8-10 minutes, or until fragrant) to enhance their flavor. The dressing for this is just right, not too sweet and not too lemony. We enjoyed this one very much!
I made this the first time for a party. How risky. Used all the ingrediants listed. Made sure the apples were freshly picked. For the raisins I used two kids of raisins, and several flavors of dried cranberries. Because I made this for a very large crowd I upped it by 4xs. With the Mayo I used enough that it just covered the ingredients. The result of all the mixed flavors was amazing. Different flavors were popping all over the place. This is a very easy recipe that even the most inexperienced cook can make. (I choose not to use any chicken.) Because of the fruit this tasted sweet. There are a lot of coolwhip recipes like this, but using the mayo was much better that coolwhip kinds of recipes. I will make this often.
This is definitely 5 stars based on ease and apperance. I added purple grapes chopped in half about 1 cup) - it looked very pretty! I also didn't peel the apples - more fiber and they don't get discolored. My daughter and I really enjoyed - was good alongside some broiled chicken. I will make again!
It's better if the celery is chopped about the size of the walnuts. Also, I prefer using about a cup of grapes instead of the raisins. And do use part of the lemon juice to toss the cut up apples with. BTW - if you add marshmallows, you no longer have Waldorf Salad, you have Ambrosia, or at least a version thereof.
I make this every Thanksgiving. Good as a side dish or a lite dessert. I do soak my raisins in water for about ten minutes-this softens them.
This was really good!! I used golden delicious apples & substituted quartered seedless red grapes for the rasins. Put the apples in water with a little lemon juice to keep them from browning. I'll make this again.
A very simple salad that's great for lunch. I used splenda instead of sugar and apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice. I also used a combination of lite mayo and lite miracle whip.
Just the flavor I was looking for. A wonderful holiday addition. There were no leftovers of this dish from Thanksgiving. Will take it for Christmas potluck at church and have again at Christmas dinner at home.
This was very, very good. We made this for my baby shower and it was a hit! We used the new mayonaise made with olive oil and added in some chicken. We served on croissant sandwiches. Didn't change anything else from the recipe. Will DEFINITELY make again and again and again
I have made this too many times to count and my whole family loves it! I add 1 cup red grapes instead of the raisins during grape season. Thanks Penny!
Made it exactly as recipe describes, and my family couldn't stop complimenting me on it!
It has been years since I've had Waldorf Salad this good....and so easy to make. I chose to leave the peels on the apples...but followed the rest of the recipe exactly as it is. Very good! Thanks!!
I don't care for celery, but leaving it out doesn't hurt the recipe a bit. I used miracle whip for a sweeter tangier flavor, didn't use salt, and used chopped pecans instead of walnuts. I think a tart/sweet apple works best in the recipe - I really like Fuji and Gala. My family is not a huge raisin fan, but if I put the raisins in boiling water for a few minutes to plump them up, I usually don't have any problems getting them to eat them.
I used very ripe golden delicious that left in the fridge for quite sometime. Also, I used fat free miracle whip, toasted walnuts. didn't follow the amount of nayo suggested in the recipe. I just put miracle whip that's enough to coat all the dry ingredients. very yummy! Thanks Penny for the simple and nice recipe.
I made the following changes to this recipe to create a Waldorf Chicken Salad. First, I reduced the apples to just one large apple, which I tossed with 1 tsp/ fresh lemon juice to prevent browning. I used a single stalk of celery instead of the half cup and I diced it instead of slicing. I substituted 1/3 cup of toasted, chopped pecans for the walnuts and a cup of halved seedless red grapes for the raisins. I then added 1 1/2 cups of diced, cooked rosemary chicken (thigh and leg meat). The result was amazing and better than the Waldorf Chicken Salad that I had enjoyed at a restaurant last week.
I made this for a ladies lunch and it was a hit. I added baked chicken, subbed red grapes for the raisins, and also used lemon juice to keep the apples from turning brown. Very good.. will make again! OH I forgot... I serve on croissants and the butter flavor added was awesome!
YUMMMMMYYY!! This was so good. Just as good as my favorite famous salad bar restaurant's. I used golden raisins and dried cranberries. I'm gonna be using the heck out of this recipe! :-)
This is a delicious recipe. I would not change a thing. I have been looking for a good Waldorf Salad recipe. I mixed the mayo, lemon juice and sugar and added the apples first to coat and then added all other ingredients and mixed well. The apples have not turned in 3 days. Will definitely make again. Cheryl Rosso
Delicious! I made it exactly as stated. Was even better the next day!
I always enjoy this salad at dinner parties and luncheons, but have never made it at home. This is a keeper. I coated the apples in lemon juice, cut back on the mayo, cut out the celery all together, and added more nuts. Tasted just like my nana's salad when I was a kid! Thank you!
Perfection! I use red delicious and granny smith apples and leave the skin on. It looks very pretty and you get the nutrition of the apple peel. I am so glad I ran across this. It is going to be part of our Thanksgiving dinner. It is delicious and it is refreshing with all the other rich and caloric dishes on the table.
This is really good. You can use peeled or unpeeled apples (coat unpeeled in lemon juice to prevent browning). Add grapes for a little more sweetness and pecans are good as well. :)
I made this recipe for a party; I was pleased with how it turned out and received several compliments on it. I did add the chicken. I simply bought a Wonder Roast, chilled it, removed the skin, chopped it up and threw it in. Yummy!
Soooo good! I thought there were too many apples at first when I doubled this recipe, but it turned out awesome!
This was wonderful! I added 1/2 cup of pineapple tidbits and red grapes everyone loved it!
This is a lovely refreshing salad! It is such an enjoyable first course. My husband thought it strange to have an apple salad but now he's a convert... I used Jonagold apples which is a lovely crisp but mellow tasting variety. The dressing was perfect. Celery, raisins and walnuts complement it very well. Thanks for such a delicious recipe! The only thing I did differently was to leave the apple skins on. Why peel off the most attractive part?
I have always wanted to try a Waldorf salad and after looking at all of them, I chose this one. I am so glad I did. It was perfect! It was on my menu for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. I only changed it a little. I used pecans instead of walnuts because I don't like them. I also used Red Delicious apples (didn't peel them) because I was making an apple cake with Granny Smith. I read on another recipe that they used halved grapes instead of raisins and that turned out great. The salad was a hit. This will be a staple on my menues from now on.
In order to make this a meal, I added a diced cooked rotisserie chicken and 1/2C shredded coconut. I also doubled the dressing. DELICIOUS!
Yummy yummy! Hits the spot!
Nothing earth shatteringly different here-- it is a simple Waldorf salad recipe. But simple is often the best, and it deserves 5 stars. Delicious recipe. Even those not crazy about Waldorf salad liked it.
Fabulous! I loved not having to peel the apples. I used two different kinds of apples--one had darker green skin than the other, and I used dark raisins for contratin color. I hate measuring lemon juice so I just squeezed in the juice of half a lemon. It worked just fine. I'm serving it for dinner tonight on a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce. I need to stop eating it so there will be some left to serve! :-)
I love this forgiving recipe! No need to peel the apples. Add a bunch of halved red grapes and use slivered almonds if you are out of walnuts. Replace sugar with splenda if you wish. This is my favorite snack.
This is my dad's favorite dish and I chose this recipe to make for Thanksgiving. It was a total success - he LOVED it! I made one small change and substituted cranberries for the raisins. He suggested next year I use cranraisins.
Great base recipe. The dressing proportions are perfect. I add chopped broccoli and 1/2 c. feta.
Although I have made a similar salad, I had no recipe, and it was different each time. The proportions of ingredients are very good in this recipe.
My daughter made this tonight for dinner. We used fat free mayo, splenda, jonagold apples, and a mixture of regular and golden raisins. SO good. We devoured it.
Not mind blowing but worthy of 5 stars for being good at what it's meant to be! Being Christmas I substituted dried cranberries for the raisins & added 1/2 cup halved red grapes, & also used pecans instead of walnuts (because that's what I had). I not only tossed the chunked Fuji apples (skin on) in a teaspoon of lemon juice but also went ahead & added another teaspoon to the dressing. Assembled Christmas morning & this was a really good side dish at dinner later in the day, fresh & cold & not too sweet!!!
Easy to make. Added a few grapes and used dried cranberries in place of raisins. Everyone loved it. No left overs.
I was hesitant because I've never made this before but this is great. It was easy and tastes great. I did use cut up red grapes instead of raisins. Thank-you
Very refreshing salad to have on a hot summer day - made it as per the recipe & tastes delicious! Definitely a keeper!
OK I'm keeping this one. I've only had waldorf salad better than this ONE TIME and it was at the Waldorf-Astoria - The waldorf salad there had champagne grapes in it and was piled high and wrapped in thinly sliced smoked turkey. This recipe makes for an awesome healthy, delicious, and fibrous summer lunch or brunch. PERFECT for work day lunch breaks!
5 Star Recipe. Absolutely delicious. Followed recipe to a tee! Thank you for sharing.
Perfect addition to my Thanksgiving menu. I'd like to try dried cranberries in this.
Great recipe. Planing on doubling the recipe for Thanksgiving so I can use the leftovers and chop turkey to add to it for tortilla wrap sandwiches.
This is just like my Nana used to make...YUM!!! On a personal note, I'd cut the amount of raisins used in half.....but otherwise...this is GREAT!
I doubled the ingredients and made this recipe for a baby shower and received lots of compliments. I added a pint of blueberries and substituted dried cranberries for the raisins. I made some little adjustments to the salt and sugar to my preference which I am sure everyone does. It was so good! Thank you for sharing!
Generally was good, but I felt it needed a bit more dressing which I added. Also depending on the type of apples used (I used Honey Crisp) you might need a bit more sweetner and I used some honey.
Easy and awesome recipe. I also changed raisins to dried cranberries. Yummy!!!!
This was delicious. I omitted the celery because my family doesn't like it. Still a great hit.
Hadn't had waldorf salad since I was a young girl until my 5 year old asked me to make, "make that salad with apples and mayonaise like grandma does." This recipe is excellent!!!. I doubled the recipe, except for the mayo and added some sour cream. Also used a fresh squeezed lime because I did not have any lemon juice. Will definitely make this more often.
This recipe is great without any changes. We like having this salad whenever we can.
Perfect! I went to the bulk section of my local Sprouts and found just enough raisins and dried cranberries (yep, added some) to make this salad pop. Also, I cheat and use the pre-sliced apples I get at Sams and just dice these up. The lemon is important for my than just preventing the apples from browning, I think. Great, fresh flavor.
Loved this salad! Easy to prepare and held up well for 2 days. I did not peel the apples and the red added a nice color.
Very good recipe. Followed recipe exactly but left out raisins, due to the fact I'm not a fan of raisins, and it turned out perfect. Not too much dressing, I had used 4 rather large apples and the dressing coated them perfectly. I will definitely make this again!!!
Great Waldorf Salad, and so easy to make. I used cranberry/raisin mix instead of just the raisins, which gave it just a little extra zip. Rave reviews from all!
Great recipe, easy & pretty on the table! I prefer a more traditional version & this was it. I made a huge batch to serve a crowd & left skins on to save time. I used a 50/50 combination of golden raisins & craisins just to add variety. I coated the diced apples w/ lemon juice & only put about a cap full in the dressing part. Will definitely make this one again.
PERFECT RECIPE! I used four apples instead of three and used craisins instead of raisins, but only because I wanted to, not because I needed to. This is the perfect classic Waldorf recipe, exactly as it is written. Thank you for sharing! :)
Great recipe! I mixed in 2 cups of cut up chicken breast, and served it in croissants for a baby shower. All the ladies, especially the pregnant one, loved it!
I made this for my sister. Waldorf Salad is her favorite and she said it was even better than the kind she buys at the local store.
I tossed the apples in the lemon juice first as others suggested, and then added the other ingredients. Don't make too much more than you need though because this only keeps for a day or two afterwards.
Very good! I used light mayo with lemon and honey for the sauce. I also left the peels on my apples for color and used cranberries instead of raisins. Delicious!! Could add chicken to make it a meal.
Simple and delicious! A big hit at the potluck. The dressing ingredients tasted just right although I didn't use all of the dressing. I used unpeeled Cameo apples (sweet and crisp). I used Craisins instead of raisins. Used walnuts as suggested. Didn't have celery so used a crunchy mini-cucumber. Recipe proportions are right on. I made a 'mostly' Waldorf salad. Quality produce is critical.
Excellent! followed recipe and added Crasins(dried cranberries) too. Made sandwiches with it!
The mayonnaise flavor in the dressing was too strong. I don't reccommend this one.
Delicious recipe. I did use glazed pecans rather than the walnuts and tossed the apples (unpeeled Gala and Granny Smith) in lemon juice before adding the other ingredients. My grandmother makes a similar version adding miniature marshmallows...this is worth a try, too. I look forward to making this again.
I personally did not care for this salad mixture; too lemony & way too mayonnaise-y. (I prefer to use Miracle Whip in my Waldorf's, but willing to try new recipes.)
I thought this was delicious! I admit that I did not have everything on hand. So, I made some changes. I used 1/4 cup mayo and 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt. I used orange juice since I had no lemons. I used almonds since I had no walnuts. I used raw honey because I prefer it to sugar. Mmmm!!!
This recipe is easy to make, and my family loves it. I have made it several times and it is always a hit!
Excellent! I haven't had Waldorf salad since I was a kid and it's exactly the way I remember it. I added a little milk to thin the mayo - I like mayo but it was a bit strong. I also added a bit more lemon. It was so good! The whole family liked it - which is amazing considering there are 6 of us. This one goes into the permanent file - thanks!
Great recipe! I had to double the sauce though because my apples were quite large.
Absolutely excellent! I added some cooked, chopped chicken and took it to a fish fry. It was the first empty bowl on the table! I have made this several times and it is excellent on it's own or stuffed in a pita pocket.
Nothing but goodness from this recipe! The raisins are good but we like craisins even better!
