Waldorf Salad with Apple, Celery and Walnuts Recipe
Waldorf salad was created at the end of the 19th century in New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and quickly became a classic of American parties. It combines crunchy apples, celery, grapes and nuts in a light, creamy dressing. The flavor is a bit like a cross between a fruit salad and a light vegetable salad – it’s fresh, sweet-and-salty, and very refreshing.
Waldorf salad is a piece of New York history on a plate – invented at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, it’s still associated with elegant parties, even though it’s made from just a few simple ingredients. It combines crunchy apples, celery and grapes with a creamy yet light yogurt–mayonnaise dressing and toasted nuts that add depth of flavor. The result is a salad that’s both fruity and savory, pleasantly sweet-and-salty and very refreshing.
Chef's tips
Cut the apples just before serving and immediately drizzle them with lemon juice so they keep their color and crispness – don’t prepare them an hour ahead without lemon juice, or they’ll darken and soften. Always toast the nuts in a dry pan until they become fragrant – this step only takes a few minutes but makes a huge difference in flavor. Season the dressing at the end, after mixing it with the fruit and vegetables, because the sweetness of apples and grapes varies depending on the season.
How to serve
You can serve the salad on lettuce leaves as a light appetizer for a dinner with friends or as a side dish to roasted chicken or fish. It’s perfect on a holiday table or for a summer picnic in the park – it keeps well at room temperature, especially if you use more yogurt than mayonnaise. To drink, serve a slightly dry white wine or homemade water with lemon and mint.
Ingredients
- apple - 3 pieces
- celery stalks stalks - 3 stalks
- grapes - 150 g
- walnuts - 60 g
- lettuce - 4 leaves
- plain yogurt - 80 g
- mayonnaise - 40 g
- lemon - 0.5 pieces
- honey - 1 tablespoon
- salt - 0.25 teaspoons
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Roughly chop the walnuts and toast them in a dry pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
- Wash the celery, trim the ends and slice it into thin pieces.
- Wash and dry the grapes, then cut them in half (larger ones into quarters).
- Wash the apples, remove the cores and cut into 1–1.5 cm cubes. Immediately drizzle with the juice from half a lemon so they don’t brown, and gently toss.
- In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, salt and pepper until you get a smooth dressing.
- In a large bowl combine the apples, celery, grapes and most of the walnuts (reserve a handful for sprinkling on top).
- Add the yogurt–mayonnaise dressing and gently mix so that all the ingredients are coated, but the fruit doesn’t break apart.
- Arrange lettuce leaves on plates, spoon portions of Waldorf salad on top and sprinkle with the remaining walnuts. Serve right away or after briefly chilling in the fridge.
Storage
Sałatkę przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku. Jabłka z czasem lekko zmiękną, ale nadal będzie smaczna – przed podaniem delikatnie zamieszaj i ewentualnie dodaj odrobinę świełego jogurtu.
