Classic Waldorf Salad with Grapes

This classic Waldorf salad with grapes is fresh and uses wholesome ingredients that requires so little time and makes hungry bellies happy.

Salads are such a nice addition to any dinner table.

Summer salads full of fresh ingredients are even more appetizing.

Like so many easy pasta dishes, such as my white sauce chicken pasta, creamy pesto pasta, and lemon garlic pasta this salad is a perfect way to add flavor to your summer table.

While this isn’t your classic green garden salad it is full of flavor, color, and wonderful ingredients.

The Waldorf salad is a true classic and a beautiful salad to serve alongside your suppertime meals.

Plus, it comes together in minutes and adds punchy flavor to your cherished mealtime.

What is Waldorf Salad?

In the late 1800’s, a famous hotel opened up in New York City. The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel hosted a charity ball for children and served a delicious, fresh fruit salad that became historic.

The original Waldorf salad recipe started as a simple salad with crisp apples, crunchy celery, a dressing made of mayonnaise.

This humble, yet tasty salad has come a long way since that first Waldorf salad, but it still holds tight to its roots with a refined twist.

Why you’ll love this Waldorf Salad with Grapes

• This traditional Waldorf salad recipe is perfect as an easy side dish for a weekly meal, but is also a great addition to those holiday meals, too.
• Pack this in an airtight container and put it on ice for those summer picnics or pot lucks.
• Kids and adults alike love the combination of red apples, mandarin oranges, juicy grapes, and chopped walnuts.
• The base of this salad is a creamy dressing that pairs nicely with the rest of the delicious salad.
• Do you like to host meals at your house? This is a great, classic salad that is perfect to serve when you have families with kiddos visiting.

Tell me about this classic recipe

• Taste– Waldorf salad is a wonderful marrying of sweet and savory with the fresh fruit and crunchy walnuts. Add in some shredded or rotisserie chicken and have a delicious chicken Waldorf salad.
• Texture– You will love the simple combination of apples, that give you a nice crunch to bite into. The dressing uses simple ingredients that make a nice, creamy texture. If you add chicken to the salad, you will enjoy the soft texture it brings to this easy recipe.
• Ease– The original recipe has only three ingredients, which makes this the easiest recipe ever. You can add as many other add ins to elevate the salad or keep it pared down for ease.
• Time– Aside from a bit of chopping, this salad comes together in a few minutes. That is perfect for busy weeknights!

Ingredients for a Classic Waldorf Salad Recipe

• Tart Apples- Dice up a few Granny Smith apples to give a sweet, yet tart profile to the salad. While I think tart apples add the best in terms of flavor, any fresh apples will work for this recipe. The best part about the apples is that you don’t have to peel them. Just core and dice them up!
• Seedless Grapes– I like to halve grapes for this salad. Red grapes are my go-to, but you can use green grapes if that’s what is at your grocery store. The most important thing is to make sure they are crisp and not mushy grapes.
• Celery– Dice up a couple of celery stalks for this fresh salad to add even more crunchy texture.
• Walnuts– I like roughly chopped walnuts, but substitute pecans if you don’t have any walnut halves.
• Mayonnaise– I like to use regular Mayo, and I wouldn’t recommend using Miracle Whip. It adds a funny aftertaste that isn’t the most pleasant. If you need a substitute, both plain greek yogurt and sour cream will work.
• Whipping Cream– Yes, you can grab a tub of cool whip, but making your own is simple, better for you, and delicious!
• Salt– This is the best way to bring out the subtle sweetness of the fruit… salt.
• Fresh Lemon Juice– Lemon juice adds the acid any good salad needs and it helps preserve the apples. Use a bit of lemon zest on the top of the plated salad for a beautiful and flavorful garnish.
• Sugar– A little bit goes a long way since the fruit adds sweetness. Honey or maple syrup are great options, too.

How to Make the Best Waldorf Salad

The perfect salad recipes have greens, sweetness, saltiness, creaminess, crunchiness, and a great dressing. This one checks all of the boxes.

Lay your Waldorf salad on a bed of lettuce and you have the perfect salad.

1. Chop– Chop your fruits, walnuts, and celery.
2. Make Dressing– Whip the mayonnaise, whipped cream, lemon juice, sugar, and salt together into a creamy dressing.
3. Combine– Pour the dressing over the fruit and celery and coat them well.
4. Serve– Sprinkle with the walnuts and serve on a bed of romaine.

Add Ins for an Easy Waldorf Salad

• Shredded Coconut
• Mini Marshmallows
• Cheeses- Blue Cheese, Feta Cheese, or Goat Cheese
• Raisins or Craisins
• Finely Diced Onion or Red Onion

Variations for Waldorf Salad

• Waldorf Chicken Salad– Add in 1 cup of diced, cooked chicken. If it is Thanksgiving time, toss in leftover turkey!
• Tropical Waldorf Salad– Cubed pineapple, mandarine oranges, and mango are great additions to this recipe.
• Orange Waldorf Salad– Instead of lemon juice, use frozen orange juice and mix the slushy juice in with the salad fillings.

How to Store Leftover Waldorf Salad

Waldorf salad is best eaten when fresh, but if you have leftovers you can store them in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

After that, the dressing and fruit lose their texture.

You can make this salad ahead by chopping up the fruit and celery, mixing up the creamy mayonnaise dressing, and putting it together when it is ready to serve.

I recommend pouring lemon juice over the apples to keep them from browning.

Waldorf Salad is the Perfect Side Dish for

• French Dip Sandwiches
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches
• Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
• Sausage, Egg, and Crescent Roll Casserole
• Perfect Grilled Chicken Thighs

Waldorf Salad with Grapes Recipe