This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Waldorf salad is filled with texture and flavor. Tossed in a homemade poppy seed dressing, it’s perfect for any lunch, dinner, or appetizer.
During the summer months, I especially enjoy salad with some fruit tossed in—like Kale Salad with apples, Broccoli Salad with dried cranberries, or my favorite, Honey Mustard Chicken Salad!
A salad the whole family loves
I love salad recipes, especially when they’re flavorful and filled with so many delicious ingredients. Today’s Waldorf salad happens to be one of those!
This salad is delicious, filling and hearty! It also has the most fantastic combination of crunchy and creamy, and salty and sweet.
Why we love it:
- Delicious. The taste is amazing, AND it’s perfect for a light and refreshing lunch or great for BBQs, Showers, Brunch and holidays like Thanksgiving.
- Easy. Waldorf salad has been one of our favorite easy salad recipes for years.
- Hearty. With ingredients like apples, grapes, chickens, walnuts, bleu cheese and more, this dish is filling and can be made for lunch or dinner.
FUN FACT: This original Waldorf salad recipe with chicken was created by Oscar Tschirky, maître d’hôtel at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City.
Waldorf Salad Ingredients
- spring mix salad
- chicken breast – or cooked turkey breast
- grapes – green, purple, or red grapes
- apples – Best apples to use are crisp apples such as pink lady, fuji, honey crisp, red delicious, or gala. You can also use tart apples like Granny Smith apples.
- celery
- blue cheese crumbles – or use Feta cheese, Goat cheese, Cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese
- walnuts – or other nuts like pecans, candied walnuts, cashews, almonds
- poppyseed dressing – store-bought or homemade. See below for a simple recipe.
Just Mix + Enjoy!
- SALAD. Add the salad mix to a medium or large bowl. Cut the grapes in half, and chop the apples and celery into chunks. Add the chicken, grapes, apple, celery, blue cheese, and walnuts to the bowl and stir.
- DRESSING. Drizzle with the poppyseed dressing, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Homemade Dressing
Just whisk the following ingredients together for an easy poppyseed mayonnaise dressing recipe. Place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If making the salad in advance, add the dressing just before serving.
- ¾ cup mayo or nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼-⅓ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- season with a bit of salt and black pepper
Recipe Tips
- Fresh apples. To keep the apple from browning, toss the apple pieces in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice before adding them to the salad or sprinkle with Ball’s Fresh Fruit powder.
- Lettuce. A bed of lettuce can be made using a mix of romaine, baby spinach, butterhead, and iceberg lettuce leaves.
- Other additions. Try adding dried cranberries or raisins, dates, cauliflower, mini marshmallows, or sunflower seeds.
Storing Info
- STORE. Unless you’re planning on eating the entire salad, serve the dressing on the side. If the salad has dressing the leftovers will only last about 2-3 days in the fridge. Without dressing, the leftover salad will last a few days longer.
- Make ahead of time. This classic Waldorf salad recipe is pretty sturdy, so you can make it in advance. Just add the dressing right before serving!
- Portion for lunches. Make a big batch of salad earlier in the week, and then portion it out into single-serve airtight containers for a light lunch throughout the week.
For More Salad recipes:
Waldorf Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups spring mix salad
- 2 cups chicken chopped and cooked
- ½ cup grapes
- 1 apple
- 2 stalks celery
- ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
- ¼ cup walnuts chopped
Poppyseed Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add the salad mix to a medium bowl. Cut the grapes in half, and chop the apples and celery into chunks. Add the chicken, grapes, apple, celery, blue cheese, and walnuts to the bowl.
- To make dressing, add all ingredients to a small bowl or jar, and whisk until smooth.
- Drizzle with the poppyseed dressing, and toss to combine. Serve immediately. (NOTE: If making the salad in advance, add the dressing just before serving.)
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make the dressing with the yogurt as in the top recipe, should you still add milk and dry mustard? Or just omit those? Thanks!
I would still add those ingredients in.