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In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper.
Core and dice the apples into ¾-inch cubes. Place in a large bowl, along with the grapes, celery, nuts and parsley.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Garnish with parsley and celery leaves, if using, along with a pinch of black pepper. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Basil Fawlty could have used this recipe.
It is all a matter of taste, but the Waldorf I grew up with was a wonderful “adult” mix of bitter and sweet, that is, apples and walnuts. Not grapes or pecans, which have none of that familiar edgy balance that was merely heightened by the lemon juice and mayo.
This is exactly my grandmother’s recipe except she used twice as many grapes. In the 70’s, grapes had seeds and it was my job to seed all those grapes. I hated that job but was always proud of my contribution to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.
This is ‘the’ recipe. I don’t use honey myself but no quibble some use miniature marshmallows instead. I typically use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice and if I’m being ‘fancy’ add a dollop of creamy peanut butter like Skippy. It’s not a pretty salad really but very tasty and refreshing. Pantry friendly, kids enjoy, not fussy relatively inexpensive what’s not to like? Thank you for publishing this old time recipe.
I have been making Waldorf Salad for many years. No grapes, just apples, toasted walnuts, celery, mayonnaise, salt, and in recent years a few splashes of KAF Boiled Cider.
I like my winter version of the recipe - haven’t bothered with dressing it - Ingredients are: Apple Celery Walnuts Dried tart cherries (Try it you’ll like it!)
My mother and her mother before her always prepared this for Thanksgiving and Christmas, many decades ago. My mother's beautifully handwritten recipe recommends tokay grapes, seeded. Sugar and vinegar provide the sweet and sour elements. Always walnuts, sometimes celery seeds sprinkled in, no parsley. A wonderful dish anytime and a cherished holiday memory.
In 1964, when I was 13, my Dad took me to NYC for the World's Fair. Also my first ride in a jet plane instead of a prop. When there, he took me to the Waldorf Astoria, and insisted I order this salad. In upstate NY I had NEVER tasted anything like it! For some reason I remember there were golden raisins in it, and I felt VERY sophisticated. I will try this version and see how it measures up. ; ) Sounds yummy!
Try adding 1-2 tablespoons of white vermouth to provide a special flavor to a very pleasant, rewarding salad that goes great with almost any meal.
I also add 1 T of pomegranate molasses to the dressing to infuse an extra zing, as well as topping the salad with 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds for color
I have used a mix of plain yogurt and sour cream instead of the mayo. Still creamy, with a bit of tang.
Love this recipe. Sometimes i add curry powder and chicken....
Fuji apples are perfect- added 2 t plain Greek yogurt, Muscat grapes instead of red- a lighter flavor but just enough.
In 1980 I was a server in a restaurant in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. We served the basic Waldorf - walnuts, green apple, celery (maybe grapes), but also with chunked up Brie or Camembert, as an open faced sandwich, on lightly toasted rye. Yummm.
Add Shrimp Shredded Chicken
Just ok, I've had better. Kinda lacked flavor.
To make this be a full meal, Waldorf, I will add a cup each of diced Jarlsberg and roasted turkey breast. I add currants, dates or raisins (whatever I happen to have) and call turkey Waldorf salad. If I wanna be really fancy I serve it in butter, lettuce cups.
My favorite way to use a supermarket rotisserie chicken is to shred the meat and add it to this very salad. It's so easy to do, and you then have a delicious chicken Waldorf salad.
I used to add a few drops of angostura bitters to my waldorf for complexity. Try it!
I use a mix of yogurt and mayo and it's tasty!
Since I don't like mayo at all, I use crème fraiche instead. And just a great Fuji or Pink Lady apple, celery, and walnuts, full stop.
This is a salad that has been a life-long pleasure. I have always made it with raisins, as did my mother, in lieu of grapes. This may have been because in days gone by, fresh grapes weren’t available year ‘round. We are so spoiled nowadays by having fresh fruit and vegetables in our stores any time we want them!
Just an historical note: when this recipe was concocted in the late 19th century what made it chic was that celery was, at least in the U.S., a novel and exciting ingredient that people had to learn how to prepare and eat. The idea of serving raw celery stalks at dinner was racy and sophisticated. Waldorf salad has thus evolved from avant garde to quaint.
I used to improvise by adding shredded chicken and rice to the mix and increasing the dressing a bit. It became more central to a salad supper. I guess it would be called Chicken Waldorf Salad.
For those wanting a version without mayo, substitute Greek yoghurt, honey, and a dash of cinnamon with the apple/fruit/nut combo mentioned in the recipe or the reader's cooking notes. This version provides a different, updated set of sweet, crunchy, tangy notes. I grew up with the mayo version but prefer the Greek yoghurt for the gut health benefits and taste.
My mom made this in the 1960s and ‘70s for our family. No grapes, no honey, but a sprinkle of celery salt. Just made it (my mom’s way) for my 30 yo daughter and her family and they loved it. Used Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples. Also, we chop the celery rather than thinly slice.
I substituted fennel for celery and dried cranberry for grapes. A little more tart than sweet.
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