I add crumbled blue cheese and pomegranate seeds to Waldorf Salad; sometimes I substitute a mustard-based vinaigrette for mayo.

Once at an office potluck, a guy brought the salad. He introduced it as Mock Waldorf. He substituted new potatoes for the apples. My tastebuds cried that day.

P.S. Elise, you are the coolest blogger of all.

Elise, do you have any idea how finely chopped the ingredients should be in a traditional Waldorf? I think you chopped them fairly fine, right? I have had it sometimes with huge chunks of apple and somehow the flavors just don't blend.

I was browsing through looking for a simple Waldorf salad recipe to take on a picnic to the botanicals, but I didn't realize that there are so many varieties and twists (yogurt being the worst). I was more than happy with something traditional, but it seems that culturally we are moving away from traditions. Sometimes change isn't always for the better. Sometimes simplicity has more depth. That was the appeal that the Waldorf salad held for me to begin with and now that seems to be a little lost.

Use a quality vanilla yogurt (no low fat or low carb) and it comes out great.

Kate - What can I say? I was almost there with you through the orange zest but you lost me on the mini marshmallows. To each her own.

I had a fabulous Waldorf salad at California Pizza Kitchen yesterday. It had glazed (candied?) walnuts, green apples, red grapes, grilled chicken, and Bleu cheese dressing on mixed greens.

You inspired me to make a Waldorf Salad tonight and it was great! Unfortunately, my partner hates mayonnaise, so instead I did a combination of a fruit-flavoed mustard and aioli. While not a "traditional" Waldorf salad (and I am usually in favor of traditional recipes), it was delicious.

Since I don't really like raisins "in" food (only like them out of the little red box), and I live in New England I like to substitute craisins (dried sweetened crandberries) for the raisins. Definitely gives it a New England flair.

I mix 3 diced golden delicious apples, 3 diced stalks celery, 1 cup of walnuts pieces, 2 cups mini marshmallows, and mayonaise to make it creamy......always easy and a favorite at get togethers.

That is my first time that I make an English recipe, delicious and simple great salad recipe, now I bookmark this site. I will come back more. Thanks Elise

I use cream cheese in place of the Mayo -- yummy.

I adore it in all versions. I usually make it using whipped cream mixed with some greek joghurt instead of mayo, since these I usually have in the house and it is great. as for the size, I like to cut the stuff to about a size of larger beans. I also use white grapes and sour apples instead sweet apples and red grapes. The idea for me is, to have sth sweet, sth sour, sth juicy, mixed with sth crunchy, salty and fat :D
Have fun!

Waldorf Salad has always been my dad's contribution to family holiday meals. Your recipe is pretty similar to his, although we add marshmallows, too. When I make it now, I prefer using dried cranberries or cherries instead of raisins, and pecans instead of walnuts.

My mom made this a lot when I was growing up...your picture looks great!

I made this today for lunch and added a poached chicken breast and substituted a bit of dijon mustard since I was out of lemon. Absolutely delicious!

I was just craving waldorf salad earlier this week and looking for "perfect" recipes. Yours sounds great, thanks. I'll have to make it soon!

I've been looking for a good Chicken Salad recipe for some time and I thought this sounded delicious, but made a few changes to make this a bit heartier. I guess you can call it my version of a Chicken Waldorf Salad. I added a can of chicken meat, drained, used glazed walnuts, sliced green grapes, and used about 2/3 cup of mayo so that the mixture was nice and creamy and rich. I added about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice because I love the taste. Spread a generous amount on whole grain wheat bread. Oh my gosh, what a delicious sandwich! Way better than any overpriced sandwich from a deli. Thanks for the recipe Elise, this one is going into my regular rotation.

I have just "discovered" your blog. Love the recipes. I make Waldorf salad exactly like this except use some Granny Smith and some Gala apples - leave the peel on for color. A really good alternative to the mayo dressing is poppy seed dressing - I use LaMartinque. But of course this makes it sweeter. I go back and forth between the two.

I guess I don't fancy the traditional Waldorf salad, as neither my family nor I care for celery and we all love the marshmallows. My mom (and I) use mayo, Cool Whip and vanilla ice cream for the dressing. I had a different sort of Waldorf at a gathering recently, and it was very, very creamy. I wonder if it was made with whipping cream (beaten)??? It all sounds yummy to me!!! Thanks for the ideas.

My family has been making Waldorf for years and, after introducing it to my husband's family, they've begun to request it!
I've been using gala apples lately, but dream of trying honeycrisp (missed the season this year though...).
I'm not a huge mayo fan, so I do one part mayo, three parts heavy cream (whipped till it peaks, then some more for good measure). This way it's really more desert like. I love it cold out of the fridge.
Really interested in trying the yogurt suggestion! Thanks! (forehead smack!)

Fondly remembering my childhood, the Waldorf was always a favorite. So found this blog looking for proper recipe for New Years Day.
Two observations from your posts:
One: most every variation sounds absolutely delicious ('cept the pototoes, yuk). Which must make this one of the most versatile recipes ever prepared.
Two: Why do we always wait for the holidays?
Thanks everyone, I'll enjoy it many ways all year.

I love your recipe, try sprinkling with dried salted sunflower seeds.

I started by botching this recipe. I put my walnuts in the oven to "lightly toast" and started chopping my apples. In a little while I noticed a funny smell - cajun walnuts - into the trash with them!

Onward and forward! I decided that I wanted my salad a little sweeter than I remembered a traditional Waldorf being, so I added about a 1/2 c. sugar to the mayo/lemon blend. Then I added a little extra lemon juice. Didn't add salt and pepper. It is soooooo good! I am tempted to pour the mixture in a cup and drink it. :-0

Yummy, yummy salad for a hot afternoon. Add some crusty bread or muffins and some sweet green iced tea and you've got a tasty hot weather meal.

Laurie

I always use red and green apples for color and yogurt instead of mayo--healthier that way. As far as adding marshmallows and whipped cream, that's fine I guess, but it's not "Waldorf salad" then. Just call it "Waldorf dessert".

Depends on how you define "healthy". Mayo is basically eggs emulsified with vegetable oil. Yogurt is cultured milk. I find that yogurt makes a Waldorf salad too acidic for my taste. ~Elise

Here is my family's version. In a large bowl combine 6 unpeeled golden and red delicious apples, cored and cubed, 1/2 bag mini marshmallows, 2 sticks of celery cut into 1/4" slices, 1 cup raisins, 1 lb. green seedless grapes cut in half and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.(I don't like walnuts)to this mix add one cup Miracle W**p (not mayo) fold in gently until all is covered. Optional: 1 1/2 cup mandarin orange pieces.

I made a Waldorf salad for the first time today and I'm hooked! I used English cucumbers, Macintosh apples, cranraisins, sour cream, sugar, parsley and chopped walnuts. It was amazingly good!

My mother and I always enjoyed Waldorf salad on the holidays. I am lucky that I have a daughter-in-law who likes it as well. We do it the simple way. Walnuts, celery, raisins, red delicious apple and mayonnaise. No yogurt, salt, pepper, grapes or lemon juice.

I got my first recipe for Waldorf salad from the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook in the 1950's. It calls for apples, celery, 1/2 cup nuts (I like walnuts and 3/4 cup). It calls for whipped topping but I still prefer mayo.

Great ideas.

I'm making "Holiday Waldorf" today. Heavy cream whipped and folded with some mayo, plus a little honey and lemon juice. A package of "dried cranberries mixed with golden raisins" and a few black raisins, all soaked to plump. Gala apples, cut into lemon juice to save the color, celery, and toasted pecans. Maybe I'll sugar them.

Easy on the dressing, so the pieces will show up as jewels.

Now, I'm thinking that'll be festive.

Pat

In my salad I prefer to use a low fat vanilla yogurt. It gives the salad a sweeter taste compared to a more bitter taste with regular yogurt. The "low fat" yogurt works well because it doesn't have that thick of a consistency, yet still holds the ingredients together nicely. I also add a bit of cinnamon when using the vanilla yogurt. :)

I usually soak my apples in iced sugar water for an hour and then add the rest of the ingredients.

All of the variations sound wonderful. I didn't grow up eating this salad, however, my first encounter was from the kitchen of a co-worker. She prepared it this way, but added cubes of mild cheddar. It was oddly wonderful!!

Great recipe! I did it for christmas dinner and it was great! I feel unconfortable with mayo, so I decided to use yogurt(apple yogurt) and everyone loves it. This was my first time so I can say well done! Try it and taste something different.