Waldorf Salad Recipe with Apples, Celery and Yogurt Dressing
Waldorf salad is a really interesting starter. It tastes great and is low in calories, yet it's packed with vitamins and good for you, which makes it a perfect fit for a diet or just healthy eating. I'd almost call it a dessert salad – the apples make it slightly sweet. It takes only 5-10 minutes to make, and the ingredients need no prep: just slice and toss.
In classic American cooking, Waldorf salad is made from juicy sweet-tart apples and celery – you can use either celery root or the green stalks. Originally everything was cut into matchsticks, though most modern recipes don't insist on any particular cut. Modern versions also often use celery root rather than stalks.
The salad was first made back in the 19th century at the fashionable Waldorf Astoria hotel in Manhattan, New York. Maître d' Oscar Tschirky created a signature starter and named it after the hotel – although his authorship is still disputed. The original recipe had no nuts, but today walnuts are considered a classic part of the salad. Modern recipes also add fresh grapes or raisins.
A salad of apples and celery is usually dressed with a light mayonnaise. I prefer an even lighter dressing based on thick, full-fat yogurt. It cuts the calories and makes the salad especially tasty. I add lemon juice, sweet or hot paprika and black pepper to the dressing. If the yogurt and apples are more tart than you'd like, a little honey always helps.
Waldorf salad tastes better when the apples aren't too sweet and have a noticeable tartness. Of the varieties in my local store, I buy Idared or Red Prince – they work perfectly for this salad.
All the ingredients should be as fresh as possible, with no signs of spoilage and nothing limp. I don't peel the apples, just slice them thinly – that makes cutting matchsticks easier. The size of the matchsticks is up to you. I cut the celery stalk into matchsticks too. I rarely use fresh grapes in this salad – I much prefer large, sweet seedless raisins. The walnuts should be lightly toasted in a dry skillet.
Ingredients
4 servings
- Red sweet-tart apples 2
- Celery stalk 2
- Walnut halves 1/2 cup
- Seedless raisins 3 tbsp
- Thick yogurt 3 tbsp
- Lemon juice 1 tbsp
- Salt, black pepper, sweet paprika to taste
- Honey, mayonnaise as needed
Step-by-step recipe
- You'll often hear that the apples should be green so they match the celery. I prefer Waldorf salad with red apples, and I leave them unpeeled so every matchstick keeps a red stripe. But of course, that's a matter of taste. What matters is that the apples are sweet-tart and juicy. You can use celery root instead of stalks, just keep in mind that the stalks are much juicier. It's best to use all the ingredients cold, so you don't have to chill the salad afterwards.
- Choose large, firm apples with no signs of spoilage. Cut each apple into quarters and remove the core and seeds. Slice the apple into 2-3 mm thick slices, then cut them into matchsticks. You can peel the celery stalk or leave it as is. Cut the green celery stalks into matchsticks the same size as the apple. If needed, first split the stalk lengthwise to make the pieces thinner. Put the apple and celery into a bowl.
- Shell the walnuts – you'll need about 1/2 cup of kernels. To bring out their flavor, toast them in a hot dry skillet. Once the nuts have cooled, add them to the bowl along with soft seedless raisins. I don't use grapes in this salad, but I try to pick sweet, large raisins – they make Waldorf salad really delicious.
- Make the dressing right away. I use thick yogurt with about 10% fat or more. If the yogurt and apples are tart, add 1 tsp of honey to the dressing – that's optional. Squeeze in 1 tbsp of lemon juice: it won't make the salad noticeably sour, but it will lift the aroma and flavor. Add a pinch of salt, some ground black pepper and a quarter teaspoon of sweet paprika. By the way, you can also try a tiny pinch of chili.
- Stir the dressing with a fork until smooth. You can also finely chop 1/2 tbsp of parsley and add it to the dressing. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. If the Waldorf salad tastes a bit sour, add a little more honey – just a very little – and toss again.
- The salad is ready to serve right away. Spoon it into small salad bowls. You can also use large plates: set a 9-10 cm food ring on the plate, fill it with a portion of salad, then lift the ring off. Garnish with raisins or grapes and walnut halves. If you decide to garnish with apple slices, be sure to brush them with lemon juice so they don't turn brown.
- People often add other ingredients that aren't part of the classic Waldorf salad: chicken, avocado, even cauliflower or broccoli. The dressing is often mayonnaise or a mix of mayonnaise and yogurt, and citrus zest is a common addition too.
Serves: 4 servings Calories: 90 Prep: 5 mins Cook: 5 mins Total: 10 mins Category: Salads Cuisine: American cuisine Rating: