Cranberry Waldorf Salad (Crisp, Light and Creamy)

The Waldorf salad is credited to the Waldorf Hotel in New York, where it was served in the 1890s as a simple mix of unpeeled red apples and celery bound with mayonnaise. Walnuts joined the recipe a few years later, and other add-ins followed as home cooks made it their own. This cranberry Waldorf salad keeps the original idea of crisp apple and celery in a creamy dressing, and adds dried cranberries for a sweet-tart chew that makes it feel right at home on a fall or holiday table.

The other change is the dressing. Instead of all mayonnaise, it is half mayonnaise and half Greek yogurt, with a squeeze of lemon and a little honey. It is lighter and tangier, it coats every piece without drowning it, and it lets the fruit and toasted walnuts stay the focus. The whole bowl takes about 25 minutes, most of it chopping.

Ingredients

For the salad

• 1/2 cup (60 g) walnuts – toasting brings out their flavor and keeps them crunchy in the dressing.
• 2 large apples, about 1 lb (450 g), unpeeled – one sweet red apple and one tart green apple give the best balance (see the table below). The skins add color.
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice – tossed with the apples to keep them from browning.
• 1 cup (about 150 g) diced celery, about 2 ribs – the savory crunch that defines a Waldorf.
• 1 cup (about 150 g) seedless red grapes, halved – juicy bursts that balance the dressing.
• 3/4 cup (about 90 g) dried cranberries – sweet-tart and chewy, and they hold their shape.

For the dressing

• 1/3 cup (75 g) mayonnaise – the classic base that makes it creamy.
• 1/3 cup (75 g) plain Greek yogurt – adds tang and lightens the mayonnaise.
• 1 tsp honey – just enough to round out the lemon and yogurt.
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus a pinch of salt.

How to Make It

1. Toast the walnuts – 350°F (175°C), 8 to 10 minutes

Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast them until fragrant and a shade darker. Let them cool, then chop them coarsely. Pull them out as soon as they smell nutty; walnuts go from toasted to bitter quickly.

2. Dice and coat the apples – 5 minutes

Core the apples without peeling them and cut them into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes. Put them in a large bowl and toss straight away with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Every cut side should look glossy; that thin coat of juice is what stops browning.

3. Add the rest of the salad – 5 minutes

Add the celery, grapes, dried cranberries and most of the walnuts to the apples, keeping a small handful of walnuts for the top.

4. Make the dressing and fold it in – 3 minutes

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, remaining lemon juice and salt until smooth. Spoon it over the salad and fold gently with a spatula until everything is lightly coated. You should still see the colors of the fruit through the dressing; if it looks soupy, there is too much.

5. Serve or chill

Scatter the reserved walnuts on top and serve right away, or cover and refrigerate until serving. A short chill of 30 minutes or so makes it cold and refreshing, but it is not essential.

The Best Apples for Waldorf Salad

A Waldorf salad needs apples that stay crisp after they are cut and dressed. Soft, mealy apples turn mushy in the dressing within an hour. Mixing a sweet apple and a tart one gives the most interesting bowl.

Whichever you choose, leave the skins on. They add color and texture and help the cubes hold together. Any leftover apples are easy to use in a French apple cake.

Make-Ahead and Storing

You can prepare most of this salad a few hours ahead. Toast the walnuts and keep them in a sealed container at room temperature. Dice the celery, halve the grapes and whisk the dressing, and keep each one covered in the refrigerator. Cut the apples close to serving time, toss them with lemon juice, then combine everything and add the walnuts last so they stay crunchy.

Once dressed, the salad is best eaten the same day. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days; the apples slowly soften and release some juice, so give it a gentle stir and add a spoonful of yogurt if it looks dry. Do not freeze it.

As a side dish, it brings something crisp and cold to a holiday table next to warm dishes like a cheesy green bean casserole, or to a weeknight dinner of apple cider pot roast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make it without mayonnaise?

Yes. Use all Greek yogurt and add a little more honey to soften the tang. The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension version uses vanilla yogurt, honey and a pinch of cinnamon instead, for a sweeter, lighter bowl.

Can I use pecans instead of walnuts?

Yes. Toasted pecans work the same way and are a little sweeter. Leave the nuts out entirely for a nut-free version, or add toasted sunflower seeds for crunch.

How do I turn it into a main dish?

Fold in 2 cups of diced or shredded cooked chicken or turkey and add a little extra dressing. Serve it on a bed of greens or in a sandwich. For a different main-course salad, try our blackened chicken salad, and find more ideas among our lunch recipes.

Cranberry Waldorf Salad

Crisp apples, celery, red grapes, toasted walnuts and dried cranberries folded into a light mayonnaise and Greek yogurt dressing.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 280

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the salad

• 1/2 cup walnuts 60 g
• 2 large apples about 1 lb (450 g), one sweet red and one tart green, unpeeled
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup diced celery about 2 ribs (150 g)
• 1 cup seedless red grapes halved (150 g)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries about 90 g

For the dressing

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise 75 g
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt 75 g
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 pinch salt

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Toast the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant. Cool and chop coarsely.
2. Core the apples without peeling them and cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes. Toss immediately with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a large bowl.
3. Add the celery, grapes, dried cranberries and most of the walnuts, keeping a small handful for the top.
4. Whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, remaining lemon juice and salt until smooth. Fold into the salad until lightly coated.
5. Top with the reserved walnuts and serve right away, or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Notes

Make ahead: toast the walnuts and prepare the celery, grapes and dressing a few hours ahead. Cut the apples and combine everything shortly before serving, adding the walnuts last.

Storage: best the day it is dressed; leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Do not freeze.

Substitutions: all Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise; pecans instead of walnuts; green grapes instead of red; add 2 cups cooked chicken or turkey for a main dish.

No oven: toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for a few minutes.

Nutrition is an estimate per serving, not a laboratory analysis.