Waldorf Salad
The Waldorf salad is a legendary recipe that’s been around for over 100 years. Many ingredients work well in this salad, and its versatility means that it makes an ideal main dish, appetizer or even a side dish.
Origins of the Waldorf salad
The salad originated in 1893 and was named after the Hotel Waldorf, a precursor to the famous Waldorf-Astoria in New York. In the 1900s, dried fruit, such as raisins, were added to the original recipe. Today, the salad is still listed on the hotel’s menu with some adaptations.
Classic Waldorf salad
The Waldorf salad offers a semi-sweet flavor. To highlight the sweetness of the salad, some dressings include a tablespoon of honey or sugar. For the diners that enjoy stronger flavors, blue cheese is an optional ingredient.
Ingredients:
- 5 medium red apples
- 2 celery stalks
- Half a cup of walnuts
- 1.5 cups of mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons of sugar
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- Salt
Steps:
- Wash the celery stalks well and chop them into small pieces.
- Wash and peel the apples. After, chop them into small cubes. Sprinkle them with a couple drops of lemon juice to prevent them from browning and set aside.
- Finely chop the walnuts.
- For the dressing, stir the mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar and a pinch of salt, together in a container. Stir until the dressing is creamy and evenly mixed.
- Mix all of the main ingredients together in a bowl and pour on the dressing. Stir together. Store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.
Chicken Waldorf salad
In addition to its bittersweet taste, the Waldorf salad boasts some interesting textures. The celery, lettuce, and apple give a fibrous feel to the dish, while the dried fruit serves as a surprising contrast in terms of both flavor and texture.
Ingredients:
- 9 ounces of chicken breast
- 2 green apples
- 1 celery stalk
- 5 ounces of walnuts
- 2 ounces of pine nuts
- 5 ounces of mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons of cream
- 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey
- 1 lemon
- Salt and black pepper
Steps:
- Prepare the chicken breast by coating it in olive oil and seasoning with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- Wash and chop the celery into small pieces.
- Peel and dice the apples into small cubes.
- Finely chop the walnuts and pine nuts.
- In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients together, including the chicken. Set aside.
- For the dressing, grate a lemon and squeeze its juice into a separate container. Add the mayonnaise and sugar, mix until it’s completely combined.
- Slowly add the cream. Once it’s completely integrated, add the mustard. Beat everything together with a hand mixer, until the dressing is creamy.
- Pour the dressing onto the salad and stir. Season to taste and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Creamy yogurt Waldorf salad
Yogurt can tone down the flavor of mayonnaise. Some Waldorf salad versions also recommend using cream; cream can give the salad a creamier, more delicate texture.
Ingredients:
- Medium green apple
- Medium red apple
- 1 cup of grapes, cut in half
- 3/4 cups of celery
- 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- Lettuce leaves for serving
- Salt and black pepper
Steps:
- Wash and chop the apples and celery into small pieces. The apples should be peeled and chopped just before making the salad, as they’ll start to brown quickly once exposed to air.
- In a bowl, mix the grapes, walnuts, apples, and celery together. Season with salt and black pepper and set aside.
- For the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, yogurt and lemon juice together. Beat them all together until the dressing is creamy and uniform.
- Pour the dressing on to the salad. Stir and then let it chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
- When ready to serve, wash and chop the lettuce. Prepare a lettuce bed on a plate and serve the salad on top, sprinkling on more salt to taste.
