Equipment
Ingredients
Dressing
- 60 g mayonnaise
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 g dijon mustard
- 2 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Salad Base
- 300 g crisp apples, cored and diced
- 100 g celery stalks, finely sliced
- 150 g red seedless grapes, halved
- 50 g walnuts, roughly chopped
- 50 g butter lettuce, separated into leaves
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 256 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 325 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Cholesterol
- 6 mg
- Potassium
- 314 mg
- Calcium
- 38 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 32 mg
- Phosphorus
- 74 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 32 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 35 mcg
- Water
- 138 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the roughly chopped walnuts in a dry small skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper until completely smooth.
Add the diced apples, sliced celery, and halved grapes to the bowl with the dressing. Toss gently but thoroughly to ensure all fruit is coated in the dressing.
Fold the cooled toasted walnuts into the salad mixture.
Cover the bowl tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
To serve, arrange the butter lettuce leaves on individual plates or a serving platter and spoon the chilled Waldorf salad on top.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the walnuts is a non-negotiable step; it releases their essential oils and removes the raw, slightly bitter skin flavor, dramatically elevating the salad.
- For a lighter variation, substitute half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. This adds a pleasant tanginess while reducing overall richness.
- Cut your celery and apples to roughly the same size as the halved grapes. Uniform knife cuts ensure a balanced texture and flavor in every single bite.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Apples may begin to soften and release water over time.
Troubleshooting
Salad is watery
Cause: Fruit was wet after washing, or the salad sat for too long before serving
Fix: Gently drain the excess liquid from the bottom of the bowl and fold in an extra spoonful of mayonnaise
Prevention: Thoroughly pat the apples, celery, and grapes dry before chopping and adding to the bowl
Apples turned brown
Cause: Apples oxidized while sitting out before being mixed with the dressing
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Chop the apples last and immediately toss them in the lemon juice dressing
Cultural Context
The Waldorf salad was created in 1896 at the renowned Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City by dining room manager Oscar Tschirky. The original recipe consisted solely of apples, celery, and mayonnaise; walnuts were not added until decades later but have since become a defining ingredient.
