When I’m craving a salad that’s equal parts sweet and fresh, I love to make this classic Waldorf salad. It’s loaded with fresh apples, grapes, celery, candied walnuts, and mixed greens all tossed together in a creamy homemade Waldorf dressing. It’s nice and light, but it’s definitely not light on flavor or texture. It’s creamy, crunchy, and ridiculously delicious.

Waldorf salad on a table along with a cloth napkin, fork, glasses of water, and a small bowl of walnuts

This post may include affiliate links that earn us a small commission from your purchases at no extra cost to you.

Made with just 10 ingredients, this Waldorf salad is simple to make and so delicious. The creamy Waldorf dressing is made with mayo, honey, lemon juice, and just a pinch of salt and pepper– so easy! This is a great quick and tasty salad to serve with any meal.

What’s in This Waldorf Salad Recipe?

Mayonnaise: Makes the dressing creamy. For a lighter dressing, try swapping up to half of the mayo out for plain Greek yogurt.
Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing.
Lemon Juice: Balances the sweetness of the salad by adding a touch of tartness.
Salt + Pepper: Enhance the overall flavor of the salad.
Apples: You can use any kind of apples you like in this salad. I like to do one red apple (like Honey Crisp or Gala) and one green apple (like Golden Delicious or Granny Smith) for more variety and color.
Grapes: I like to use red, but a mix of red and green is also delicious. For a little extra sweetness, try adding some raisins or dried cranberries, too!
Celery: Enhances the crunchiness of the salad and balances out the sweetness of the apples and grapes.
Candied Walnuts: Add a delightful nuttiness and crunch. Pistachios, pecans, or almonds would also work well here.
Mixed Greens: Form the perfect bed for this delicious crunchy salad.

Waldorf salad ingredients grouped together on a cutting board (thinly sliced apples, halved grapes, candied walnuts, sliced celery, greens)

Tips for Success

Try to chop all of the ingredients to about the same size. It’ll make the salad more uniform and allow you to get a bit of everything in each bite.
Sprinkle the cut apples with lemon juice to prevent browning. You can add a little sugar to enhance the sweetness as well.
Toast the nuts for a deeper flavor.
For a sweeter salad, you can fold some whipped cream into the dressing and mini marshmallows into the salad.
Mix the dressing together before adding the fruit to ensure that everything gets evenly coated.
Add the nuts just before serving. Nuts go stale quickly, especially when refrigerated.

How to Store

Waldorf salad is best enjoyed on the day it is made; however, it will remain fresh for up to 1 day if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve cold. I do not recommend freezing this salad.

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve this Waldorf salad as a light lunch all by itself or topped with some grilled chicken or salmon. It’s a great side to serve with buttermilk fried chicken or baked pork tenderloin, too!

How to Make a Waldorf Salad Step by Step

Mix the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper together to create the dressing.

Toss the Salad: In a large bowl, add 2 chopped or matchsticked apples, 1 cup of halved red grapes, 1 cup of thinly sliced celery, and 1 cup of candied walnuts. Toss to combine.