Cherry Waldorf Salad
By the Gracious Vegan
My mom made Waldorf salad for us quite often. I grew up in Southern California and had no idea there was a Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. I wouldn’t get to New York City until I was 23. “Waldorf” just sounded like an exotic name to me. Created at the Waldorf Hotel in 1896, this salad endures. In the summer I love to add fresh cherries to make it special.
See ideas for other Waldorf variations below recipe.
Makes 5-6 servings
Stir together the following ingredients in a mixing bowl or salad bowl.
2 medium apples (any kind; I prefer red apples or Golden Delicious), cored and diced *
3 celery stalks, chopped or sliced
1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins or Craisins
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, or toasted slivered or sliced almonds**
1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (try one of my delicious homemade mayonnaises: Tofu-Cashew Mayonnaise, No Oil or Plant-Based Oil-Free Mayonnaise)
Gently stir the cherries in right before serving (otherwise their color will bleed onto the apples).
1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and cut into halves or quarters
Taste and add sweetener if you need it.
One or more teaspoons of maple syrup
It is ready to eat, but can be made 1-2 hours in advance and then served.
* Other great uses for less-than-crispy apples include Apple-Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oats (Instant Pot), Breakfast Quinoa Bowl with Apples and Sweet Almond Butter Sauce, Apple Crisp with Date and Oat Crisp Topping, Apple and Carrot Spirals in an Easy Slaw, Instant Pot Pear Compote, applesauce, and apple butter.
** To toast nuts, spread them out in a shallow pan and bake in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Note that this salad does not freeze well.
Variations on Waldorf Salad
Add a cup of halved grapes
Use dried cranberries and/or chopped dates instead of raisins
Use diced jicama instead of celery
Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon maple syrup to the mayonnaise for more lemony flavor
Use plant-based yogurt instead of mayonnaise
Add zest of an orange or lemon
Use sliced or chopped pears (in addition to or instead of apples)
Use toasted cashews, pistachios, pecans, pine nuts, or sliced/silvered almonds instead of walnuts
Add a few pineapple chunks
Add some shredded cabbage (Savoy is particularly nice)
Timing: under 30 minutes
Gluten-free