This Healthy Waldorf Salad recipe is easy to make and a tasty side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any meal. We also love adding chicken to it for a healthy lunch.
This Healthy Waldorf Salad recipe serves six and costs about $6.89 to make. That’s only $1.15 per serving!
This salad is the perfect complement to a holiday meal of Turkey, Christmas Roast, or Ham. Serve it for lunch inside a homemade Roll or alongside some Grilled Chicken Breasts; this Waldorf Salad is versatile and goes perfectly with just about any other dish.
Healthy Waldorf Salad
This salad is a mix of fresh flavors that are sweet, crisp, and crunchy. The creamy yogurt base mixed with the fresh produce puts this healthy Waldorf Salad at the top of the favorite side dish recipes list.
Besides being served as a side dish at a holiday dinner, a potluck, or a weeknight meal, Waldorf Salad can easily turn into the main dish by simply adding chicken. Serve it over a bed of lettuce or inside a roll as a sandwich on a hot summer day. The options are endless!
We love bringing a Waldorf Salad to a potluck because you can make the salad ahead of time and really give the dressing and the ingredients time to marry. This provides so much flavor in every bite. How will you serve it?
Why is it called a Waldorf salad?
This salad was first created at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City in 1896. The salad soon became popular and has since become an American classic known as a Waldorf Salad due to where it was created.
How much will this Healthy Waldorf Salad recipe cost to make:
RECIPE COST: $6.89
PRICE PER SERVING: $1.15
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt – $0.29
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar – $0.02
- 1 cup red grapes – $1.00
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice – $0.09
- 2 large apples – $2.19
- 1 cup green grapes – $2.16
- 2 stalks celery – $0.36
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts – $0.78
To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
Cook’s Tools:
- large bowl
- whisk
- measuring cup
- cutting board
- chef’s knife
- measuring spoons
- apple peeler/corer
- mixing spoon
How to make Waldorf Salad recipe:
STEP ONE: First, make the dressing. Whisk together the yogurt, sugar, and lemon juice.
STEP TWO: Next, Chop up all of the fruit and vegetables. Make sure you chop them into bite-sized pieces.
STEP THREE: Add the grapes, apples, celery, and walnuts to the mixing bowl and stir until it is well combined.
STEP FOUR: Lastly, season with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
The Flavor and Recipe Variations
This is a great recipe to add leftover shredded chicken or turkey to. I like doing this during the summer to make it a cool and refreshing lunch.
How long is it good for:
Serve: As with most recipes with dairy products in them, you shouldn’t leave this salad out for longer than 2 hours.
Store: Store the salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
Freeze: This healthy Waldorf salad recipe doesn’t freeze well at all.
How to get the kids involved with this recipe:
Ages 2-3: Let your little one help with peeling the apples using the Apple Corer and Peeler. It is effortless, and they love turning the crank.
Ages 4-5: Have your child help measure out the ingredients. There are not many, so this will not be too difficult.
Ages 6-8: Teaching proper knife safety, let your child help chop up the walnuts. They can then whisk the dressing and the salad ingredients together.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
More Side Dish Recipes:
- 1 Hour French Bread
- Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
- Large Batch 1-Hour Dinner Rolls
- Cheesecake Fruit Salad
- Corn Muffins
- Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs
- Easy Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
- Fresh Green Beans Almondine
- Green Bean Casserole
- Grilled Potatoes in Foil
- Hash Brown Casserole-Funeral Potatoes
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Mexican Fruit Salad
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Vanilla Candied Bacon
Healthy Waldorf Salad
Recipe Cost 6.89 Serving Cost 1.15Equipment
- large bowl
- whisk
- measuring cup
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- Measuring spoons
- Apple Peeler Corer
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
CREAMY DRESSING:
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
SALAD:
- 2 large or 3 small Gala apples
- 1 cup green grapes halved
- 1 cup red grapes halved
- 2 large stalks celery thinly sliced
- ½ cup chopped walnuts plus for more garnish if desired
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
MAKE CREAMY DRESSING:
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together yogurt, sugar, and lemon juice.
MIX SALAD:
- Add grapes, apples, celery, and walnuts to the mixing bowl. Stir until the salad is evenly coated with the creamy dressing.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
TO FINISH:
- Top with additional walnuts (optional). Chill until you’re ready to serve.
Natalie says
I absolutely love this healthier Waldorf salad. Sounds so light and so delicious. What a great idea to use Greek yogurt. Brilliant! I can’t wait to make this.
Lisalia says
YUM! Thanks for this healthier version of my favorite holiday salad!