We took the ingredients of a classic Waldorf salad and gave them a more modern twist. In addition to the traditional ingredients like celery, grapes and apple, we add a delicious walnut brittle and a creamy, lighter yogurt-based dressing.
This hearty fall and winter salad is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas and any other holiday entertaining occasion! We're pretty sure your family will appreciate the contemporary update.
We decided to give grandma's classic Waldorf a much more modern update, with a lot more pizzazz (pomegranate, dried cranberries, walnut pumpkin seed brittle) and a lot less mayo. The dressing (made with yogurt instead of mayo) is still creamy, tangy and delicious, but it doesn't completely overwhelm the salad.
Plus, it will look much, much prettier on your holiday table! This Waldorf salad has made it into our family's top favorite holiday recipes, alongside our parmesan crusted brussels sprouts and buttermilk biscuits.
This Waldorf salad isn't just for the holidays. It's perfect for just about any fall/winter dinner or entertaining occasion! Don't skip the walnut brittle – it adds SO much. We use a similar pecan version in our super popular shaved brussels sprout salad!
You can easily make this salad vegan by subbing in your favorite nondairy yogurt in the dressing. For a more classic Waldorf salad, omit the lettuce and pomegranate seeds and toss all of the other ingredients in the dressing.
Not a fan of walnuts? Use pecans in the brittle instead. Other optional add-ins include cooked bacon, blue cheese, or dried cherries instead of cranberries.
Step-by-step Instructions
STEP 1: Make the brittle. Preheat the oven to 275˚F. Add walnuts and pumpkin seeds to a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together maple syrup, olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour over nuts and toss well to coat.
Spread out on a 9"x13"parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake on the lowest rack of the oven for about 35 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cooled, break apart into bite sized pieces.
NOTE: Every oven is different, and sometimes this brittle can take a little longer to set in the oven. You'll know it's done when the edges are golden brown and it feels fairly dry to the touch on the top. If it's still very wet, it won't set well.
STEP 2: Make the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, plain yogurt, apple cider vinegar, thyme, mustard, maple syrup, and the salt and pepper, to taste.
STEP 3: Salad assembly. Prep all salad ingredients: thinly slice your celery, halve your grapes, and cut your apples into roughly ½" cubes.
Add to a large mixing bowl, pour dressing over the top, and toss to combine. Top with the cooled and broken-up brittle.
Storage/Make-Ahead Tips
Since this salad has a creamy dressing, it's best eaten right away and doesn't store particularly well once it's been tossed together. If you have leftovers, we suggest eating them within 24 hours.
If you want to make this salad ahead of time, make the brittle and dressing up to several days in advance and store in separate containers. You can prep the other salad ingredients and toss them in a bowl without the dressing. Wait to add the dressing and brittle until just before serving.
If you're looking for more creative ways to add vegetables to your holiday menu, try our Roasted Shredded Brussels Sprouts next.
Print📖 Recipe
Waldorf Salad
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
We took the ingredients of a classic Waldorf salad and gave them a more modern twist. In addition to the traditional ingredients like celery, grapes and apple, we add a delicious walnut brittle and a creamy, lighter yogurt-based dressing.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 large head of romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 large apple, diced*
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup pomegranate arils
- Walnut pumpkin seed brittle (recipe below)
Walnut Pumpkin Seed Brittle:
- 1 cup raw, unsalted walnut pieces
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt (or vegan yogurt)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275˚F.
- Add walnuts and pumpkin seeds to a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour over nuts and toss well to coat. Spread out on a 9"x13" parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake on the lowest rack of the oven for about 35 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cooled, break apart into bite sized pieces.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, plain yogurt, apple cider vinegar, thyme, mustard, maple syrup, and the salt and pepper, to taste.
-
Prep all the salad ingredients: thinly slice your celery, halve your grapes, and cut your apples into roughly ½" cubes. Add to a large mixing bowl, pour dressing over the top, and toss to combine. Top with the cooled and broken-up brittle.
Notes
*We prefer a sweet, tart apple like honeycrisp or granny smith.
NOTE: Every oven is different, and sometimes this brittle can take a little longer to set in the oven. You'll know it's done when the edges are golden brown and it feels fairly dry to the touch on the top. If it's still very wet, it won't set well.
If you want to make this salad ahead of time, make the brittle and dressing up to several days in advance and store in separate containers. You can prep the other salad ingredients and toss them in a bowl without the dressing. Wait to add the dressing and brittle until just before serving.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl
- Calories: 446
- Sugar: 36.3 g
- Sodium: 1013.9 mg
- Fat: 26.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 53.7 g
- Fiber: 8.7 g
- Protein: 7 g
KC Calikimrose USA says
It’s awesome- Thanks so much for posting these great videos .
Cathy Gotfrid says
The ingredient list for the brittle doesn't include thyme, but the directions do. Is thyme an ingredient? How much? dried or fresh?
Lexi says
Thank you for calling that out! It was a typo, the thyme is just in the dressing. I have updated the recipe.
Liz says
Made this as written last night and it was fantastic. A couple of people thought it was a little too sweet. Nit clusters were yummy. Made it again the next night but did not want to make the brittle so I just added the nuts and pepitas to the salad, and that was great too. Also on second night added cooked chicken for a complete meal. Highly recommend!
Sarah A says
The best part was the nut clusters! So yum! I also added some roasted turkey in ours. It was delicious!
Lexi says
So glad you enjoyed!
Sam Stephens says
What would you recommend as a substitute for the walnuts?
Lexi says
Pecans!
Callie says
So tasty! I added a little bit extra maple syrup to the dressing, but overall the best salad I’ve ever made! Definitely making this as a regular dinner recipe.
Candice says
I made this salad as part of my Christmas dinner. I have to say this is the best salad. I think I have ever eaten in my entire life. I am making it right now because I loved it so much and so did my guests! It is so delicious it is almost undescribable. I have never eaten pomegranate arils… but I have to say I enjoyed them immensely!! this recipe is indeed a 10+ and I plan on putting this on my rotation schedule at least two times a month or more. For anyone who wants to try it it’s a must. I was so pleased with the taste and certainly surprised with how delicious it truly was.
Clare Gruneisen says
Can I make the brittle and dressing the day before?
Lexi says
Absolutely!
Jan W says
I’m planning on having 12adults for Thanksgiving. I will have other sides to serve, but should I double this recipe?
Lexi says
Yes, I would double it.