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This is my mom’s sweet and delicious take on classic Waldorf Salad. It will add a fresh, crisp element to your holiday menu.
This post was originally published on November 9, 2013. It has been updated with new images and a video.
My mom really went to town on Thanksgiving. The food prep started early in the morning, before I was even out of bed, and the cooking continued throughout most of the day.
By mid-day her apron was covered with flour from rolling out the most amazing, from scratch crescent rolls in existence and our house was filled with the smells of a great big turkey roasting in the oven with her traditional bread stuffing. Along with a bunch of other delicious dishes, this Waldorf Salad was a part of our Thanksgiving spread each and every year.
Traditional Waldorf salad calls for a simple mayonnaise dressing but my mom’s ambrosia-inspired version will always be my favorite. Like the classic version, this recipe consists of apples, grapes, and celery, but in place of a mayonnaise based dressing, she mixed some crushed pineapple and a little pineapple juice into fresh, sweet whipped cream. From time to time she would also add some mini marshmallows. They aren’t a necessary addition, but they make me happy.
You can put this together in a snap with Cool Whip but it is SO delicious with homemade whipped cream.
A couple of tips to ensure success when making homemade whipped cream.
Fresh whipped cream consists of two ingredients, heavy whipping cream and sugar. You can use either powdered (confectioners’) or granulated sugar, but I prefer using the powdered variety since it dissolves easier. One cup of heavy cream will yield two cups of whipped cream.
I place my metal mixing bowl and the beaters from my electric mixer in the freezer for about an hour to get them really cold first. Use your electric hand mixer or stand mixer on high speed to whip the cream with a couple of tablespoons of powdered sugar in the super chilled bowl until thick and creamy. When you see peaks form, pull the beaters out. You don’t want to beat it much past this point or the consistency will begin to break down.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer to a bowl with a lid and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. It will keep well for several hours.
Check out the video below to see how the salad comes together.
A cool, fresh, sweet addition to a holiday meal. I look forward to it every year!
More fruit salad recipes for a special holiday menu:
Cheesecake Fruit Salad | Oh Sweet Basil
Cranberry Fluff Salad | That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Pistachio Dessert Salad | Mom on Timeout
Mandarin Orange Ambrosia Salad | The Food Charlatan
Waldorf Salad
Crisp apples, red grapes, and celery tossed with a pineapple sweetened whip cream. An ambrosia-inspired take on classic Waldorf Salad.
Ingredients
- 3 green apples , washed and diced
- 3 cups halved red seedless grapes
- 3 celery ribs diced
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 2 cups prepared fresh whipped cream or Cool Whip
- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
- 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts , for garnish
Instructions
- Combine apples, grapes, and celery in a large mixing bowl, set aside.
- In a separate smaller bowl, combine whipped cream or Cool Whip with the drained crushed pineapple and 1 tablespoon of the reserved juice from the can. Add an additional 2 tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice to the fruit mixture and toss to combine. Fold the whipped cream into the fruit mixture and mix together. Fold in 1/2 cup mini marshmallows. Sprinkle walnuts over the top as a garnish and serve.
Recipe Notes
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container. Best if eaten within a few days. If the salad is made with fresh whipped cream, the leftovers will stay fresher for longer than if you use Cool Whip.
Nutrition
Deborah says
Can the Waldorf salad be made the night before?
Valerie says
I think it’s best made the same day served, Deborah.
Liz says
I love your beautiful Waldorf salad! Perfect for out holiday table with so many delicious textures and flavors—a classic!
Valerie says
Thanks so much, Liz 🙂 I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Phyllis says
I like to add chicken, and curry to my salad. Wonderful for a luncheon.