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Home » Side Dish » Salad » Waldorf Salad

Waldorf Salad

By Valerie · November 10, 2017 · Updated May 24, 2020 21 Comments

SD Side Dish H Holidays
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A two image vertical collage of Waldorf Salad with text overlay.

This is my mom’s  sweet and delicious take on classic Waldorf Salad. It will add a fresh, crisp element to your holiday menu.

A bowl of fruit salad with whipped cream.

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.

A large serving bowl full of Waldorf Salad shot from over the top.

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 container of whipping cream and powdered sugar on a kitchen counter.

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 small glass bowl full of Waldof Salad with a spoon.

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
Watergate Salad | Mom on Timeout
Mandarin Orange Ambrosia Salad | The Food Charlatan

Waldorf Salad in a pretty china bowl.
An image from the original post dated November 9, 2013.
A bowl of fruit salad with whipped cream.

Waldorf Salad

Crisp apples, red grapes, and celery tossed with a pineapple sweetened whip cream. An ambrosia-inspired take on classic Waldorf Salad.
0 from 0 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 247kcal
Author: Valerie Brunmeier

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.

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

Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 530IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
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A two image vertical collage of Waldorf Salad with text overlay.

Categories: Christmas, Easter, Fruit, Holidays, Recipe, Salad, Side Dish, Thanksgiving

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Melanie says

    July 30, 2019 at 1:31 pm

    Oh!Valerie,this is something I would really suggest that people try.I’mmaking now for supper since its quite hot today.The rest(well,not the rest)but I will leave some for my husband❤and take what’s left to Maine tomorrow with some family for a couple. Days.

    Reply
  2. Deborah says

    November 21, 2018 at 2:37 pm

    Can the Waldorf salad be made the night before?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 21, 2018 at 4:43 pm

      I think it’s best made the same day served, Deborah.

      Reply
  3. Liz says

    November 19, 2017 at 2:41 pm

    I love your beautiful Waldorf salad! Perfect for out holiday table with so many delicious textures and flavors—a classic!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 19, 2017 at 4:46 pm

      Thanks so much, Liz 🙂 I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

      Reply
      • Phyllis says

        December 31, 2017 at 11:20 am

        I like to add chicken, and curry to my salad. Wonderful for a luncheon.

        Reply
  4. Karen @ The Food Charlatan says

    November 10, 2017 at 3:39 pm

    I’ve never had waldorf salad! It looks amazing!! Sometimes the oddest-seeming food combinations turn out the best.

    Reply
  5. Cassie says

    November 2, 2014 at 12:49 pm

    The ingredient list says 1 cup marshmallows, but the instructions indicate 1/2 cup. Can you please clarify?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 2, 2014 at 3:28 pm

      Sorry about that, Cassie! You really can add as many as you’d like. More or less, according to your taste.

      Reply
  6. Jackie Larson Wieda says

    March 19, 2014 at 5:46 pm

    i am watching my carbs. wondering if i could make this without the added sugar.

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      March 20, 2014 at 12:42 pm

      You could always use a sugar free whipped cream and there is a sugar free version of Cool whip as well.

      Reply
  7. KimGee says

    November 28, 2013 at 6:38 am

    I like adding a new dish to the Thanksgiving feast, and this is it! It’s ready to be assembled in just a few short hours and, for many reasons, I’m happy not to use mayo 🙂 I’m sure it will be as great as it looks. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  8. sherrie says

    November 26, 2013 at 12:27 pm

    My grandmother made this also. She used little mandarin oranges instead of celery! She also added the walnuts. I will be making this for the holidays but will use the fresh little oranges and omit the walnuts! Thanks for the recipe as mine are all packed in boxes somewhere awaiting our move!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 26, 2013 at 2:59 pm

      You’re very welcome, Sherrie. Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply
  9. Lori says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:10 pm

    My mom made this with fruit cocktail added to it…yummy!

    Reply
  10. Monica says

    November 11, 2013 at 12:29 pm

    In all honesty this lookS amazing but the celery threw me off guard. I’m not a huge fan of celery but I won’t necessarily avoid it if it’s in food. Curiosity’s got the best of me and I have to try it. I love making all types of salads for holidays or special events. Fruit salads, pasta salads, potatoe salads etc. It’s such an easy way to change it up ( especially in my family’s home. They don’t like much change but I LOVE IT) anyways thanks for this recipe.

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 11, 2013 at 12:32 pm

      For someone not familiar with Waldorf Salad, I know that adding celery to a fruit salad would seem odd. However, it really is what sets it apart and adds that little something that differentiates it from a typical fruit salad. If you are really opposed to it you could leave it out but I suggest giving it a try. I hope you enjoy it and have a wonderful holiday 🙂

      Reply
  11. Lynna says

    November 9, 2013 at 4:56 pm

    Oh my…I LOVEE Waldorf salad sandwiches and always wanted to learn how to make my own! Thanks so much! I love that your mom added pineapple juice.

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 10, 2013 at 3:30 pm

      Hi Lynna 🙂 I hope you give it a try.

      Reply
  12. [email protected] Tastes Good says

    November 9, 2013 at 4:16 pm

    This looks wonderful, Valerie, and the dish it’s in is beautiful! Your photos are gorgeous, as usual :). Pinning for reference later. Gotta give it a try. Thanks for sharing your mom’s special recipe ~Marion

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 10, 2013 at 3:30 pm

      Thanks Marion 🙂

      Reply

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