Healthy Oil-Free Waldorf Salad
Waldorf Salad is a side dish that is a fabulous fusion of wholesome ingredients like apple slices, walnuts, leafy greens, and a creamy dressing that is out of this world. It’s a perfect classic crowd-pleaser to serve any time of the year. This healthy, vegan, oil-free salad will be a hit no matter who you feed it to!
Serve this creamy delicious fruit-filled salad as an appetizer, lunch, or light dinner. It’s perfect for parties and entertaining! And, it goes well with these easy cucumber vegan sandwiches or our quick vegan pasta salad to make a terrific light meal.
This recipe is from Chef AJ’s cookbook, “Unprocessed” (2022), Book Publishing Company. It is published here with permission. See the ‘About the Chef’ section below.
What is Waldorf Salad?
Waldorf is certainly a strange name for a salad, and I wondered how that came about, as I’m betting you are too. Come to find out, Waldorf Salad is said to have originated as far back as 1896 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York when it was created for a charity ball and obviously became a huge hit.
The all-American dish is a fruit and nut salad that has over time developed many variations, but the basic recipe usually always includes some combination of apples, walnuts, greens, and a creamy unique dressing.
Reasons you will love this healthy salad
- Heart-Healthy and Guilt-Free: Made without any oil, this salad is low in fat and calories, making it a heart-healthy, guilt-free option that still delivers on flavor and satisfaction.
- Vegan and Dairy-Free: Completely plant-based, this Waldorf salad is perfect for those following a vegan or dairy-free diet, providing all the classic flavors without any animal products.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether for lunch, a light dinner, or a party dish, this oil-free vegan Waldorf salad is versatile and easy to prepare, making it an ideal choice for any occasion.
Ingredients you will need
- Apples- Use sweet, tart, or a combination of both. Fuji, Red Delicious, and many others are great choices.
- Spinach- Go with fresh baby spinach or another variety of greens.
- Nuts- Walnuts are my favorites for salads, but other options could be slivered almonds or pecan pieces.
- Seeds- Pomegranate or sunflower seeds pair well with this salad.
- Fruits- Grapes are a great choice, as well as other fruits.
- Vegetables- Include celery, carrots, and beets.
- Creamy oil-free dressing- This dressing is the star of this salad and is created with raw almond butter, coconut water, lime juice, ginger, dates, and other seasonings.
Substitutions & Tips
- Mix up the fruit- The basic Waldorf Salad will always have apples. Try adding grapes, pears, and other fruits for variety.
- More crunch- Most of the time walnuts are part of this salad. Consider adding pomegranate seeds or sunflower seeds for a different twist.
- Toast nuts- To add even more flavor, toast the nuts to intensify their natural flavors.
- Dried fruit- Add raisins, cranberries, or pineapple for an even sweeter taste.
- Add more veggies- Shredded carrots, beets, and diced celery are also commonly used.
- Experiment with greens- Bite-sized spinach, kale, and Romain leaves add more color and fiber.
How to make Waldorf Salad
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
There is no cooking required to make this recipe, and it only takes a few minutes to pull it all together.
STEP #1: Begin by making the dressing in a blender. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Set it to the side while you prep the fruit and veggies.
STEP #2: Chop the apples and spinach leaves into bite-sized pieces. Next, shred the carrots and beets.
STEP #3: Place the chopped and shredded fruit and vegetables into a large mixing bowl and pour the dressing over the top. Stir to coat each piece well and serve immediately.
Ways to serve
This fruit salad is best served chilled, so you might even consider refrigerating the apples before slicing them and adding them to the other ingredients.
Creative ways to serve this healthy salad
- On a bed of greens
- In a clear drinking glass
- Stuffed in a hollowed-out baked sweet potato
- In a tortilla (or large green leaf) to serve as a wrap
Try pairing this light salad with dishes like a Chickpea Avocado Salad Sandwich or even something like Black Bean Vegan Burgers. Chef AJ’s Black Bean Soup is another great serving option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pretty much any apple variety can be used to make Waldorf Salad. My personal preference is a combination of both sweet and tart. Some of the most common ones used are Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, and Fuji.
To prevent apples from browning in Waldorf salad, toss the apple slices in lemon juice or another citrus juice before adding them to the salad. The acidity helps to maintain their fresh appearance and flavor.
While walnuts are traditional in a Waldorf salad, you can also use other nuts like pecans, almonds, or cashews. Each provides a unique flavor and texture, adding variety to your salad while still offering the health benefits of nuts.
Yes. However, the apples will begin to turn brown if it’s made more than an hour or two ahead of time.
If you store this salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will still be good the next day even if the apples have turned a little dark. Just don’t try to freeze it, because it won’t turn out well.
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
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Waldorf Salad
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almond butter
- 1 cup coconut WATER or plain water
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh peeled ginger
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 4 pitted dates soaked in water if not soft
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups apples chopped
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves chopped
- 1 cup carrots shredded
- 1 cup beets shredded
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
- 1/4 pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- There is no cooking required to make this recipe, and it only takes a few minutes to pull it all together.
- Begin by making the dressing in a blender. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Set it to the side while you prep the fruit and veggies. NOTE: You may not need all of this dressing. Use any leftovers as a dressing for garden salads.
- Chop the apples and spinach leaves into bite-sized pieces. Next, shred the carrots and beets.
- Place the chopped and shredded fruit and vegetables into a large mixing bowl and pour the dressing over the top. Stir to coat each piece well and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Mix up the fruit- The basic Waldorf Salad will always have apples. Try adding grapes, pears, and other fruits for variety.
- More crunch- Most of the time walnuts are part of this salad. Consider adding pomegranate seeds or sunflowers seeds for a different twist.
- Toast nuts- To add even more flavor, toast the nuts to intensify their natural flavors.
- Dried fruit- Add raisins, cranberries, or pineapple for an even sweeter taste.
- Add more veggies- Shredded carrots, beets, and diced celery are also commonly used.
- Experiment with greens- Bite-sized spinach, kale, and Romain leaves add more color and fiber.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About the Chef
CHEF AJ is a chef, culinary instructor, and professional speaker, Chef AJ is well-known in the health and wellness community. Her successful daily YouTube broadcast, Chef AJ Live!, has 146,000 subscribers and 1,500 videos.
Chef AJ received her certification in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University
As Executive Pastry Chef at Sante Le Brea Restaurant in Los Angeles, she became famous for her desserts (free of gluten, sugar, oil, and salt) and has an upcoming release of these recipes.
She is the creator of the Ultimate Weight Loss Program which has helped hundreds of people achieve optimal health through her delicious recipes and straightforward (while humorous) coaching style.
She co-authored with Glen Merzer The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss (2018) and Unprocessed (2010 & 2022) and contributed 75 recipes to Glen’s book Own Your Health (2021). She has been eating a plant-inclusive diet for over 43 years. For more information visit her website ChefAJ.com.
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