This isn’t one of those trendy salads with a dozen fancy ingredients, it’s the one your mom probably made for Thanksgiving, and honestly, it still holds up. Crisp apples, toasted walnuts, and a creamy dressing that takes two seconds to whisk together. It’s fresh, crunchy, a little sweet, and the perfect thing to break up all those heavy holiday sides. Let’s bring this one back.
Apple Waldorf Salad (Just Like My Mom Made)
Some recipes go quiet for a while. They get tucked into the back of a recipe box or lost behind all the trendy salads on Pinterest. And then, out of nowhere, something jogs your memory, and just like that, you’re standing in your childhood kitchen again, watching your mom stir together apples and walnuts in her favorite red glass bowl.
That’s exactly what happened to me over the holidays. We were swapping stories with friends about the food our families always made, and someone mentioned Waldorf Salad. I hadn’t had it in years. It’s not flashy, or modern, or even particularly photogenic, but it’s fresh, it’s crunchy, and it’s surprisingly good with all those cozy holiday casseroles.
So I brought it back.
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And let me tell you, it still works.
Why This Old-School Apple Salad Still Impresses
- It’s full of textures, crisp apples, crunchy toasted walnuts, chewy raisins, and celery that still has a snap.
- You can throw it together in minutes. Really. No peeling. No cooking.
- It cuts through richer sides like Southern corn pudding or Nana’s cornbread stuffing like a charm.
- It’s perfect for potlucks. Travels well. Pairs with everything.
And hey, if you’re making it for Thanksgiving, it sits happily in the fridge while you worry about the turkey.
The Day I Ate Waldorf Salad at the Waldorf
Once, while visiting New York, we had lunch at the Waldorf-Astoria just for the experience. And yes, I ordered the salad. Of course I did. Their version came with thin matchstick apples and dainty little celery slivers, arranged like art on a plate. It was beautiful, and honestly, delicious, but give me my mom’s chunky chopped apples and toasted walnuts any day.
What You’ll Need for This Apple Salad
There aren’t a ton of ingredients here, which means the ones you use should be really good.
- Crisp apples – I love a mix of Fuji and Honeycrisp. Sweet and tart is the name of the game.
- Toasted walnuts – Don’t skip the toasting. It wakes them up.
- Celery + raisins – For that classic crunch and a little chew.
Featured reader review
“I love it, been making the same recipe for ever, I use 3 different apples and both dark and light raisins. I can eat the whole bowl just for a meal, your followers should give a try.”
DR
The creamy dressing is just mayo, sugar, and lemon juice, check the recipe card below for exact amounts and steps.
Want to make it your own? Go for it. Swap raisins for grapes, use pecans instead of walnuts, or stir in some diced chicken to turn it into a light lunch.
Let’s Bring It Back: How to Make a Waldorf Salad
Step 1: Make the dressing
Step 2: Chop
Step 3: Combine
Serve this classic salad cold or at room temperature. Since it has a mayonnaise base, it should not be left out for extended periods of time.
This is the kind of recipe that doesn’t scream for attention. It’s simple. Familiar. A little nostalgic. But somehow, it always disappears from the bowl. If you’re building a holiday menu or just need something easy and refreshing to break up all the rich foods, this salad’s a solid pick. Pair it with buttery mashed potatoes or tuck it in next to a pan of pork chops with apples and you’ve got yourself a meal worth remembering.
What’s the best way to cut an apple?
You don’t need to peel the apples, just remove the core, cut into slices and cut slices into 1 inch bites. If you have a device that cores and slices, it makes it so much easier.
If you want to be fancy then you can do like they do at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel and cut the apples into match sticks.
Pro Tip: The lemon juice in the dressing will keep your apples from turning brown so you can make this earlier in the day by chopping the apples and mixing them into the dressing ahead of serving. It will still be good for at least 24 hours, but I think it’s best eaten the same day.
If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.
Old Fashioned Apple Waldorf Salad with Raisins
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4-5 apples cored and diced, 8 cups
- ½ cup celery thinly chopped
- 1 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
- 1 cup raisins
Equipment
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts in the oven at 350º until slightly toasted and brown.
- In a large measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Taste, if too sour -add sugar, too sweet – add lemon juice.
- Add toasted walnuts, celery and raisins to a large bowl. Add diced apples and toss. Spoon dressing over right away and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Wait to cut the apples until you are ready to add the dressing to prevent browning or sprinkle them with lemon juice.
- Use a firm sweet apple like Fuji or Gala along with a tart apple like a Honeycrisp.
- Coat the apples with dressing as soon as they have been cut to prevent browning.
- To toast the walnuts, place in the oven at 350º for a few minutes watching to make sure they do not burn.
Nutrition
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Linda Sapp says
Growing up in the 40’s and later, with peanut butter becoming so popular, my family started adding several tablespoons of pb in with the mayo and even a few peanuts. It gave the salad a brand new dimension and children, especially, love it! Just a thought for you.
Barbara Curry says
I would never have thought of peanut butter with the mayo, but now I’m going to have to try it. Thanks for sharing.
DR-Reno,NV. says
I love it, been making the same recipe for ever, I use 3 different apples and both dark and light raisins. I can eat the whole bowl just for a meal, your followers should give a try,
Barbara Curry says
I agree! Thanks for leaving a review.