Vegan Waldorf Salad

This Vegan Waldorf Salad is the perfect combination of crisp, creamy, sweet, and tangy! The classic 19th-century Waldorf Astoria salad recipe with nut-free, allergy-friendly updates using apples, celery, grapes, sunflower seeds, and a sweet eggless mayo dressing! A quick and easy chilled appetizer or side dish for any occasion and easily customized!

The classic Waldorf Salad made vegan and notably nut-free! By swapping in eggless mayo and switching the walnuts to sunflower seeds, you can easily enjoy this iconic American recipe once again! Naturally gluten-free and full of fresh, crisp, and crunchy fruits and veggies, the sweet and tangy dressing ties this no-fuss salad beautifully together. You only need 6 ingredients and 5 minutes of your time to do a little chopping and mixing!

Why Is It Called Waldorf Salad?

Some cultural background, the Waldorf Salad was a salad created for a charity ball honoring St. Mary’s Hospital for Children on March 14, 1893, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City which made its grand opening the previous day. This appetizer salad was an invention of the Waldorf’s original executive chef, Edouard Beauchamp, and Oscar Tschirky, its maitre d’hotel. Tschirky published a cookbook 3 years later, The Cook Book by "Oscar of the Waldorf", where the salad first appeared in print.

The salad was originally just 3 ingredients: apples, celery, and mayo, traditionally served on a bed of lettuce, however, the popularized version from the early 20th century began to showcase walnuts and grapes which is the version we tend to see today.

Why You'll Love This Vegan Recipe

This recipe isn't just egg-free, but it's also nut-free and perfectly allergy-friendly while still packing a delicious sweet, tangy, and nutty flavor punch! While it may seem like an odd combination of ingredients, I promise you the flavors all complement each other wonderfully and that's why this iconic salad has stood the test of time! This allergy-friendly recipe is:

• Gluten-Free & Grain-Free
• Vegan & Vegetarian
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Fish-Free, Shellfish-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
• Kid-Friendly
• Quick & Easy, 6 Ingredient Recipe
• Simple, Budget-Friendly, & Customizable
• 5-Minute Appetizer, Side Dish, or Light Meal

Ingredients In Waldorf Salad

• Apples: You want an apple variety that will be slightly tart and crispy. Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, and Honeycrisp are great options. I chose one of each color, green Granny Smith and a red Fuji apple to make my salad extra pretty!
• Grapes: Red or green grapes, again, this is your choice and since I'm super indecisive, I did half red grapes and half green grapes!
• Celery: Fresh, crunchy, slightly salty celery is such an underrated veggie that pairs perfectly with sweet fruits! (If you don't like celery, try jicima!)
• Sunflower Seeds: Instead of the traditional chopped walnuts we're using roasted sunflower seeds to make this recipe nut-free!
• Vegan Mayo: You can use my homemade vegan mayo recipe or your favorite allergy-friendly store-bought mayo (I love Hellman's, Target brand, and Trader Joe's!)
• Lemon Juice: Some fresh acidic lemon juice prevents the apples from browning and adds a nice tangy brightness to the salad.
• Salt + Sweetener: A pinch of salt helps bring the flavors together and an optional pinch of sweetener can be used to adjust the sweetness level to your liking! Some people like to use a liquid sweetener like honey, but to make it vegan you can use brown rice syrup or agave.

Variations & Customizations

• Raisins: If you don't have fresh grapes, you can swap in raisins or other dried fruits like craisins, chopped dates, apricots, figs, or blueberries.
• Nuts & Seeds: If you don't have a nut allergy, of course, you can use walnuts or even pecans. Other options include sliced almonds, pistachios, or coconut flakes.
• Yogurt: Instead of vegan mayo, you can use plain vegan yogurt or do half yogurt and half mayonnaise (vegan sour cream works too)!
• Citrus Zest: Add some fresh lemon or orange zest to your salad for extra citrus brightness!
• Protein: Some variations include diced chicken or turkey to make the appetizer a light meal. To keep this recipe vegan, you can use chickpeas or soy-free tofu!
• Fresh Herbs: I've seen some variations include finely chopped parsley, but you can also try finely chopped celery leaves!
• Marshmallows: If you want to make the salad more dessert-like, you can add mini vegan marshmallows, similar to Ambrosia salad!

How To Make Vegan Waldorf Salad

1. Dice your apples, no need to peel them as you want the color, and add them to a large bowl before tossing them in the lemon juice.
2. Mix together the eggless mayo with the salt and sweetener, if using. If you are using half yogurt mix it into the mayo during this step.

3. Add the halved grapes, diced celery, sunflower seeds, and mayo to the bowl of apples.
4. Toss everything together so everything is coated in the mayo, taste, and adjust any ingredients needed. Chill until ready to serve.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• If you want to harmonize the color palette of the salad, you can use all green ingredients, green apples, green grapes, and celery, served on green lettuce.
• The salad is best served chilled so make sure you use all cold ingredients from the start which allows you to serve it right away without extra time in the fridge, ensuring everything is super crisp and crunchy.

How To Serve Waldorf Salad

Traditionally served chilled as-is on a plate, in a small bowl, or on top of a bed of bibb, romaine, or butter lettuce leaves (like a little salad boat). You can also serve the salad in a hollowed-out apple, in an appetizer cup, or martini glass! Your vegan Waldorf salad would be delicious served alongside:

• Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Loaf
• Vegan Scallops
• Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks
• Easy Whole Roasted Chicken
• Lemon Rosemary Chicken

How To Store Leftovers

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can make the salad ahead of time since it's meant to be chilled when served, however, ideally, you wouldn't make the salad more than a few hours in advance to maximize the crispness of the fruits and veggies (and to deter any browning).

More Delicious Vegan Salads:

• Vegan Ambrosia Salad
• Classic Italian Pasta Salad
• Mexican Street Corn Salad
• French Carrot Salad
• Southern Carrot Raisins Salad
• Old-Fashioned Cucumber Salad

Print

Retro and nostalgic, deceptively delicious, and pretty darn nutritious too! The best allergy-free Waldorf salad you'll ever have, trust me!

So tell me:

+ Do you consider salads appetizers or side dishes?

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