How far ahead can I make healthy Waldorf salad before the apples turn brown?

Assemble it at most 4 hours before serving. The lemon juice in the yogurt dressing protects the cut apples, as long as every piece is folded through and coated. Keep the finishing walnuts separate and add them at the table so they stay crunchy.

Can I make the dressing without any mayonnaise and still have it taste creamy?

Yes, that is the design of this recipe. Nonfat Greek yogurt gives the body, Dijon mustard adds the savory depth mayonnaise usually provides, and one tablespoon of honey rounds the tang. The coat is thinner than mayo but clings well and lets the fruit stay distinct.

What apples work best in a Waldorf salad?

A mix is best: two sweet red apples such as Honeycrisp or Fuji for the base and one tart green apple such as Granny Smith for contrast. Leave the skin on for color and structure, and dice everything to about half an inch so each spoonful is balanced.

My Waldorf salad went watery in the refrigerator. What went wrong?

Usually the grapes went in wet or the salad sat past its best window. Halve and pat the grapes dry, dress the apples right after cutting, and serve within 4 hours. If liquid has pooled, lift the salad into a fresh bowl with a slotted spoon and leave the liquid behind.

Can I turn this Waldorf salad into a main dish?

Fold in about 2 cups of diced cooked chicken or leftover Thanksgiving turkey and it becomes a complete lunch with roughly 12 grams of protein per cup. Add the meat at serving time rather than ahead, so the dressing stays bright and the celery stays crisp.

Healthy Waldorf Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
3 large apples (2 sweet red and 1 tart green), cored and diced (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups red seedless grapes, halved
1 1/2 cups celery, thinly sliced (about 4 ribs)
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped, divided
1/3 cup dried cranberries

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Instructions

Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan often, until fragrant and a shade darker. Tip them onto a plate to cool completely; warm nuts steam the dressing and lose their crunch.
In a large bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and parsley until smooth and glossy. This is the whole dressing: no mayonnaise, nothing else hiding in it.
Dice the apples last, leaving the skin on, and fold them into the dressing the moment they are cut. Coating every cut surface in the lemon yogurt dressing right away is what keeps the apples white for hours.
Add the grapes, celery, dried cranberries and half the walnuts. Fold gently with a wide spatula until everything is evenly coated and glossy.
Rest the salad in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so the flavors settle and the celery stays crisp. It can wait up to 4 hours; stir once before serving.
Spoon into a serving bowl and finish with the remaining walnuts and a little extra parsley, so the crunch lands fresh on top instead of softening in the dressing.

Notes

For make ahead Thanksgiving service, whisk the dressing and toast the walnuts the day before; dice and dress the fruit at most 4 hours before the meal, and keep the finishing walnuts separate until the bowl goes to the table. Leftovers keep 2 days in the refrigerator but the celery softens, so this salad is at its best the day it is made. For a dairy free dressing, use a plain unsweetened coconut or almond yogurt and add one extra teaspoon of lemon juice for brightness.

Author: Nora Ellis
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: about 1 cup
Calories: 140
Sugar: 17
Sodium: 170
Fat: 5
Saturated Fat: 1
Unsaturated Fat: 4
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 22
Fiber: 3
Protein: 4
Cholesterol: 3