Vegan Waldorf Salad

When I remember my grandma's Waldorf salad, I distinctly remember the sweet taste of apples and grapes mixed with celery and walnuts' crunchiness.  I don't remember a holiday that didn't include my grandma's Waldorf salad as a highlight to the dinner menu throughout my youth. As a result, I carry on that tradition by having vegan Waldorf salad as a delicious vegetable, fruit, and nut salad for my holiday menus as one of my favorite Waldorf salad recipes.

Generally, vegan Waldorf salad is made of fresh celery, apples, walnuts, and grapes, dressed in a tangy dressing served as a side dish or appetizer.  Instead of using mayonnaise, as traditionally made, I created a vegan cashew dressing with a hint of dijon mustard and maple syrup. Similarly, the dressing enhances the salad's sweet and savory components while giving it a creamy and decadent texture. 

WHAT KIND OF APPLES, GRAPES, AND NUTS ARE IN VEGAN WALDORF SALAD?

Although traditional Waldorf salad usually contains all green apples and grapes, I prefer to use Honey Crisp apples and red grapes in my vegan Waldorf salad recipe. Not only does this enhance the flavors of the salad, but the vibrant colors also create the beautifully appealing Waldorf salad. Then, I add red onions and parsley for additional color and flavor.

Red onions, for instance, are similar to yellow onions in flavor, but their vibrant purple color adds to the aesthetics of the salad. The raw walnuts, for example, add an earthy tone to the salad. Despite their obvious health benefits, raw walnuts contain all the antioxidants for health, whereas roasted nuts lose their nutritional value in cooking. 

Specifically, I prefer organic raw walnuts because they do not require washing and remain firm and crunchy in Waldorf salads recipes. 

HOW TO MAKE A WALDORF SALAD FOR YOUR NEXT PARTY

• Cooked farro or grain of choice
• Red onion or Simple Rosemary Infused Pickled Red Onions.
• Chopped fresh dill
• Apples (I used honey crisp)
• Seedless grapes (red or green) 
• Celery
• Walnuts
• Raisins or dried cranberries (I used cranberries because I'm not too fond of raisins)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parsley

WALDORF SALAD DRESSING IS SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS

• Cashew mayo (or substitute silken tofu or white beans for cashews)
• Apple cider vinegar
• Pure maple syrup

MAKE YOUR SIDE DISH INTO A MEAL WITH THESE SIMPLE ADDITIONS

I love this Waldorf salad recipe so much; I turn it into a completely different meal by adding two additional ingredients. With the addition of kale and cooked farro, I transformed a great side dish into a super-food salad for lunch or dinner. 

VEGAN WALDORF SALAD + KALE AND COOKED FARRO

More importantly, you can make both versions, so you can serve Skinny Vegan Waldorf Salad as a side dish and turn your lunch into a kale and farro version of the same salad.

In my opinion, it's all about variety. If I can keep my meals interesting, I never get bored with my food. More often than not, any recipe can be transformed into a new version with a little foresight and meal planning. 

FAQs

When is Waldorf Salad not vegan?

While the base ingredients for Waldorf Salad consist of celery, apples, grapes, walnuts, and mayonnaise, some add chicken to make it more filling, making it non-vegan.  

When is the best time to eat Vegan Waldorf Salad?

You may eat Vegan Waldorf Salad at any time of the day, but we recommend eating your greens in the morning as a healthy alternative for breakfast. 

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR HEALTHY, CLEAN SALADS FOR YOUR NEXT GATHERING?

• Vegan Potato Salad
• Vegan Macaroni Salad
• Greek Orzo Salad
• Watermelon Cucumber Salad
• Spinach Strawberry Salad
• Vegan Egg Salad
• Bean Salad
• Grilled Caesar Salad
• Vegan Easter Recipes My Favorites!

Vegan Waldorf Salad

Kathy Carmichael

Vegan Waldorf Salad Recipe is the perfect side dish for a holiday party. Or transform this Waldorf salad into an entree by adding kale and other greens of choice. Sweet and full of vibrant colors, this is one of my family's favorite salads.

4.5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Total Time 10 mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 185 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

SALAD

• ▢ [1 cup cooked farro yield 3 to 3/12 cups cooked]

VEGAN CASHEW MAYO

• ▢ 1 cup raw [cashews] or substitute silken tofu or white beans for cashews
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon. lemon juice
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dijon mustard or mustard of choice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ½ cup water

WALDORF DRESSING

• ▢ ¼ cup cashew mayo
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

SALAD INGREDIENTS

• ▢ ¼ cup red onion or [Simple Rosemary Infused Pickled Red Onions] diced
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• ▢ 2 apples I used honey crisp
• ▢ 1 cup seedless grapes red or green sliced in half
• ▢ 3 stalks celery diced
• ▢ 1 cup walnuts
• ▢ ¼ cup raisins or dried cranberries I used cranberries because I hate raisins
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons parsley

Instructions

 

• Cook ½ cup farro according to package directions (½ cup dried yields 1  to 1 ½ cup cooked)

CASHEW MAYO

• Combine ingredients in a high-speed blender (yields 2 cups)
• Will last in the refrigerator for 7 days

DRESSING

• Combine ¼ cup cashew mayo, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar; set aside

SALAD:

• Prepare all vegetables and put them in a large bowl
• Add nuts and raisins or dried cranberries
• Add dressing and stir to mix well
• Refrigerate for an hour before serving

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 5gFat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 242mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10g

Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!

Kathy Carmichael

Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/