A delicious vegan Waldorf salad that's refreshingly light, crisp and naturally sweet.
Wrapped in a creamy vegan yogurt dressing for a healthy modern Waldorf salad twist. Ready in under 10 minutes.
Made with vibrant, wholesome ingredients, this simple vegan Waldorf salad recipe is perfect for lunches, picnics and buffets.
Serve it alongside leafy greens and a squeeze of lemon juice for an added burst of citrus tang!
The original salad, which was created at the Waldorf Hotel in New York, is made with rich and creamy mayonnaise.
My modern version uses yogurt rather than mayonnaise.
A good quality plain yogurt gives this vegan Waldorf salad dressing a light, fresh flavour, beautifully compliments the naturally sweet fruits in this recipe!
Jump to:
What you’ll need
This recipe is super speedy and easy to assemble, making it a great reason to try if this is your first time making a vegan Waldorf salad.
No special equipment needed, just a mixing bowl, a paring knife and a spoon to toss it all together. 🙂
Ingredients
It's a gluten-free, dairy-free salad with no sweetener and no eggs.
Apple - I love to use Granny Smith apples in my vegan Waldorf salad for their sweet and slightly tart flavour.
Grapes - sweet, juicy and full of nutrients. Choose juicy red grapes for colour contrast with the green apple and celery.
If you can find red grapes with seeds, that's even better! Red grapes are rich in some vitamins, minerals and antioxidants including vitamin C, K, A and Resveratrol.
Vegan Yogurt - use a good quality plain vegan yogurt that you like.
Here's my recipe for cashew yogurt made with gut-healthy probiotics for added benefits. Swap the cashew nuts with other raw nuts like raw almonds or macadamia for a fully raw vegan yogurt.
Fresh herbs - mint and parsley compliment the ingredients really well plus they add a beautiful aroma to the yogurt dressing.
Recipe Steps
A super simple salad with three easy steps as follows:
Step 1 - Prepare the dressing by finely slicing the herbs then adding them to a bowl with yogurt and a pinch of salt. Stir together until combined.
Step 2 - Slice and dice the remaining ingredients, then add them to a bowl.
Step 3 - Pour the vegan yogurt dressing into the dish and toss together until everything has a light covering of delicious dressing! 😀
TIP: Squeeze a little lemon juice over the diced apple to prevent the apple from discolouring.
Substitutions and variations
Mayonnaise - for more of a traditional version, swap out the creamy vegan yogurt for cashew mayonnaise instead.
If you'd like to make your own mayonnaise, then this dairy-free easy cashew mayo recipe is among the most popular recipes on the blog.
To make other variations of this recipe without mayo, try it with different salad dressings.
It's delicious with this hummus salad dressing and this simple lemon herb vinaigrette!
Natural flavours - bring different some more living flavours to your modern Waldorf salad by adding finely chopped fresh herbs like tarragon, dill or basil.
Acid - stir in a little raw apple cider vinegar instead of using lemon juice, for a tangier-tasting dressing.
Raw Nuts - change out the walnuts for pecans, or try using hazelnuts. You could use pumpkin seeds, pistachios, or sunflower seeds for a nut-free version of this recipe.
Serving ideas
As I mentioned, I do love to serve this dish with crisp fresh leafy greens like baby leaf, cos or romaine lettuce.
Wraps - for something a little stronger tasting with more bite, scoop vegan Waldorf salad up into cabbage leaves, collard greens or kale leaves, then roll them up into wraps. 🙂
Mason jar salads - how about making this gorgeous raw salad into a couple of mason jars salads for lunch instead?
If you do this, add the dressing first to the bottom of the jar, followed by any grains/chickpeas (if using). Top with apple, celery, then the nuts.
Add your leafy greens to the top of the jars to keep them fresh and crunchy.
Want something more filling? Make a modern Waldorf salad with chickpeas for a more substantial dish by adding a handful or two of sprouted chickpeas.
If you don't like chickpeas, how about using buckwheat or quinoa instead?
These extra ingredients will add more protein and added nutrients to your meal. Use cooked chickpeas, buckwheat or quinoa instead of sprouted versions if you prefer.
Storing and Leftovers
This yogurt Waldorf salad is best served fresh on the day. Pop any excess or leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you want to meal prep this vegan Waldorf salad, then it's best to add the dressing on the day to prevent it going soggy.
FAQ's
The original salad was created in America at the Waldorf Hotel in New York.
Traditionally, the nut used in a Waldorf salad recipe is walnuts.
Related Recipes
Recipe
Modern Vegan Waldorf Salad
Equipment
- Chopping board.
- Paring knife.
- Bowl.
- Spoon.
Ingredients
- 1 small to medium green apple Granny Smiths
- 40 g celery stick (1 small stick)
- 80g (½ cup) red grapes
- 30 g (¼ cup) walnut pieces
- Pinch of salt
for the Waldorf salad dressing
- 2 tablespoons plain vegan yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint and parsley finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water optional
To serve (optional)
- handful of cos or romaine lettuce
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing. Finely chop the herbs and add them to a bowl with a pinch of salt and vegan yogurt. Stir together until smooth, creamy and combined. If the dressing looks a little thick, you can thin it with a tablespoon of water.2 tablespoons plain vegan yogurt, 2 tablespoons fresh mint and parsley, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water, Pinch of salt
- Chop the remaining ingredients. Dice the apple into small 1 cm pieces and discard the core. Slice the celery thinly, about 2mm thick, into little half-moons. Half the red grapes. Break up any larger walnut pieces so they're all nice and small.1 small to medium green apple, 40 g celery stick (1 small stick), 80g (½ cup) red grapes, 30 g (¼ cup) walnut pieces
- Toss the salad. Place the celery, fruit and walnuts into a bowl, then pour in the Waldorf salad dressing. Gently toss it together with a spoon until everything is evenly coated with dressing. Do a taste test and add more salt or a squeeze of lemon juice if needed.
- Serve with lemon wedges and green salad leaves (optional).handful of cos or romaine lettuce, lemon wedges
Notes
- Serves 2-3 as a side salad or light lunch when served with leafy greens.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- An easy vegan cashew yogurt recipe.
Hey, did you like this recipe? If so it would mean the world to me if you would please Pin this to your Pinterest boards or even share it on social media so others can find it too.
I’m off to make some tea.
Love raw food.
XOXO
Juliette
Karen says
Delicious! Waldorf Salad has always been one of my faves but I recently went vegan and wasn’t sure if I could enjoy it again. So glad I found this recipe! It was delicious and I will make over and over again!