Mediterranean Diet Waldorf Salad is meant to be a healthier way to enjoy this tasty salad.
This delicious Mediterranean diet friendly recipe is the perfect way to celebrate fresh apples, walnuts, and grapes as a side dish or a meal.
Mediterranean Diet Waldorf Salad
This recipe for a Mediterranean diet Waldorf salad is a healthier and easy recipe version of a popular fruit based salad.
I have included options for a vegan Waldorf salad as well as a salad with chicken added.
Did you try my recipe for Spinach Strawberry and Avocado salad?
That salad recipe is another great idea for a tasty salad that features fresh fruit with spinach.
This salad recipe is really about the fruit and the mayonnaise or alternative that goes with it.
Do you want to learn more about the Mediterranean Diet?
Find out how to follow the Mediterranean Diet here.
People often ask about the Waldorf salad origin
As far as many of us may think, Waldorf salad is that fruit and mayonnaise salad that seems to show up at every summer barbecue or picnic. This is the salad that includes apples, celery, grapes, and nuts surrounded by the mayo.
You may be surprised to learn however, is that the is an actual story behind the Waldorf salad.
In was in the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York city that the first Waldorf salad was served. That original salad did not include nuts or chicken added to it.
This is a Waldorf salad without mayo.
Instead of mayonnaise, we will use plain Greek yogurt.
You are welcome to use a flavored yogurt however if you prefer to.
There is a non yogurt alternative that you could use instead.
Mediterranean diet followers are welcome to use a Mediterranean diet friendly mayonnaise instead of the yogurt.
Vegan diet followers can use a vegan or plant based yogurt or vegan mayonnaise instead of the yogurt.
Mediterranean Diet Waldorf Salad
Tips for making a Waldorf salad with yogurt or mayonnaise.
This is really a simple salad to make that you should not have to overthink.
Simply using the basic ingredients listed should be enough to make a great tasting Waldorf salad (hence the popularity of this salad).
Here are some more great tips for you.
- Yes, you can easily make this a Waldorf salad with chicken and what a great way to use up leftover chicken! Simply dice up a cooked chicken breast and add additional yogurt or mayonnaise as needed.
- This recipe calls for the usual walnuts. Feel free to use another kind of nut such as pecans if preferred.
- Personalize this recipe with ingredient add-ins. Popular add-ins include raisins, sweetener such as honey or Maple syrup, or even chocolate chips. Or, you could go tropical with mandarin oranges, shaved or flaked coconut, and berries.
People often ask is Waldorf salad vegan.
This recipe for Waldorf salad can easily be made vegan.
As mentioned above, simply sub in vegan or plant based yogurt or vegan mayonnaise instead of the yogurt listed in the ingredients.
Vegan diet followers can also personalize this recipe.
Adding a bit of maple syrup can make this Waldorf salad taste better. Another idea is to add additional fruit such as chopped pears.
I like to think about what dish goes well with Waldorf salad.
This is a great dish to serve as a meal for lunch with maybe a roll or freshly baked bread on the side.
However, this Waldorf salad is okay a great idea as a side (think holiday meals such as Thanksgiving!).
By the way, while you are here you may also be interested in these ideas.
- Mediterranean Diet Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl.
- Vegan Yogurt Berry Parfait.
- Mediterranean Style Chicken Piccata.
- Easy Vegan Stuffed Avocado.
- How to Make Fire Roasted Tomatoes.
- Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
- How to Make Black Bean Brownies.
- Really Simple Oysters Rockefeller.
- How to Follow the Mediterranean Diet.
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Mediterranean Diet Waldorf Salad
Mediterranean Diet Waldorf Salad
This recipe calls for Greek Yogurt to be used rather than the usual mayonnaise in order to make it friendlier to the Mediterranean diet.
Feel free to use a Mediterranean diet friendly mayonnaise if you prefer to stick to the standard recipe or prefer to.
Mentioned earlier is that this recipe can easily be made vegan or without dairy.
Instead of the dairy products just mentioned, sub in vegan or plant based yogurt or vegan mayonnaise.
Ingredients needed to make Waldorf salad with Yogurt Dressing.
- Greek Yogurt- ½ cup. Alternatives include Mediterranean diet friendly mayonnaise ,instead of the yogurt.
Vegan diet followers can use a vegan or plant based yogurt or vegan mayonnaise instead of the yogurt. - Lemon Juice- 3 tablespoons. Fresh lemon juice is preferred as it has no added ingredients such as sugar in it.
- Salt or seasonings as desired. 1 ½ teaspoons total. This can include Italian Seasonings, Mediterranean Diet Seasoning Blend, Greek Seasoning Blend, Salt, and/or Pepper.
- Apples- 2 cups chopped. This recipe features green apples (granny smith). However, you could use a two kinds of apples for variety. For example, Granny Smith and Gala apples. Two cups of apples is about one and a half to two apples chopped.
- Celery- 1 cup chopped.
- Seedless Grapes- 1 cup. Some folks prefer for the grapes to be halved to make it easier to eat.
- Walnuts– 1 cup chopped. Feel free to use pecans or a combination of the two.
- Lettuce- as desired for serving on, or optional if you do not want to serve this on lettuce. Iceberg or watercress are good choices.
How to make Waldorf salad with yogurt, Mediterranean diet mayonnaise or vegan.
- Prepare the ‘dressing’ by using a whisk or a fork to combine together the yogurt (or alternative) in a medium bowl with the lemon juice and seasoning. Set this aside.
- Next, chop the apples and celery into bite-sized pieces if not already chopped. Place the chopped pieces into a large bowl and stir in the grapes.
- Add the ‘dressing’ from the first, medium bowl, to the larger bowl with the fruit. Toss the fruit to get it well covered. Then gently stir of fold in the nuts.
- Serve your Waldorf salad over the lettuce or as deisred.
- Keep leftover in the fridge for up to three days. It should be kept in an air tight container for best results.
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Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that are used.
Mediterranean Diet Waldorf Salad, a healthier and easy recipe version of a popular fruit based salad, vegan option included.
Mediterranean Diet Waldorf Salad
Ingredients
- Greek Yogurt- ½ cup. See post for alternatives.
- Lemon Juice- 3 tablespoons. F
- Salt or seasonings as desired. 1 ½ teaspoons total. See post for details.
- Apples- 2 cups chopped.
- Celery- 1 cup chopped.
- Seedless Grapes- 1 cup.
- Walnuts– 1 cup chopped.
- Lettuce- as desired for serving on or optional if you do not want to serve this on lettuce. Iceberg or watercress are good choices.
Instructions
- Prepare the 'dressing' by using a whisk or a fork to combine together the yogurt (or alternative) in a medium bowl with the lemon juice and seasoning. Set this aside.
- Next, chop the apples and celery into bite-sized pieces if not already chopped. Place the chopped pieces into a large bowl and stir in the grapes.
- Add the 'dressing' from the first, medium bowl, to the larger bowl with the fruit. Toss the fruit to get it well covered. Then gently stir of fold in the nuts.
- Serve your Waldorf salad over the lettuce or as deisred.
- Keep leftover in the fridge for up to three days. It should be kept in an air tight container for best results.
Recipe Notes
Feel free to use a Mediterranean diet friendly mayonnaise if you prefer to stick to the standard recipe or prefer to. Mentioned earlier is that this recipe can easily be made vegan or without dairy. Instead of the dairy products just mentioned, sub in vegan or plant based yogurt or vegan mayonnaise.
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Nutrition
Please note: Nutritional data has been calculated using a tool that comes with this recipe card and not by me. This means that Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that you use. The accuracy of this tool may differ from other tools as expected. Also note that there is no instructional value to the video that may be attached to this recipe. It is only there for visual pleasure. For more information about the images in this recipe, please refer the the recipe instructions. Thank you!
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