Vegan Waldorf Salad
This Vegan Waldorf Salad features the familiar combination of apples, grapes, celery and walnuts! Dates are added for extra sweetness, and vegan mayonnaise is used in place of egg-based mayonnaise to make this completely plant-based and cruelty free.
I’ll admit, I didn’t know much about what all a Waldorf alad consisted of when I decided to create this recipe. I looked into it and took notes on all of the various ingredients in a traditional, non-vegan Waldorf salad first, to get a feel for what the original is like. It was important to me to come up with a veganized version that would be close to a non-vegan kind, so that it could truly satisfy anyone’s craving for this nostalgic meal!
This recipe is simple to make, and can even be customized and kicked up a notch by contributing your choice of additions, such as avocado, hemp seeds, chickpeas, or fresh herbs! It’s delicious served on its own, or over a bed of lettuce like in this recipe.
Romaine Lettuce: I chose to incorporate some leafy greens in this recipe to serve our Waldorf Salad on. Romaine lettuce is high in nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and K, and it also provides folate and fiber. It’s a great choice that is more nutrient-dense than most other leafy green vegetables, and it’s a light and pleasantly crunchy option, as well!
Green and/or Red Grapes: Halved grapes are one of the signature ingredients of a Waldorf salad! I used a combination of both green and red, mostly for the visual appeal. Whichever types of grapes you choose, they’re packed with antioxidants, and a great way to add texture contrast and moisture to this salad, or honestly, many other kinds of salads, as well!
Apples: No Waldorf salad would be complete without chopped apples, either. However, I like adding apples to many of my salads. I like adding a sweet element in many of my traditionally savory dishes, and of course apples are full of nutrients, raising the nutritional profile of any dish they’re added to! I like to use different varieties of smaller, red apples, such as Fuji or Gala apples. Incorporating apples into your salads, breakfast smoothies or oatmeal bowls, or even as a quick snack with peanut butter throughout the day, brings more fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants to your diet.
Celery: I must admit, celery is quite literally the one vegetable, actually the one food altogether, I cannot bring myself to like! However, I will eat celery when it’s chopped up and cooked into a soup or stew, or when it’s added to this recipe. After I made a couple big batches of this Waldorf Salad, I put the rest of the celery I had in the freezer to blend up into smoothies, since I didn’t want to eat it on its own and at least in a smoothie, I can’t taste it! Lol!
Walnuts: Walnuts are something that I do love, I can often be found standing in my kitchen, eating them by the handful while I decide what I’m actually going to eat. Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and antioxidants. They support brain health, heart health, and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Dates: I’m a huge date fan as well, they’re super sweet, chewy, and add an almost caramel-y taste to any dish they’re added to. I add dates to plenty of my salads, so I wanted to add them to this one for a slight variation on the traditional Waldorf Salad. Dates contain potassium and magnesium, provide quick energy, promote digestive health, and can even aid in muscle recovery after exercise.
Vegan Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise pulls all of the ingredients together and gives your Waldorf Salad its creamy consistency. Of course, for this version, we’re using a vegan mayonnaise! There are plenty of vegan mayos on the market, some of my favorite brands are Follow Your Heart, Simple Truth Organic, and Just Mayo. Or of course, you can always make your own at home! There are plenty of vegan mayonnaise recipes out there, and I’m currently in the process of making my own, as well. Stay tuned for once I have it published!
Lemon Juice: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds brightness and acidity to the dressing, balancing the richness of the mayonnaise and enhancing the flavors of the other ingredients. Its tangy flavor provides a refreshing contrast, and it also brings plenty of vitamin C and antioxidants, to help boost immunity and prevent inflammation.
Organic Sugar: Adding just a small amount of sugar complements the natural sweetness of the apples, grapes and dates, and mellows the acidity of the lemon juice nicely. Opting for organic sugar ensures that your salad remains free from refined sugars, and that the sugar itself is not filtered using bone char.
Salt and Pepper: Using salt and pepper truly does make a world of difference for a salad such as this, and their use cannot be underestimated. Feel free to taste test once all of the other ingredients have come together and add salt and pepper to your liking.
Ingredients
(Makes 2 servings)
2 C romaine lettuce
¼ C green and/or red grapes
½ apple
¼ C chopped celery
⅛ C walnuts, roughly chopped
1 T chopped dates
⅛ C vegan mayonnaise
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp organic sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Start by washing and chopping the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Halve the grapes, dice the apple, and chop the celery, walnuts and dates. Set the lettuce aside, and place the grapes, apple, celery, walnuts and dates into a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate, smaller bowl, combine the vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then whisk until the ingredients are well incorporated and the dressy is smooth and creamy.
3. Add the dressing to the mixing bowl with the salad ingredients. Gently toss everything together until the dressing evenly coats the ingredients.
4. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. To serve, add the lettuce to plates or bowls, and then spoon the Waldorf salad mixture on top.
Stefanie is the founder of Life, Veganized, and a passionate vegan and animal advocate. She creates vegan recipes for all palates and resides in Los Angeles with her adorable puggle, Zeus.
