Waldorf Salad
ByPublished on March 6, 2013
Time
30 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. You can use reduced-fat mayonnaise here, and regular raisins will work in place of the golden raisins.
Instructions
- PLUMP RAISINS Combine raisins and water in bowl. Wrap tightly with plastic and microwave until water begins to boil, about 1 minute. Let stand until raisins are soft and liquid has been absorbed, about 5 minutes.
- TOSS SALAD Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, and honey in large bowl. Add apples, celery, walnuts, and plumped raisins to bowl and toss until well coated. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. (Salad can be stored in airtight container for 2 days.)
Time
30 minutes, plus 30 minutes chillingYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Over the years, this classic salad—created in 1893 at New York’s Waldorf Hotel by legendary maître d’hôtel Oscar Tschirky—has undergone many changes. We brought it back to basics. While many recipes we tried for Waldorf Salad called for diced Granny Smith apples, we preferred our salad when the tart Grannies were balanced with sweet Braeburn or Gala apples. We toasted the walnuts—usually tossed in raw—to enhance their flavor. We also added golden raisins, plumped in a little water, for sweetness.
Dressed with mayonnaise alone, the salad was gloppy and greasy. Adding lemon juice helped, but tasters preferred the flavor of cider vinegar, which subtly reinforced the taste of apple. A spoonful of honey and a healthy shake of salt and pepper helped unite the flavors.
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