This kale Waldorf salad recipe is a balanced, texturally appealing, delicious recipe that can be taken one step further with baked turkey bacon or even some chicken breasts. And once you master massaged kale, it will become your favorite salad you’ll want to make over and over again.
Why Should You Try This Recipe?
This kale Waldorf salad was inspired by Whole Foods and my chicken Waldorf salad recipe. I know you will love it because:
- Healthy and nutritious: Packed full of dark leafy greens, fruit, nuts, and healthy fats, it’s a hearty salad recipe to keep you full and satisfied.
- Ready in less than 20 minutes: Most of the work is in the preparation of ingredients. Once that’s out of the way, all you have to do is massage, toss, and enjoy.
- Super customizable: With plenty of options to swap out one ingredient for another, you can truly make this kale salad your own.
Ingredients
The ingredients for this Waldorf kale salad come in three parts – massaged kale, dressing and salad.
- Kale: For the massaged kale, gather together kale, olive oil, and kosher salt.
- Salad Dressing: For the salad dressing ingredients, you will need mayonnaise, plain yogurt, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Salad ingredients: Gather together an apple, red seedless grapes, celery, walnuts, and raisins.
Ingredient Substitutions and Notes
- Kale: While there are many types of kale, I love easy-to-find curly kale or Tuscan kale. Both are easy to cut and store ahead of time to save you a step in the kitchen. If you want to use baby kale, there is no need to massage it with the oil beforehand.
- Mayonnaise: Use an avocado oil mayo or vegan mayo.
- Yogurt: Feel free to use regular yogurt or Greek yogurt for extra protein. Just make sure it is plain and full-fat for the richest flavor.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar both work. Lemon juice is also a great sub.
- Apple: Any color apple you enjoy works beautifully, like Granny Smith, Gala or Pink Lady.
- Grapes: Red, green or black seedless grapes would all be delicious.
- Nuts: Swap out the walnuts for almonds or pecans, or use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a nut-free recipe.
- Dried Fruit: Dried fruit like raisins, craisins, or even dried cherries add that extra pop of sweetness. A few tablespoons of raisins go a long way.
How to Make
This kale version takes the same approach as a classic Waldorf salad with a typical mayonnaise base. And it’s ready in a few easy steps. Here’s how to do it:
- Massage kale: Place prepped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt. Using your fingertips, gently rub kale leaves for 2-3 minutes, turning often to make sure all kale leaves are softened and turn a deeper shade of green.
- Make salad dressing: In a small bowl or jar, mix together mayonnaise, plain yogurt, vinegar, salt, and pepper until it reaches a creamy consistency.
- Assemble salad: Into the bowl with the massaged kale, add apple cubes, grapes, celery stalks, walnuts, and raisins. Drizzle with the salad dressing and toss. Serve immediately in your favorite serving dish.
Serving Suggestions
Massaged kale Waldorf salad is best served right away for the ultimate crunch and texture notes. I love to serve it as:
- Light Lunch: Enjoy it just as is, and save any leftovers for lunch the next day.
- Main Meal: Top it off with baked chicken breasts, turkey bacon, steak or roasted portobello mushrooms and Fajita Veggies to keep it vegetarian.
- Appetizer / Side Dish: Serve it as an appetizer or side dish to heartier meals like chicken fricassee or turkey meatloaf.
How to Store
This kale salad with apples and walnuts will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. After the 3-day mark, the fruit and vegetables will become mushy.
Expert Tips
- Prep ingredients ahead of time. The grapes, celery and walnuts can all be prepped ahead of time. Store the grapes and celery in the fridge and the walnuts on the kitchen counter.
- Massage kale with fingertips. This breaks down kale’s tough fibers and infuses the leaves with olive oil.
- Start with half the dressing, toss, then determine if you would like more dressing. The salad dressing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Change Up The Dressing: While I am a big fan of the classic mayo-yogurt-based dressing of Waldorf Salad, I sometimes change the dressing for a different flavor profile. Other dressings like my Creamy Avocado Dressing and Green Cashew Sauce would also complement this superfood-packed salad recipe.
- Would you rather make this with homemade mayonnaise? If so, check out this helpful How To Make Mayo tutorial post from The Endless Meal.
FAQs
Traditional waldorf salad is made with apples, grapes, celery and walnuts, then tossed with a mayo-based dressing.
Waldorf salad started off as a simple apple-celery-mayo combination that debuted at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC, from where it got its name.
No, it is not necessary to blanch kale for salad. But massaging kale with your hands takes it to another level.
Massaged kale salad will keep for up to 3 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Yes, raw kale can be eaten in salad, but it is much more enjoyable to eat when first massaged with your hands.
Other Salad Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
If you try this Kale Waldorf Salad recipe or any other recipe on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Kale Waldorf Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For Massaging Kale:
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, washed, rinsed, and cut or curly kale
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For The Salad Dressing:
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise, or vegan mayo
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For The Salad:
- 1 apple, cut into small cubes (I kept the skin on)
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
- 1/2 cup celery stalks, cut into small pieces, 2 medium-size
- 1 cup walnuts, lightly roasted
- ½ cup dried raisins, or cranberries
Instructions
- Place rinsed and cut kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt. Using clean hands, gently rub kale leaves for 2-3 minutes, turning often to make sure all kale leaves are softened.
- Make the salad dressing by mixing together mayonnaise, plain yogurt, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl or jar.
- To assemble the salad: Add apple cubes, grapes, celery stalks, walnuts, and raisins into the bowl with massaged kale. Drizzle it with the salad dressing.
- Give it a toss to make sure everything is combined. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Leftovers can be kept for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. After the 3-day mark, the fruit and vegetables will become mushy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients call for lacinato kale, but images show regular. Which is best?
Either one would work, Olivia.
Hi aysegul
Can you keep the mayo in the fridge or do you need to use it immediately. Thanks
Hi Carol,
You can keep it in the fridge in an airtight container upto 2 days.
I hope this helps.
That salad looks so plentiful and delicious – yum!! Pinned 🙂
Thank you Christina!
This is such a fantastic recipe, Aysegul. I love that “mayo” so much!!!!! I love a lot of regular mayo on my sandwich, but this mayo looks even more appertizing. My jean is tight, too, and I am sure switching to your good mayo should happen right NOW 🙂
Ha ha. I know how you feel with your pants! 😛
This salad looks so delicious I could gobble it all down in one sitting!!
http://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt/
Thank you Miranda. I could do that too.. Oh wait, I already did. 😛