The Original Waldorf Salad

By The New York Times

Published February 21, 2017

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(471)
Comments
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"Millions who never visited the Waldorf owe him a debt," The New York Times wrote in 1950, upon Oscar Tschirky's death. Mr. Tschirky, a Swiss immigrant who became known as "Oscar of the Waldorf," is credited with creating this piece of Americana in 1893, a timeless dish whose popularity has spread far past the Waldorf's exclusive doors and into home kitchens. Over time, variations would include blue cheese, raisins and chopped walnuts, which can be added here alongside the celery and apples. But the original is an exercise in simplicity: four ingredients that have lived on for over a century.

Featured in: The Waldorf Is Closing, but Its Salad Lives On

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Ingredients

Yield:1 serving (as a main course)

  • 1 medium ripe apple

  • 1 stalk celery, chopped

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 cups lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 serving)

30 grams carbs; 23 milligrams cholesterol; 517 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 27 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 45 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 909 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 21 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Peel apple and cut into halves. Remove core and slice halves ¼-inch thick. Reserve 4 slices. Cut remaining slices into thin strips.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, mix celery, mayonnaise and apple strips; season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on lettuce and top with apple slices.

Tip

  • Later versions of the salad commonly added chopped walnuts. If you'd like, toss ¼ cup of them in with the celery and apple.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
471 user ratings
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Comments

Kaytkay

My grandfather was a waiter at the Waldorf & taught my Mom how to make this, which we ALWAYS ate on Thanksgiving. Always used Red Delicious apples,(the only time we ever actually ate Red Delicious variety, but they work very well for this) celery, walnuts, raisins, mayo. Apples were diced(unpeeled)into a bowl of orange juice to prevent browning, then well drained & the dressing was mayo cut with some of the orange juice. Everyone I ever made this for said it was the best they ever had.

arp46

I prefer to use unpeeled apples and toasted walnut pieces when making this. I also mince the celery to avoid having large pieces overwhelming the flavor of the apples.

Jackie of Missouri

My mother used to make a variation of this every Christmas. In her variation, she would dice the apples, mix the mayo with an equal part of Kool Whip for sweetness, add walnuts, and dispense with the salt, pepper and lettuce. We still make it that way. It wouldn't be Christmas Dinner without it.

Lanierh

I grew up eating this every Sunday at my Grandmother’s and I make it still. I use the raisins and walnuts or pecans and cube the apples with the peel on. The orange juice idea seems worthy, thanks for the idea.

Pix

Growing up, ours had walnuts, grapes, and raisins in addition to the ingredients in this recipe. we loved it!

Kathy Itomura

We were taught to make this salad in public school cooking class - 7th grade at LeConte Jr Hi in Hollywood, CA

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