Cranberry Waldorf Salad

A no-grape Cranberry Waldorf Salad made with crisp apples, celery, pecans, and dried cranberries in a creamy mayonnaise dressing, ready in about 15 minutes.

A bowl of creamy fruit and nut salad with apples, celery, raisins, and walnuts on a striped napkin.

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Core but do not peel the apples, then cut it into bite-sized cubes.
2 medium apple
In a medium bowl, sprinkle the lemon juice over the apples and toss to combine.
1 lemon
Add the celery, pecans, cranberries and mayonnaise. I use slightly less than 1 cup; just enough to bind the salad ingredients together.
2 ribs celery, 1 cup pecans, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup mayonnaise
Season to taste with a small amount of salt and pepper.
Salt and pepper
Serve either cold or at room temperature.

Notes

Use firm, crisp, sweet-tart apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji. Avoid soft apples such as Red Delicious.
Leave the apple skins on for a little color and texture.
Toss the diced apples with the lemon juice right away to keep them from browning.
Start with a little less than a full cup of mayonnaise and add just enough to bind the salad.
Pecans are my choice, but walnuts work well. Toast the nuts for more flavor.
Dried cranberries stand in for the classic raisins, but raisins are fine if you prefer them.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days, with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface. Refresh with a spoonful of mayonnaise if it dries out. This salad cannot be frozen.
To make ahead, prep the components separately and combine just before serving. Hold the pecans until the last minute to keep their crunch.

Nutrition