Waldorf salad with chickpeas
- Preparation 30 min
- Refrigeration 30 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🥗 The Waldorf, pimped up
A Waldorf salad is apples, celery, grapes and walnuts in a creamy dressing. Me, I pimped it. To take it to the next level, plain and simple: I like it, sometimes, to change things up again.
Now there are chickpeas, fennel, cranberries and bell peppers, and it becomes a real meal.
🍎 Firm apples, crunch everywhere
I use firm apples, like Honeycrisp: they hold up better than softer ones. A little lemon on top, and you can forget about them. The celery, fennel and peppers crunch, the grapes and cranberries bring the sweetness, and the walnuts finish the job. If you like apples in a creamy salad, also try my creamy coleslaw with apples and celery.
🥣 A creamy cider dressing, and it’s a same-day salad
Mayonnaise, apple cider, lemon zest and a touch of paprika. That’s all. The taste of the mayonnaise matters here, it sets the tone.
The next day, it’s not as good, that’s for sure. Make it the day you eat it, with a baguette and some brie.
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🍋 Lemon on the apples, right away
Cut the apples first and sprinkle them with a little lemon juice before moving on to the rest. They stay light while you slice the celery, fennel and peppers.
🍎 A firm apple, not a soft one
A Honeycrisp, for example. A firmer apple holds up better in the dressing, and the salad keeps its crunch until it hits the table.
🌰 Toasted walnuts, if you feel like it
It’s optional. If you want a stronger walnut flavor, toast them dry in a skillet before chopping.
🫘 Well-drained chickpeas
Rinse them, then drain them very well. Otherwise the water ends up in the dressing.
🥣 Dressing first, in a small bowl
Mayonnaise, cider, zest and paprika, mixed on the side before going over the rest. Every piece gets coated without you whisking in the big bowl. And keep the mayonnaise: its taste matters in this salad, it gives it its character.
📅 Ahead, but not assembled
The next day, it’s not as good, that’s for sure. If you need to get ahead, prepare the pieces separately: cut, drain, mix the dressing. Assemble at the last minute, give it a short stay in the fridge, and eat it the same day.
✅ What to serve with my Waldorf salad with chickpeas
A baguette and some brie, plain and simple. For a spread of salads, set my lemony orzo salad with feta and chickpeas or my lentil, apple and beet salad with goat cheese next to it.
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Ingredients
- 3 large firm apples, like Honeycrisp, peeled, cored and diced
- The zest of 1 lemon, plus a little of its juice for the apples
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 6 tablespoons (90 ml) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider (or real apple juice)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) paprika
- 1 can (540 ml / 19 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and very well drained
- 4 large celery stalks, halved lengthwise then thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 fennel bulb, halved then thinly sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup (250 ml) green grapes, halved
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) dried cranberries
- A big handful of fresh parsley, chopped
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Preparation
- Sprinkle the apples with a little lemon juice.
- If you want a stronger walnut flavor, toast the walnuts dry in a skillet before chopping them. (Optional)
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, apple cider, lemon zest and paprika.
- In a very large salad bowl, combine the apples, chickpeas, celery, green onions, fennel, bell peppers, grapes, cranberries, walnuts and parsley. Pour in the dressing, season generously with salt and pepper and toss well.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Serve with a baguette and some brie cheese!
Cut them first and sprinkle them right away with a little lemon juice. The rest of the salad gets prepped in the meantime.
A firm apple, like Honeycrisp. It holds up better in the dressing than a softer apple, and the salad stays crunchy.
It’s not as good the next day, that’s for sure, so it’s best the same day. If you need to get ahead, prepare the pieces separately and assemble at the last minute.
Yes, with the chickpeas. Add a baguette and some brie, and you have a fresh, crunchy meal.
You don’t have to. It’s optional, but if you want a stronger walnut flavor, toast them dry in a skillet before chopping.
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