Curried Waldorf Salad

The old-school Waldorf salad used to drown in mayonnaise. This version ditches most of that for plain yogurt with just a spoonful of mayo to hold things together, then pulls the flavor in a whole new direction with curry powder and orange.

A half teaspoon of curry powder is all it takes. It’s enough to warm the dressing without making this taste like a curry dish. Paired with fresh orange zest and segmented orange pieces (citrus-supreme style, to catch all that juice), you get a salad that’s tangy, slightly sweet, and a little exotic.

Toasted walnuts bring essential crunch. Do not skip toasting. Raw walnuts taste flat and a bit bitter, while toasted ones turn buttery and deeply nutty. A quick 5 minutes in a dry skillet transforms them completely.

Tart-sweet apples like Honeycrisp or Braeburn hold up best here. Chopped celery provides the classic Waldorf crunch, and golden raisins add chewy sweet pockets in every bite.

Kitchen Tips

• Supreme the orange over the dressing bowl so you catch every drop of juice. That extra juice sweetens and thins the dressing perfectly.
• Toss apples in a splash of lemon juice if assembling ahead, or they will brown within an hour.
• Toast walnuts only until fragrant. They continue to darken on the pan after you remove them from heat.
• Go easy on the cayenne. Start with a pinch, taste, then add more if you want more bite.

Variations

• Swap walnuts for toasted pecans or sliced almonds.
• Add diced cooked chicken to turn this into a full lunch.
• Use dried cranberries in place of golden raisins for a tart swap.