This Waldorf salad recipe is a twist on the classic with chickpeas and a creamy, lightened-up dressing. You will love the fresh flavors in this protein-packed dish.

This creamy salad is perfect for spring and summer. Itโ€™s cool, refreshing, and filling, thanks to delicious chickpeas mixed in for a punch of protein.

photo of a waldorf salad

When was the last time you had a classic Waldorf salad? Itโ€™s a colorful fruit and nut salad with a combination of textures and flavors thatโ€™s hard to resist.

The classic recipe is a little heavy on the mayo and lacking a bit in the protein department, making it a wonderful special occasion side dish. Still, it is not something I like to indulge in regularly. So, of course, Iโ€™ve played around with it and gave it a healthy upgrade.

Lightened-Up Waldorf Salad

First, I lightened up the dressing. Instead of an all-mayonnaise dressing, I substitute half of it with Greek yogurt. It gives the dressing a slight tanginess and lightness with a hint of richness from the mayonnaise. Itโ€™s not nearly as heavy.

I also add a generous amount of chickpeas; protein-packed beans that pair perfectly with the other ingredients, making this salad perfect as a light main course.

The rest of the salad is just like the original โ€“ a combination of juicy grapes, crisp apples, crunchy celery, and walnuts.

Itโ€™s a wonderful side dish for potlucks, BBQs, and holiday meals, and you can easily double, triple, or even quadruple the recipe if youโ€™re serving a crowd.

overhead photo of the ingredients

Ingredients

  • Greek yogurt
  • Mayonnaise
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Canned chickpeas
  • Diced Honeycrisp apple
  • Halved red grapes
  • Chopped celery
  • Minced red onion
  • Chopped walnuts
  • Salt and pepper
  • Butter lettuce

For the apples, I love Honeycrisp because theyโ€™re sweet and a little tart, and they are wonderfully crisp. Pink lady apples are another great choice, or, if you love tartness, try Granny Smith.

overhead photo of the ingredients in a large bowl

How to Make It

  • Mix the yogurt, mayo, and lemon juice together in a bowl.
  • Place all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Add the dressing and toss it all together until well combined.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste and serve it over butter lettuce.
overhead photo of the salad being mixed with the dressing

Recipe Variations & Tips

  • One of my favorite variations is adding crumbled goat or feta cheese. Itโ€™s not traditional, but it’s delicious.
  • This Waldorf salad is vegetarian, but you can easily make it vegan by omitting the yogurt and traditional mayo and using vegan mayonnaise in their place. A ยฝ cup works great.
  • To make this for a potluck, multiply the recipe by four to serve a crowd. You can also make it up to one day in advance.
  • It’s best served cold from the refrigerator, but it will keep well for up to four days as long as it’s kept cold in an airtight container.
close-up photo of a the salad

What to Serve with It

You can serve this chickpea Waldorf salad as a light main or side dish. If serving it as a side, you might like to try:

overhead photo of the salad with a serving spoon

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chickpea salad collage

Chickpea Waldorf Salad

Prep: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 344 kcal
Traditional Waldorf salad gets a punch of protein with the addition of chickpeas which makes for a healthy, filling, and easy lunch or side dish! The dressing is lightened up with a touch of Greek yogurt and zesty lemon juice.
chickpea waldorf salad in bowl with lettuce

Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas drained
  • 1 honeycrisp apple diced
  • 1 cup red grapes halved
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 3 tablespoons red onion minced
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, and lemon juice and set aside.
  • Add the chickpeas, apple, grapes, celery, onions, and walnuts to a large bowl.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to combine until everything is fully coated.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over butter lettuce.

Notes

If taking to a potluck, multiply the recipe by 4.
Goat or feta cheese also makes a nice addition to the dish, I recommend adding ยผ cup.
The salad can be made up to one day in advance.
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and the recipe is best served chilled.
This is a vegetarian dish, but if you want to make it vegan, simply omit the yogurt traditional mayo and use ยฝ cup of vegan mayonnaise.
Serving: 0.25of recipeCalories: 344kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 12gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 57mgPotassium: 495mgFiber: 10gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 78IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 4mg
chickpea waldorf salad in bowl with lettuce
Tried this recipe?Let us know what you think!

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21 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I whipped up this Chickpea Waldorf Salad, and it was a refreshing twist on the classic! The chickpeas added a nice, hearty texture, making it satisfying yet light. Really loved the blend of flavors in this one.

  2. 5 stars
    The Chickpea Waldorf Salad was absolutely delicious! I loved how it combined classic flavors with a twist by using chickpeas.

5 from 16 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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