Chickpea Waldorf Salad

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. It’s cool, refreshing, and filling, thanks to delicious chickpeas mixed in for a punch of protein.

When was the last time you had a classic Waldorf salad? It’s a colorful fruit and nut salad with a combination of textures and flavors that’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, I’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. It’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 – a combination of juicy grapes, crisp apples, crunchy celery, and walnuts.

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

Ingredients

I wanted a light, flavorful base rather than something heavy, so I used a blend of Greek yogurt and mayo for the perfect balance of tangy and slightly sweet.

As for the apples, I used Honeycrisp because they’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.

How to Make Chickpea Salad

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.

What to serve Chickpea Waldorf Salad with

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:

Grilled chicken flavored with my all-purpose seasoning. It’s delicious served as a side with my crock pot ham.

If serving as a main dish, add a couple of side dishes like baked beans, fruit salad, or homemade bread.

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