Waldorf Pasta Salad with Pineapples

What does a Waldorf salad contain?

A Waldorf salad consists of celery, fresh apples, grapes and walnuts tossed in a mayonnaise dressing. It is traditionally served on a bed of lettuce as a light meal or appetizer. It can be made with green apples and green grapes for a harmonious color palette. 

This dish has been modernized with the addition of chicken or turkey, raisins or other dried fruit, and/or yogurt dressing.

What country is Waldorf salad from?

The Waldorf salad was conceived right here in the US! According to Wikipedia, “Waldorf salad is named for the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City, where it was first created for a charity ball given in honor of the St. Mary’s Hospital for Children on March 13, 1896. The Waldorf-Astoria’s maître d’hôtel, Oscar Tschirky, developed or inspired many of the hotel’s signature dishes and is widely credited with creating the salad recipe. In 1896, the salad appeared in The Cook Book by “Oscar of the Waldorf”.

Ingredients

See recipe card for exact amounts. 

Ingredients Notes

pasta – we like shells but any short pasta will work. 

pineapple – you need to use canned pineapple because you will use the juice to make the dressing. 

apple – we like red apple but green apple is good too. For this version you see in the photos we used a red delicious apple, we use many different types such as honey crisp apples, Fuji apples, and gala apples.

celery – has a great crunch and a slightly bitter taste that goes perfectly with the fruit. 

nuts – I use walnuts, a nut similar to walnuts are pecans. 

mayonnaise – we use reduced fat mayo with olive oil because that is what we keep on-hand, any kind can be used. 

sour cream – again we use reduced fat or “light” but the full fat works great too. 

salt – for a bit of added flavor. 

How to make Waldorf Pasta Salad with Pineapples:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse in cold water taking care to shake of the excess water. 
2. Meanwhile the drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice.
3. Combine pasta, drained pineapple, apple, chopped celery, and walnuts in a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl combine the reserved pineapple juice, mayonnaise, sour cream, and salt . Add to pasta mixture and toss until combined.

Tips

• To clean the celery ribs wipe them with a damp paper towel.  
• Chop the apple last and then mix everything together so the apple doesn’t turn brown. 

Storage

Store in an airtight container for a couple of days. It will turn an unappetizing color the longer it is kept. 

Other fruity salads you might like:

• Asparagus Strawberry Mixed Green Salad
• Refreshing Winter Fruit Salad
• Arby’s Grilled Chicken & Pecan salad (Copycat)
• Fruit Salad
• Triple Berry Cheesecake Salad
• Peach Blueberry Fluff Salad