Classic 1920’s Waldorf Salad Recipe

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This new take on a classic 1920’s waldorf salad recipe is an easy and delicious recipe that can be made into a side dish or a filling main with just a few adjustments. This creamy, crunchy salad is a “must have” in your recipe collection!

It’s time for another round of fun traditional recipes reinvented in my series called Historically Hungry! This month Amy and I thought it would be so fun to dive into the 1920’s and do fun salads of the times! Amy made this awesome Caesar Salad you see below. To read her post and get her recipe, click here.

What did people in the 1920’s eat?

Ah, the Roaring Twenties. Flapper dresses, speak easies, snazzy suits, and jazz.

But, uh… besides gin made in a bathtub, what did people actually eat during this time?

Well, to answer that we also have to think about two important things that happened during this time – prohibition and suffrage.

Also, WW1 was over, and people no longer had to scrimp, save, and conserve food – so people were willing to indulge more now. Most American kitchens now had electricity, and therefore freezers, so frozen dinners started to become popular. Sandwiches, lunch meats, finger foods, ! Sweet, cold salads were all the rage in the 20’s.

Waldorf Salad Recipe

I wanted to make a classic Waldorf Salad – its a lovely and fun lunch. I also love how its one of those recipes where everyone thinks it should be made differently. As ingredients go in and out of “vogue”, its recipe evolves.

In fact, even the man who is credited with creating the recipe never kept it the same and each book he published had a different set of ingredients.

Originally it was only made with apples, celery and mayo.

Then walnuts were added.

There is even a big controversy about whether or not you should add chicken!

How to Make this Waldorf Salad Recipe:

I decided to update the recipe a little bit from the classic version to make it a little healthier and give it a little more modern. I swapped out the mayo for plain greek yogurt, used a combination of purple and golden raisins (because I could), and definitely added chopped walnuts in addition to the crisp apple and celery!

With a little salt, pepper and a sprinkling of paprika, this easy salad is ready to enjoy!

You can either leave the chicken out for a fun side dish or add in some chopped grilled chicken for a perfect light meal served with toast, over a bed of lettuce, or in a wrap.

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