I don’t know about you, but I ate Waldorf salad so much growing up that I thought it was part of a complete kid’s meal. Come to find out, this ’90s lunchroom staple is actually named after a fancy hotel, the Waldorf Astoria, where it was invented by the Swiss-American chef and cookbook author, Oscar Tschirky. (Well, in my unprofessional opinion, no one truly invents recipes. They all come from somewhere else, but still my compliments to the chef.) Regardless of who made it–moms or executive chefs–apples and grapes in a vanilla-flavored dressing is never an unwelcome guest at my table, even today.

BUT, as a giant fan of stirring the pot figuratively and literally, I was excited to dream up another version, one filled with new flavors and topped with a lemony dressing. Besides, I was looking for something worthwhile to make with the pomegranate and the wild rice I’d purchased for prices that made me weak-in-the-knees. The pomegranate didn’t quite make it. It was rotten inside, and found housing a stowaway worm, so I made a QUICK pivot from that idea, instead gracing my compost pile with this four-dollar fruit.

Then, I thought about the Goji berries I’d bought in the discount aisle of Publix, of which I had two whole pounds. They could replace the pomegranates to provide a splash of color after a quick soaking. Vitamin A here we come!

I think this salad would be a hit on (drumroll) Christmas Eve! In my family, we always have some version of beef stick, cheese, and crackers. But now that there are multiple vegetarians in the family, we’ve supplemented this tradition with a bunch of salads, California comfort food-style. Besides, there’s something naturally festive about this red-and-green salad. I personally think it’s a hit (as did my neighbor, who doesn’t lie when it comes to food!) Hope it rocks your socks, too.

Salad ingredient list (minus the dressing)

Wild Rice – I love the nutty taste of wild rice, but you could also use black rice, pearl couscous, farro, buckwheat, or another grain of your choosing.
Arugula – A peppery green goes great with the sour dressing; you could also experiment with watercress here.
Apples – Sweet and crunchy…it wouldn’t be a Waldorf salad without them!
Green Grapes – Only the most sour and flavorful grapes, in my opinion.
Pecans – The sweetness of pecans goes perfectly with this salad. But if you don’t have them, you could always use walnuts, hazelnuts, or slivered/sliced almonds. Plus, roasting any nut brings out an incredible toasty flavor.
Goji Berries – This splash of color goes a long way. If you don’t have these berries or can’t find them in your local Asian market or health food store, you could always use currants, raisins, or sliced dried figs or apricots.
Feta Cheese – Omit this if you’re making a vegan version and then adjust the salt to taste.
Lemon-Olive Oil Dressing – Using lemon juice to soften the flavor of shallots and green onions, this olive-oil-based dressing is a little extra sweet to go with the fruit in this salad. No processed sugars or canola oil, of course!

Waldorf salad tips and tricks:

Make the dressing first. It might not seem like a big deal, but there are a LOT of alliums in that dressing that need time to soak in the lemon juice to become sweeter and less pungent.
Approach cooking wild rice like you’re cooking pasta. That, drain it when it’s done, rather than expecting it to soak up all the cooking liquid.
While we’re at it, I’d totally recommend cooking your rice in broth instead of water for this recipe. It lends itself to a more savory and flavorful bite.
Don’t forget to dress your apples in lemon juice right after cutting them to maintain their color.
Always roast nuts fresh, right before putting them in a salad. It takes the flavor up a notch with no extra ingredients to add.
Adjust the flavor to-taste before serving. I added an extra squeeze of lemon juice and some salt to round out the dish.
Layer the salad ingredients in a big baking dish before mixing.
Don’t forget to serve the salad right away!

I hope you enjoy this meal! Hosting a picnic? You might want to pair it with some of these:

Grown-Up Wild Rice Waldorf with Arugula and Goji Berries

Author: Casey
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Salads
Cuisine: Vegetarian Comfort Food
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

Wild rice, arugula, feta, and goji berries meet with the traditional Waldorf ingredients (apples, grapes, and nuts), all topped with a lemony vinaigrette.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dressing

1 big lemon
1 shallot, thinly diced
greens from 4 green onions, thinly sliced
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon salt

For the Salad:

1 cup wild rice
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 giant handful arugula
2–3 apples
1 cup quartered green grapes
1 cup pecans
¼ cup goji berries
3 handfuls crumbled feta cheese
half a lemon (or about 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

For the Dressing:

Zest your lemon into mason jar, or another vessel with a top.
Then, squeeze 3 tablespoons of juice from your lemon into your jar.
Add the rest of the ingredients, put the lid on the jar, and shake well.
Let the dressing sit, covered, for at least half an hour while you prepare the salad–this will neutralize the poignant taste of the onions and shallot.

For the Salad:

Bring 1 cup of wild rice, 2 cups broth, and 1 cup of water to a boil. Since we cook wild rice like pasta rather than like white rice (without getting the rice to absorb all the water, that is), then feel free to add an extra cup of water or broth. One the water comes to a boil, cover the pot with a lid and let it cook over low heat and covered for 45 minutes to an hour, or however long it takes for the rice to become soft.
Like you’re draining pasta, drain your rice in a fine mesh colander and let cool.
While the rice is cooling, prepare the other ingredients. First, soak the dried goji berries in water for at least 20 minutes before using.
Then, peel and core your apples. Cut your apples into cubes, and cover with lemon juice to maintain their crisp color.
Next, take your pecans and set them in a skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring occasionally, until the pecans are evenly browned and smell “roasted.” Remove the pecans from the stove and give them a rough chop.
Now, you’re ready to assemble your salad! Place the cooled rice on the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking pan. On top, add a big handful of fresh arugula, spread evenly around your pan. Then, add your apples, grapes, and toasted pecans. Sprinkle on your goji berries and three big handfuls of feta, and then douse your salad all over with dressing.
To make your salad pop, add extra lemon juice and/or salt. I squeezed an additional half a lemon over mine as well as ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Serve immediately!

Keywords: salad, Thanksgiving, wild rice, fresh, flavorful, California comfort food, natural cooking, Waldorf, health, vegan, vegetairan