This Vegan Chicken Waldorf Salad is a plant-based twist on the classic recipe, made with soy curls, crisp apples, red seedless grapes, crunchy celery, and pecans in a creamy vegan mayonnaise dressing. Quick, easy, and always a crowd pleaser!
Use my Easy Vegan Chicken Strips made with soy curls in this recipe!
Look, I freely admit that eating chicken salad doesn't exactly make you feel like a lumberjack or the Terminator. Nobody's going to confuse me for Paul Bunyan or Arnold Schwarzenegger while I'm sitting at the dinner table, daintily forking up bites of diced apple and red grapes.
But here’s the thing, I don't freaking care! Because this Vegan Chicken Waldorf Salad is hearty, flavorful, and, dare I say, man-approved.
It's proof that a "classic salad" can be both refined and filling, and you don't have to wrestle a chicken breast to enjoy it.
Unlike the original recipe made famous by Oscar Tschirky at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, which eventually evolved to include chicken, my version skips the bird entirely and uses soy curls instead.
It’s all the flavor, none of the clucking.
Why you’ll love this vegan Waldorf chicken salad recipe
It’s the perfect combination of crisp apples, crunchy celery, sweet red grapes, and savory vegan chicken strips, all tossed in a creamy vegan mayonnaise dressing, which makes this a crowd pleaser for just about any occasion.
Whether you serve it on a bed of lettuce, in tortilla wraps, or pile it high between slices of whole-grain bread, this is the kind of creamy salad you'll make again and again.
Plus, it's an easy recipe, no separate bowl for the dressing, no hours in the kitchen. Just toss, mix, and eat.
Ingredients you’ll need for this salad
To make this vegan chicken salad, here's what you'll need:
- Soy curl chicken strips (you can use another vegan chicken substitute, or even extra firm tofu works too)
- Celery – thinly sliced (for that crunchy celery factor)
- Apple: I like using a mix of sweet crisp apples and tart apples like Granny Smiths.
- Grapes: Red seedless grapes are a classic staple for this recipe.
- Nuts: Roughly chopped pecans are my choice. But walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds are great as well.
- Vegan mayonnaise: Cashew mayo or my tofu mayo are excellent choices for this recipe. You could also use a mix of vegan yogurt and vegan mayo for a lighter dressing.
- Lemon juice: Adds a tangy flavor along with a bit of brightness.
- Seasoning: Salt and black pepper, to taste
How to make Vegan Chicken Waldorf Salad
Making this vegan chicken Waldorf salad couldn't be easier. You just toss everything into a large bowl, mix well, and you're done.
- Combine the soy curl chicken strips, celery, apple, grapes, and pecans in a large bowl.
- Add the vegan mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix until everything is coated in creamy goodness.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge.
That's it. No olive oil, no poultry seasoning, no stress.
Substitutions & variations
- Vegan Chicken Options: Swap soy curl chicken strips for cubed extra-firm tofu or chickpeas.
- Dressing Ingredients: Use vegan plain yogurt, Greek yogurt-style vegan yogurt, or a blend with maple syrup and Dijon mustard for a tangy twist.
- Nuts & Seeds: Try chopped walnuts (the traditional Waldorf salad choice), pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds for a nut-free crunch.
- Fruits: Mix in diced pears, dried cranberries, or even pomegranate seeds for color and sweetness.
- Greens: Serve on a bed of greens for a light lunch or stuff into chicken salad lettuce wraps for a low-carb option.
Top tips for the best results
For maximum flavor, let your salad chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. This gives the flavors time to mingle, and the soy curls absorb that creamy dressing like a sponge, in the best possible way.
A little history for the table talkers
The classic Waldorf salad debuted in the late 1800s at the Waldorf Hotel (later the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel) in NYC. Back then, it was just apples, celery, and mayonnaise, no chicken, no grapes, no nuts.
Over time, folks started tossing in extra goodies like red grapes, walnuts, and, eventually, chicken.
I like to think my version is just carrying on that tradition, only instead of chicken breast, we're making it a wholesome recipe that everyone can enjoy, from your vegan cousin to that one uncle who still thinks tofu is a form of social protest.
Serving ideas
- As a great side dish at a dinner party or picnic
- Piled into a wrap for a quick lunch or meal prep
- Over a bed of lettuce for a lighter meal
- With crackers as an easy appetizer
How to store Vegan Chicken Waldorf Salad
You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If it starts to look a little dry, stir in a spoonful of vegan mayo or add a splash of apple cider vinegar before serving.
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The Best Vegan Chicken Waldorf Salad Recipe
This Vegan Chicken Waldorf Salad is a hearty plant-based twist on the classic Waldorf recipe. Made with soy curls, crisp apples, red seedless grapes, crunchy celery, and pecans in a creamy vegan mayonnaise dressing, it's the perfect combination of sweet and savory. Serve on a bed of lettuce, in tortilla wraps, or as a great side dish for any dinner party. Quick, easy, and a guaranteed crowd pleaser!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main, Salad
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 cups soy curl chicken strips, roughy chopped (or another vegan chicken substitute, extra firm tofu works too)
- 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
- 1 whole apple, chopped (I like using a mixture of tart apples like Granny Smiths and any sweet crisp apples)
- ¾ cup halved grapes (red seedless grapes are classic)
- ¼ cup roughly chopped pecans (you can also use walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds)
- 1 cup vegan mayonnaise (or a mix of vegan yogurt and vegan mayo for a lighter dressing)
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 lemon, juiced or 2 Tbsp of lemon juice (and maybe a little lemon zest if you're feeling fancy)
- Optional: 1-2 tablespoon of pure maple syrup for a little added sweetness.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped soy curl chicken strips, celery, apple, grapes, and pecans.
- Add the vegan mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix until everything is coated in creamy goodness.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
* Recipe time assumes soy curl chicken and cashew mayo have already been prepped and prepared.
- For the best results, chill your vegan chicken Waldorf salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop.
- Use soy curls, cubed extra firm tofu, or chickpeas for the vegan chicken. Crisp apples like Granny Smiths or Honeycrisp hold up best, and red seedless grapes give that classic Waldorf salad flavor.
- Swap out the pecans for chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds if desired.
- Serve on a bed of lettuce, in tortilla wraps, or as a great side dish at a dinner party.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 196
- Sugar: 6.1 g
- Sodium: 131.5 mg
- Fat: 11.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Very tasty – I just eat it with a spoon!
This is really good! I haven’t had a Waldorf salad in a couple of decades, so I can’t actually comment on how close it is to the regular version, but I CAN comment that it’s delicious and that it gets bonus points for being really easy. The texture of the soy curls is great in this, especially with the contrasting textures of everything else. I had made some peach sourdough bread over the weekend, and it was the perfect compliment to this wonderfully savory-sweet meal.
This is phenomenal!! I could eat this every day. Had it as a side last night and today in a wrap. Made each component exactly as written with no tweaks at all. All of it came together to make one super delicious salad. Thank you so much. I was wowed by this creation.
Do you hydrate the soy curls first? I’m just starting to make this salad.
Thank you
Yes, but use my Soy Curl Chicken Strip recipe for best results.
https://shaneandsimple.com/easy-vegan-chicken-strips-made-with-soy-curls/
This Vegan Chicken Waldorf Salad is a plant-based twist on the classic recipe, made with soy curls, crisp apples, red seedless grapes, crunchy celery, and pecans in a creamy vegan mayonnaise dressing. Quick, easy, and always a crowd pleaser!