This salad is the perfect combination of sweet, tangy, and salty. The fresh tarragon adds a subtle licorice flavor to the vinaigrette that is creamy and dairy-free.
Choosing your greens
This salad makes great use of fresh greens and herbs. I used a combination of green leaf lettuce and endive fresh from the garden for this one, but romaine, kale, and spring mix would also work well here.
Tart & tangy
The dressing is quite tangy, so you really need the sweetness of the grapes and candied walnuts to balance out the flavors. I used a tart Granny Smith apple but a sweet red apple would be delicious in this salad too.
Variations and substitutions
If tarragon isn’t your thing, fresh dill or basil would be great in this salad as well. You could also substitute the apples and grapes for mandarin oranges or peaches. Instead of the walnuts, you could use pecans or almonds.
In a pinch, you could use white vinegar, but I love the added flavor of the apple cider vinegar to complement the fruit. A white wine vinegar would also pair well with these ingredients.
If you’re adding hard-boiled eggs or chicken to the salad, you can also serve it in a wrap or a pita for a substantial lunch option.
Other great salads
There are many delicious dressings you could whip up using basic pantry ingredients, like this Poppy Seed Dressing or these 5 salad dressings. The combinations are endless.
Another lunch option with several variations is this Asian Grilled Chicken Salad – Three Ways, a spin-off of a recipe from manitobachicken.ca
Waldorf Salad w/Creamy Tarragon Vinaigrette
This salad is the perfect combination of sweet, tangy and salty.
Ingredients
Salad ingredients
- mixed greens
- diced apple
- sliced celery
- grapes
- cold grilled or shredded chicken (optional)
- hard-boiled eggs (optional)
Sweet & Salty Walnuts
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 tsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- sea salt
Creamy Tarragon Vinaigrette
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 tbsp fresh tarragon (or one tsp. dry tarragon) Can substitute tarragon for dill
Instructions
Salad
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Cook chicken and hard-boiled eggs, if using. (This can be done the day before.)
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Wash & chop salad ingredients.
Sweet & Salty Walnuts
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Toast walnuts in a skillet over medium-high heat until you start to smell them, tossing frequently.
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Sprinkle with sugar.
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Add water and toss until the water evaporates and the walnuts are coated.
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Pour walnuts onto a piece of parchment paper or a plate and sprinkle with sea salt while the walnuts are still sticky. Let cool.
Creamy Tarragon Dressing
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In the cup for an immersion blender, add all dressing ingredients.
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Blend. Dressing will be very thick.
Recipe Notes
This dressing makes about 1 1/2 cups. Store in a mason jar for up to one week in the fridge. To extend the shelf life of the dressing, use dried herbs instead of fresh.
