Gordon Ramsay’s Waldorf salad is a crisp, crunchy mix of apples, celery, toasted walnuts, and Belgian endive tossed in a creamy mayo-yoghurt dressing with celery salt. It comes together in about 15 minutes with zero cooking required.
The recipe appears as “Walnut, Celery, Endive, and Apple Salad” in Gordon Ramsay’s Cooking for Friends, where he calls it “a simple, modern take on the classic Waldorf salad.” He notes you can “add slices of cold smoked chicken or leftover roast chicken or turkey” to turn it into a full main course.
What sets his version apart is swapping the usual lettuce base for Belgian endive. Endive leaves are sturdier and slightly bitter, which cuts through the rich dressing instead of wilting under it. That contrast keeps every bite tasting clean rather than heavy.
Gordon Ramsay Waldorf Salad Recipe
Course: SaladsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
15
minutes258
15
minutesRamsay’s refined Waldorf from Cooking for Friends, built on crisp Belgian endive instead of the usual lettuce. The dressing blends mayonnaise with plain yoghurt and celery salt for a lighter, more savoury finish than the traditional all-mayo version. His Ultimate Fit Food cookbook also features a prawn Waldorf that drops the mayo entirely for Greek yoghurt and Dijon mustard.
Ingredients
2 heads of Belgian endive (chicory)
4 celery ribs (stalks), trimmed and roughly chopped, leaves reserved
2 apples, cored and thinly sliced
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 handful of toasted walnut halves, chopped
- For the dressing:
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons plain yoghurt (yogurt)
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Make the dressing: Combine the mayonnaise, plain yoghurt, celery salt, and lemon juice in a bowl. Season with black pepper to taste and mix until smooth.
- Prepare the endive: Trim off the bases of the endive heads and separate the leaves. Scatter a few leaves over each serving plate to create a base.
- Toss the salad: Place the chopped celery and any reserved celery leaves in a large bowl. Add the thinly sliced apples and toss with a little lemon juice to prevent them from discolouring (browning). Add half the chopped walnuts and toss well.
- Plate and serve: Divide the salad among the serving plates on top of the endive leaves. Scatter the remaining walnuts over the top. Either drizzle the dressing over the salad or serve it in individual bowls on the side for dipping.
FAQs
Why does Ramsay use Belgian endive instead of lettuce?
Most Waldorf salads sit on a bed of romaine or butterhead lettuce, which wilts quickly once dressed. Belgian endive leaves are firmer with a natural cup shape that holds the dressing without going limp.
They also bring a gentle bitterness that balances the sweetness from the apples and the richness of the mayo. It’s a small swap that changes the whole texture and flavour profile of the salad.
Why does the dressing use both mayonnaise and yoghurt?
A traditional Waldorf dressing is pure mayonnaise, which can feel heavy when you’re eating a bowl of raw vegetables and fruit. Ramsay cuts the mayo with plain yoghurt, which thins the texture and adds a slight tang.
The result coats the ingredients without smothering them. You taste the apples and celery first, then the dressing, rather than the other way around.
What does celery salt add that regular salt doesn’t?
Celery salt is ground celery seed mixed with fine salt, so it reinforces the celery flavour already in the salad. Regular salt seasons the dressing but doesn’t add any depth beyond saltiness.
It’s a small detail, but it ties the dressing to the salad ingredients. The celery flavour comes through in both the crunchy ribs and the creamy dressing, which makes the whole dish taste more cohesive.
How is this different from his Prawn Waldorf Salad?
The version in Ultimate Fit Food takes a completely different direction. It drops the mayonnaise entirely and builds the dressing from Greek yoghurt, Dijon mustard, and cider vinegar for a much lighter, sharper finish.
That version also adds king prawns (shrimp) for protein, swaps the endive for shredded romaine lettuce, and includes seedless green grapes. It comes in at 258 calories per serving, so it’s designed as a health-conscious lunch rather than an elegant side. If you’re after something closer to Ramsay’s lighter salad dressings, the Fit Food version is worth trying.
Can you make this a main course?
Ramsay says to add slices of cold smoked chicken or leftover roast chicken or turkey to turn it into a full meal. The sturdy endive and walnuts hold up well next to the extra protein without the salad feeling overcrowded.
If you have leftover roast chicken from earlier in the week, this is one of the best ways to use it. Shred or slice it, toss it through the dressed salad, and you’ve got a complete lunch in minutes.
Why toast the walnuts first?
Raw walnuts taste flat and slightly bitter compared to toasted ones. A few minutes in a dry pan brings out their natural oils and deepens the flavour from bland to nutty and warm.
Toasting also firms up the texture so the walnuts stay crunchy against the soft apples and creamy dressing. Raw walnuts absorb moisture quickly and can turn chewy in a dressed salad, while toasted ones hold their snap for longer.
I’m Ava Taylor. I’m A Self-taught Home Cook Who Loves Gordon Ramsay Recipes. I Try Every Dish In My Small Apartment Kitchen And Tweak It Until It Works. I Write Clear Steps With Simple Words So Anyone Can Follow. I Share Honest Wins, Mistakes, And Quick Tips To Help You Cook With Confidence.