A Waldorf salad is a fruit and nut salad generally made of celery, fresh apples, walnuts, and grapes, dressed in mayonnaise, and traditionally served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer or a light meal.

Waldorf salad is named for the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City, where it was first created for a charity ball given in honor of the St. Mary's Hospital for Children on March 13, 1896.

[3][4][5] The Waldorf-Astoria's maître d'hôtel, Oscar Tschirky, developed or inspired many of the hotel's signature dishes and is widely credited with creating the salad recipe.

[8] An American guest demanding a Waldorf salad featured prominently in a 1979 episode of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers.

Variations include a peanut butter and yogurt base, and one that replaces celery with cauliflower.