Sweet, savory and healthy Waldorf Coleslaw

by Nicole Weston, Posted Jul 13th 2006 @ 2:01PM

I saw this recipe in an old issue of Cooking Light (from 2003) that I had lying around and it immediately caught my eye. Why I didn't make it the first time I saw it, I'll never know, but I'm glad I did it now.

Waldorf salad isn't something that you see too often, but the combination of apples, raisins, celery and walnuts is not only addictive, but crunchy and satisfying. Coleslaw, too, is crunchy and refreshing, which is why it is such a popular side to accompany rich and meaty meals. Of course, both salads are slathered in mayo, so they're not exactly healthy foods despite having low-cal ingredients. This is one of the reasons why I liked the Cooking Light recipe, since it eliminates a lot of the fat but still tastes great. Combining the elements of the two salads into Waldorf Coleslaw worked beautifully.

The apples and raisins contribute great flavor and sweetness, while the cabbage provides a lot of crunch, but is milder and seems more summery than the waldorf tradition of chopped celery. The yogurt with a bit of mayonnaise does a very convincing imitation of a more fattening 'slaw, but tastes a little bit fresher. I would definitely try a similar combination on potato salad, too.

You'll notice that the recipe below calls for nuts, but they're nowhere to be seen in my photo. This is because the nuts will lose a bit of crispness when packaged in a wet salad. It's best to tuck them into a plastic bag and add them in at serving time.

Keep this salad in a cooler when you're taking it on the road, since dairy shouldn't be left in the sun, but you can assemble it a day or two ahead and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to go.

Waldorf Coleslaw
(from Cooking Light)

3 cups cabbage (1/2 head), shredded
3 cups Granny Smith apple (2 medium), diced
6-8 tbsp raisins
3 tbsp coarsely chopped, toasted walnuts
3 tbsp plain nonfat yogurt
2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp prepared horseradish*
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine cabbage, apples and raisins in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, horseradish and salt and pepper (start with a scant 1/2 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper, you can always add more later). Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss well to combine. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, if necessary, though the 'slaw should be a bit sweet.
Cover and chill at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.
Makes 8-10 servings.

*Note: I omitted the horseradish. I'm not a fan of the stuff and wasn't going to buy a whole container for one teaspoon.

Filed Under: Vegetarian, Spirit of Summer, Ingredients, How To
Tags: barbecue, cabbage, cabbage salad, coleslaw, comfort food, cooking light, easy, easy recipe, fruit, granny smith apples, healthy coleslaw, healthy salad, healthy side dish, low fat, lunch, nicole weston, picnic, picnic idea, raisins, recipe, salad, salad recipe, side dish, summer, vegetables, vegetarian, waldorf coleslaw, waldorf salad, WaldorfSalad, yogurt