Vegan Kale Waldorf Salad with Easy Cashew Dressing

GFGluten Free

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This Vegan Kale Waldorf Salad is a fun and flavorful take on a classic Waldorf Salad. 

Do you like salads? I would hope you like salads, if you are spending time reading this blog post.

Vegan Kale Waldorf Salad Lentils Cashew Dressing

I like salads. And I really like this Kale Waldorf Salad.

In theory, a Waldorf Salad is a conglomeration of Grapes, Celery, and Apple tossed in some sort of Mayo-based dressing and served atop crispy Lettuce.

But you know me….I don’t follow recipe directions very well. Or as I like to say, I put my own twist on everything 😉 Not only have I made this salad Vegan, but we’ve got some pretty nutritious food swaps and additions as well:

  • Kale replaces our lettuce because (1) it’s more nutrient-dense, and (2) it hold up better in the fridge,
  • Soaked Cashews replace the dairy products to create our creamy dressing,
  • and I added some Lentils to give the meal heartier and give it some plant based protein.

Vegan Kale Waldorf Salad Lentils Cashew Dressing

I will note that the Cashew dressing is rather thick, but this is because you are supposed to massage or stir it into the Kale and Veggies. Don’t just think you’ll be able to pour it on top! The Apples, Grapes, and Celery hold a lot of moisture, so after you stir 2-3 tbsp in, it should dilute quite nicely.

Finally, don’t be afraid really massage your Kale after you de-stem it! Raw Kale leaves can be bitter, but massaging them helps to break down their tough cell walls and remove some of this unwanted tang. Plus, it makes them easier to digest!

Vegan Kale Waldorf Salad Lentils Cashew Dressing

A Few Final Thoughts:
  • This salad is perfect for Meal Prep! If you decide to make it ahead of time, I would suggest storing the Salad Veggies, Dressing, and Nuts separately. That way nothing gets soggy! You can either mix in the dressing the night before you eat it, or just take it with you in a separate container.
  • To make this recipe nut free, you can substitute the soaked cashews with 2/3 cup of Extra Firm Tofu, then blend away. I imagine that Pumpkin seeds or Sunflower seeds would also be great in place of Walnuts.
  • If you’d like to use Green Grapes or another variety of Apple in place of what I used here, feel free! The world (or in this case, the salad bowl) is your canvas 😉

Finally, if you make this recipe and share it on Instagram, please tag me @frommybowl + #frommybowl so I can see your lovely recreation!

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Kale Waldorf Salad with Easy Cashew Dressing

This Vegan Kale Waldorf Salad is a fun and flavorful take on a classic Waldorf Salad. 

  • Yield: 5 People 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bunch Curly Kale, or any other variety of your liking
  • 1 1/2 cup Red Grapes, cut in half
  • 2 cup Celery, finely diced
  • 1 1/2 cup Green Apple, diced (no need to peel)
  • 4 cup Cooked Green Lentils
  • 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts

For the Cashew “Mayo” Dressing:

  • 2/3 cup Cashew Pieces, soaked*
  • 2 tbsp Dill Pickle Brine (liquid from a jar of Dill Pickles)
  • 1 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 1/4 cup Filtered Water
  • 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

  1. Rinse, chop, and dice all veggies and nuts. Wash and de-stem the Kale into a large bowl, ripping the leaves into bite-sized pieces as you go.
  2. Firmly massage the Kale with your hands for about 1 minute, until it is soft, tender, and has reduced in volume.
  3. Next, prepare the Cashew Dressing by adding all of the ingredients into a high speed blender and processing until thick and creamy. (Note: this mixture will be rather thick)
  4. If you are serving the Salad later, please see notes** Otherwise, add as much of the Cashew Mayo Dressing as you’d like into the bowl with the Kale and massage the two together. I had a little leftover dressing, and saved this in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  5. Gently fold in the Grapes, Celery, Apple, and Cooked Lentils. Serve the salad in bowls as desired, and garnish with chopped Walnuts.
  6. Leftovers will store well in a sealed container for up to 7 days, though it is best to store the Salad greens and veggies separately.

Notes

* To soak the Cashews, cover them in water and let them sit for 6+ hours. For a quicker version, you can cover your nuts in boiling water and let sit for about 20ish minutes.

** If you are saving this salad for a later date, I would suggest adding all of the chopped fruits and veggies to the Kale, then storing this separately from the dressing and nuts. Fold the dressing into the Salad right before serving, then garnish with Walnuts.

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If you’re a salad-lovin’ gal (or guy) like me, you might also like my Greek Inspired Salad with Tofu Feta or my Beet Salad with Avocado Dijon Dressing!

Want to save this Vegan Kale Waldorf Salad for later? Share the love on Pinterest using this image:

Vegan Kale Waldorf Salad Lentils Cashew Dressing

 

 

About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

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Comments

  1. Love this recipe! I’ve made it every Thanksgiving since it was posted! Thanks so much! Happy Holidays!

  2. This is one of the only salads I’ve made multiple times and actually enjoy! The salty sweet combo is so good. This last time I made it, I used walnuts instead of cashews for the dressing and it worked pretty well! As long as you like the taste of walnuts it helps to save some money because cashews are freakin expensive

    1. Walnuts are a great sub! Cashews can indeed be a bit more expensive but that also depends on where your shopping and sometimes where you live. Walnuts are usually wayyy more accessible too.

  3. I left the lentils out and couldn’t get my dressing creamy because my blender wasn’t high powered BUT this was SO SO good!!

    I can’t wait to make it again!

  4. Did you mean to type “1/4 cup cooked green lentils”?, because it says “4 cup cooked green lentils” doesn’t seem quite right. Just wondering thank you! I’ll try this recipe! Looks great!

  5. Just prepped this for my lunch this week and haven’t even had, but I had a taste of the dressing…. aldbekskehwndldhwbba DAMN that is so realistic! I am excited to have this!

  6. 5 stars
    This salad is amazing and so easy! Love it especially for this season! Spot on! Thanks Caitlin!

  7. 5 stars
    I’ve made this twice already, for lunch yesterday and today 😀 and it’s converted me to love lentils!! I always buy them but never know how to eat them with something fresh, all I find are veggie burger or chili recipes with lentils. This salad, though, is off the chain, love all the veggies. Btw I added some dried cranberries for more sweetness and it works wonderfully and gives it more fall color! Also for the dressing I didn’t have any time for the cashews so I mixed 2 tbs of tahini with some garlic powder and hot water to thin it out and that was so delicious on this! Thanks for sharing!

    1. My new favorite lunch! The texture and flavor combination is so delicious and crave-able. This is probably the 10th FMB recipe I’ve made since I’ve been on maternity leave and each one becomes my new favorite! Thank you for keeping me nourished!

  8. 5 stars
    I was never a big fan of salads but I saw this on your channel and the sheer amount of lentils convinced me to make it yesterday. I used the exact same recipe but used a store-bought dressing. IT’S SOO GOOD Y’ALL. I’ve been converted!!!

  9. Hey! Is there any substitute for the dill pickle brine? Could I just throw a little vinegar in there with some dried dill to get a similar effect?

    1. Hi Melissa, I have not tested this with vinegar so I don’t think it will taste exactly the same or as realistic, but you could try with apple cider vinegar – I would only recommend 1 to 2 tsp though