This roasted strawberry and jicama Waldorf salad is a fresh take on the classic. Crisp romaine, celery, and jicama replace the traditional fruit-heavy base, while roasted strawberries add gentle sweetness and surprising depth of flavor. Tossed with a creamy dressing made with yogurt, avocado mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and extra virgin olive oil, it’s a satisfying gluten-free salad that works equally well as a light lunch, side dish, or elegant starter.
A Twist on the Classic Waldorf Salad
The classic Waldorf salad has been around for well over a century, traditionally combining apples, celery, grapes, walnuts, and a creamy mayonnaise dressing. It remains popular because it brings together so many satisfying textures: crisp vegetables, juicy fruit, crunchy nuts, and a rich, tangy dressing.
This version keeps the spirit of the original while giving it a seasonal twist. Instead of apples and grapes, I use crisp jicama and roasted strawberries. Jicama provides the same refreshing crunch as apple without dominating the salad with sweetness, while roasting the strawberries concentrates their flavor and creates little bursts of juicy sweetness throughout the salad.
The dressing stays true to the classic creamy profile, but I lighten it with sheep or goat yogurt and balance it with Dijon mustard and a little extra virgin olive oil. The result is a salad that’s fresh, satisfying, and substantial enough to enjoy as a meal.
It’s All About the Texture
One detail that makes this salad especially enjoyable is the way the vegetables are cut (a method inspired by the one and only Jamie Oliver 😊 ). Using a mix of finely sliced vegetables and thin julienne strips creates layers of texture that make every bite different.
I like to slice the tender hearts of both the celery and the romaine lettuce into fine matchsticks, while chopping the remaining leaves and celery more traditionally. The jicama is also cut into thin julienne strips, adding even more crunch.
This extra step isn’t essential, but it transforms a simple salad into something much more interesting. If you prefer, simply cut everything however you enjoy most — the flavors will still be delicious.
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Roasted Strawberry and Jicama Waldorf Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Description
A fresh, crunchy Waldorf-inspired salad featuring roasted strawberries, crisp jicama, celery, toasted walnuts, and a creamy yogurt dressing. Perfect as an elegant side salad.
Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 1 head of celery, with the outer ribs removed (save them for another recipe)
- 1/2 small jicama, peeled
- 1 bunch fresh tarragon
- 4–5 large organic strawberries
- 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
- 2 ounces (55 grams) of sheep or goat yogurt
- 2 tablespoons avocado mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cut the strawberries into large chunks and spread them on a baking tray. Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil, season with a pinch of salt, and roast for about 10 minutes, until softened but still holding their shape.
- Toast the walnuts until fragrant, either in the oven alongside the strawberries or in a dry skillet. Watch them carefully, as they brown quickly.
- While the strawberries roast, prepare the vegetables. Slice the tender celery heart into fine julienne strips and finely slice the remaining celery ribs.
- Slice the heart of the romaine lettuce into thin matchsticks, then chop the remaining leaves into bite-sized pieces.
- Peel the jicama and cut it into fine julienne strips.
- Finely chop the fresh tarragon.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, avocado mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add the olive oil gradually and adjust the consistency to your preference.
- Add the lettuce, celery, jicama, and tarragon to the bowl and toss until evenly coated with the dressing.
- Gently fold in the roasted strawberries, along with any juices from the baking tray, and finish with the toasted walnuts.
- Serve immediately as an appetizer or side dish.
Notes
Roasting the strawberries intensifies their sweetness and adds a subtle jammy flavor that contrasts beautifully with the crisp vegetables.
Toasting the walnuts enhances both their flavor and crunch.
The outer celery ribs are perfect for soups or homemade vegetable stock, so nothing goes to waste.
This salad is best enjoyed freshly assembled, while the vegetables remain crisp.
2 Comments
Kirstin Lasto
August 19, 2018 at 5:36 pmPictures for this salad are from another recipe! Just letting you know.
Claudia
August 21, 2018 at 4:35 pmThank you so much! I’ve migrated the website to a new host and I still find weird things every now and then. It’s fixed now, appreciate it <3