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Waldorf Salad California Pizza Kitchen Copycat

Posted by: Kate / Chicken, Dinners, Salads / Posted: / Last updated:

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This Waldorf Salad is a California Pizza Kitchen copycat recipe. It is a hearty salad full of fruit, veggies, and flavor!

White plate with waldorf salad on a marble background.

When I go out to eat, I rarely order a salad. A couple years ago, though, a co-worker talked me into trying the waldorf salald from CPK, and I was totally hooked!

This salad is packed with delicious food – crisp apples, juicy grapes, tangy Gorgonzola cheese, and sweet walnuts – all in one fantastic salad.

The salad is topped with a deliciously tangy balsamic-Dijon dressing. And since you’re making it at home, you can easily customize it to your liking.

Waldorf salad ingredients on a marble background.

Ingredients and substitutions

Oil: You can use extra light olive oil or any other type of olive oil that you like.

Vinegar: This dressing does have a bit of a vinegar-y bite to it. Feel free to start with less vinegar and add in more to taste. 

Sugar: The dressing isn’t very sweet. If you like a sweeter dressing, feel free to add additional sugar to taste. 

Chicken: Poached or grilled chicken work well in this recipe. This salad is a great way to turn leftover chicken into a new meal. 

Apple: A good eating apple, like a Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, works well in this salad. There’s no need to peel the apple unless you prefer it peeled.

Salad: A salad green mix with baby lettuce, arugula, and frisee works well.

Walnuts: Plain (unglazed) walnuts can also be used. 

Gorgonzola: Blue cheese isn’t in the CPK salad, but it makes a good substitute for the gorgonzola. 

How to make

Photos of dressing in a glass measuring cup next to a plate of leaves topped with walnuts.

To make the dressing, whisk oil and vinegar together. Add remaining ingredients, and whisk until combined.

Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. To make the salad, gently toss chicken, grapes, apple, celery, and walnuts together.

Side by side photos of a waldorf salad on a white plate.

Toss in salad greens and dressing (or if you prefer, you can serve the chicken salad mixture over the greens and then drizzle the dressing over the top).

Sprinkle with Gorgonzola, and serve.

Fork holding a bite of waldorf salad.

How long will the salad keep?

The salad will keep, covered, in the fridge for 2-3 days. I recommend dressing the salad just before serving so that it doesn’t get soggy in the fridge.

Waldorf salad on white plate with a silver fork in it.

More salad recipes!

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Waldorf Salad California Pizza Kitchen Copycat

Copycat CPK Waldorf Salad Recipe
Author:I Heart Eating
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings:4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: CPK copycat, CPK copycat waldorf salad, waldorf salad
Waldorf salad on a white plate on a marble background
Print Rate Pin
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 2/3-1 cup olive oil (depending on how vinegary you want the dressing to be)
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad

  • 3 cups chopped cooked chicken (chilled)
  • 1 cup diced apple
  • 2/3 cup seedless red grapes (quartered)
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 6-7 cups mixed salad greens
  • 1/3 cup glazed walnuts
  • 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Instructions

  • To make the dressing, whisk oil and vinegar together.
  • Add remaining ingredients, and whisk until combined.
  • Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • To make the salad, gently toss chicken, grapes, apple, celery, and walnuts together.
  • Toss in salad greens and dressing (or if you prefer, you can serve the chicken salad mixture over the greens and then drizzle the dressing over the top).
  • Sprinkle with Gorgonzola, and serve.

Video

Notes

  • Oil: You can use extra light olive oil or any other type of olive oil that you like.
  • Vinegar: This dressing does have a bit of a vinegar-y bite to it. Feel free to start with less vinegar and add in more to taste. 
  • Sugar: The dressing isn’t very sweet. If you like a sweeter dressing, feel free to add additional sugar to taste. 
  • Chicken: Poached or grilled chicken work well in this recipe. This salad is a great way to turn leftover chicken into a new meal. 
  • Apple: A good eating apple, like a Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, works well in this salad. There’s no need to peel the apple unless you prefer it peeled.
  • Salad: A salad green mix with baby lettuce, arugula, and frisee works well.
  • Walnuts: Plain (unglazed) walnuts can also be used. 
  • Gorgonzola: Blue cheese isn’t in the CPK salad, but it makes a good substitute for the gorgonzola.
  • Nutrition values are estimates. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1servingCalories: 722kcal (36%)Carbohydrates: 19g (6%)Protein: 29g (58%)Fat: 58g (89%)Saturated Fat: 10g (50%)Cholesterol: 85mg (28%)Sodium: 440mg (18%)Potassium: 546mg (16%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 13g (14%)Vitamin A: 915IU (18%)Vitamin C: 16.7mg (20%)Calcium: 88mg (9%)Iron: 2.6mg (14%)
Did you make this recipe?Tag @i_heart_eating on Instagram and hashtag it #ihearteating.

Originally published 5/20/13. Updated with new photos, tips, and video 5/7/21.

dressing adapted from food.com

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  1. Rae Ann says

    Started making this then realized I don’t have the garlic clove. Do you think garlic salt or garlic powder or garlic granules would work instead? The garlic granules bottle reads 1/8 teaspoon = 1 whole clove. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Definitely our favorite CPK salad.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      I think that you could use either garlic powder or garlic granules. I would tend to shy away from garlic salt just because of the extra salt in it. Hope that helps! =)

      Reply

  2. Gale Abernathy says

    Next time, try the Thai Crunch Salad!!!! I’ll be eating the third meal of mine bought yesterday!!!!!

    Reply

  4. Susan says

    I love this salad and can’t wait to bring it next time to a BBQ or other outing! Thank you very much for sharing. I had made vegan gorgonzola for a pear/walnut salad, which was great but I wanted to try something new when I ran out of pear but still had gorgonzola and all the other ingredients left and so happy I found this recipe. I further veganized it with MorningStar Chick-N Strips. Even before I became vegan, I never liked gorgonzola and blue cheese (the mold was too strong for me), but I love my vegan version. Has similar taste but much less pungent.

    Reply

  5. Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat says

    Waldorf salad is probably my favorite salad to order anywhere so I am definitely a big fan of this recipe.

    Reply

    • kateheartseating says

      Yes, they’re available pre-packaged. My favorite brand is Blue Diamond, and I’ve found their glazed walnuts at the grocery store and at Sam’s Club. I’ve found other brands in the produce section at the grocery store, too, but I’ve found them to be more hit or miss as far as their taste (and they were more expensive, too). I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions!

      Reply

  8. Anyonita says

    Mmm, I love Waldorf Salad and your looks amazing! :) Thank you so much for linking up with me this week at Tasty Tuesdays! I’ve pinned this & shared it with my followers! Please be sure to stop back by tomorrow & link up your best “man food” recipes in honor of Father’s Day!

    Reply

  11. Julie @ This Gal Cooks says

    Great salad! I’m not a fan of Gorgonzola cheese but that is easily replaceable! I love the homemade dressing! Pinned!

    Reply

    • kateheartseating says

      Thanks! It is. Blue cheese would work really well, but you could just leave it out, too. Thanks for pinning and for stopping by!! =)

      Reply

  12. Jenna says

    Yum, thank you! I love this kind of salad and the dressing sounds perfect, a wonderful summer meal!

    Reply

  15. Krista @ joyfulhealthyeats says

    Kate, this salad looks amazing! I love all the different textures in it. Not sure if you saw, but I featured it in a Summer Salad Recipe Roundup today! :) Congrats!

    Reply

    • kateheartseating says

      Thanks so much!! You had a bunch of great-looking salads in your roundup! I pinned it so I can make them later. =)

      Reply

    • C. Cubby says

      Delicious! Recipe made double the amount of dressing needed for listed ingredients, easy enough to save in a jar for another “batch” soon. Also, I glazed the walnuts rather than run back to the store. It was lovely. On an outdoor buffet table!

      Reply
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