25 Crisp and Colorful Radicchio Recipes to Delight Your Palate
A leafy vegetable that belongs to the chicory family, radicchio is characterized by its vibrant burgundy-red or purple leaves, a slightly bitter taste, and its crisp and crunchy texture. Originally hailing from Italy, radicchio is widely used in Mediterranean cuisine and is known for adding color and flavor to salads, as well as being a versatile ingredient in various cooked dishes.
It can be enjoyed raw in salads, where its bitterness adds a pleasant contrast to milder ingredients. But it can also be grilled, roasted, or sautéed, which helps to mellow its bitterness and bring out its natural sweetness.
There are different varieties of radicchio, each with its own characteristics. Some popular types include the round-shaped Chioggia radicchio, the elongated Treviso radicchio, and the more delicate Castelfranco radicchio, which has milder bitterness and a creamy white and pink speckled appearance.
Radicchio is not only valued for its unique taste and texture but also for its nutritional benefits. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, making it a healthy addition to a balanced diet. Check out our roundup of recipes where radicchio is the star.
1. Radicchio Salad with Blue Cheese, Honeyed Walnuts and Cabernet
The sweet and bitter tastes in this salad, tied together by a simple dressing of Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil, work perfectly together.
The blue cheese give it plenty of flavor – you can serve it on its own, with a nice piece of crusty bread, or next to your favorite meat.
2. Radicchio and Arugula Salad with Dried Figs, Walnuts and Pecorino
A simple salad with few ingredients, but those ingredients are well chosen and work together in perfect harmony. It goes with everything, from meat to a slice of pizza, or even next to a tasty sandwich.
3. Beet, Fennel, and Radicchio Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts
The beets add an earthy tone to this salad that features radicchio, creamy feta, and crunchy pine nuts. You can bulk it up with whole grains, meat, or any other ingredients you might crave.
4. Pear, Radicchio, Fennel, Walnut and Goat’s Cheese Salad
The creamy goat’s cheese and the sweet pears are a nice contrast with the crunchy, slightly bitter radicchio in this salad. Fennel brings its distinctive flavor as well.
5. Radicchio, Fennel, Pear and Blue Cheese Salad
The varied flavors and textures in this salad are brought together by a delicious red wine vinegar, honey, mustard and olive oil dressing. Its refined taste makes this salad hard to forget.
6. Radicchio Salad with Blue Cheese and Honey Cinnamon Walnuts
Mixing oil, honey, cinnamon and walnuts in a saucepan over medium heat, results in an amazing ingredient for your salad: sweet, fragrant, and crunchy walnuts. It contrasts beautifully with the radicchio and the blue cheese.
7. Radicchio, Chestnut and Blue Cheese Salad
Sweet chestnuts are not a common ingredients in salads, but they work perfectly in this one – alongside a sharp cheese such as gorgonzola or stilton. The citrus-y dressing brings out all the flavors in the salad.
8. Red Endive and Pink Radicchio Salad
Plenty of textures and flavors make up this interesting salad: the red endive and radicchio are paired with dates, pears, candied walnuts, and a vinaigrette based on citrus fruits.
9. Quinoa, Fennel, Pomegranate and Radicchio Salad
The quinoa makes this salad very filling – and its nutty flavor goes very well with the bitter undertones from the radicchio. With bursts of juice and sweet tartness from the pomegranate, it’s a truly unique combo.
10. Frisee, Radicchio and Escarole Salad with Citrus Dressing
This bitter lettuce salad is great next to a rich, hearty main course such as lamb, duck, or beef. The zesty dressing is just what it needs to cut some of the bitterness.
11. Radicchio Endive Fennel Salad with Tangy Dijon Herb Dressing
Refreshing and light, this salad benefits from a creative dressing that contains tarragon, a very underused herb. Serve it next to some steamed fish or other lean protein for a healthy lunch or dinner.
12. Squash and Radicchio Salad With Pecans
The baked squash makes this salad very satisfying, while the contrast between the radicchio and the Asian Pear will delight your taste buds. The pecan-based dressing is another nice touch.
13. Sweet Potato Radicchio Salad with Roasted Shallot Dressing and Candied Pumpkin Seeds
This salad makes a pretty filling lunch, particularly if you pair it with your favorite protein. The candied pumpkin seeds add both taste and texture to it.
14. Radicchio Salad with Raspberries, Radishes, Prosciutto, and Raspberry Champagne Vinaigrette
This very festive, spectacular salad is perfect for special occasions, when you truly want to impress your guests. It makes a great appetizer next to some delicious focaccia.
15. Radicchio Salad with Sliced Apple, Rocket, Pecorino and Pine Nuts
Every ingredient of this salad works amazingly with all the others: sweet, salty, bitter, nutty and crunchy, you’ll get all of that in every bite. The fresh dill is a surprising, interesting touch.
16. Radicchio Salad with Cashew Ricotta Dressing
Roasted red beets, crunchy radicchio, candied walnuts and a creamy cashew-based dressing work their magic and you’ll end up with a fresh, sweet and savory salad that you can eat as is, or next to your favorite protein.
17. Merguez Marinated Lamb Skewers with Lentil and Charred Radicchio Salad Recipe
Grilled lamb skewers and a very filling lentil salad made with charred radicchio are the main ingredients of this flavorful dish. The hazelnuts and the pomegranate seeds round up the flavor profile of the recipe.
18. Pan-Grilled Radicchio with Olive-Caper Salsa
Grilling radicchio brings out its hidden sweetness, but you still get the interesting, bitter undertones. The salty olive-caper salsa adds plenty of umami flavor to the salad.
19. Grilled Treviso Radicchio Salad with Ricotta Salata, Pistachios, and Hot Honey
The hot honey balances out the bitterness in the radicchio, and grilling it adds another flavor dimension. Add some of the creamy dressing made with Greek yogurt and enjoy.
20. Grilled Radicchio Salad with Pork and Persimmons
Pork and sweet persimmons compliment each other, and the grilled radicchio turns the entire dish into a refined affair. Serve with brown rice and some blue cheese for extra flavor.
21. Red Winter Kale Salad
This red and green salad is not only festive, it is also very delicious. The pomegranate makes it pop – this salad is even better if you leave it in the fridge overnight.
22. Tricolore Salad with Oranges
This colorful salad, inspired by the colors of the Italian flag, is packed with healthy vitamins and micro nutrients. The marinated shallots, as well as the champagne vinegar dressing, take it to the next level.
23. Radicchio Salad Recipe
There’s plenty of taste and texture in this recipe, from the fennel bulb to the juicy orange pieces, the delicious roasted sweet potatoes, and the crunchy radicchio. The honey and olive oil dressing works wonders for this dish.
24. Winter Kale Salad with Radicchio and Roasted Beets
The warm flavors in this salad make it perfect for winter – but you can definitely enjoy it year round. The creamy goat’s cheese and the walnuts make it delicious and very filling.
25. Radicchio and Blue Cheese Bread Salad
A veritable lunch or dinner on its own, this salad bets on the strong blue cheese flavor, salty pancetta, plenty of crispy bread cubes, and crunchy radicchio. A little bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar is all that’s needed to dress it.
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