This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
This endive salad recipe is a mix of refreshing, tangy and sweet! Combine this bitter green with orange, Parmesan and red wine vinaigrette.
Need a great winter salad? Try this endive salad: equal parts refreshing, tangy, bitter, crunchy, and tangy! Bitter endive pairs perfectly with juicy orange and a sweet tart red wine vinaigrette.
Top it off with savory Parmesan shavings and crunchy almonds, and the contrasts are divine. Each bite is crunchy, sweet, savory and citrusy. As two cookbook authors and expert cooks, this is one of our top unique salad recipes to pair with dishes like chicken, fish, pasta, and more!
Ingredients in endive salad
This endive salad features the famous flavor pairing of endive and orange, which really do go hand in hand. The bitter crunch of endive against the juicy burst of citrus is truly special. Here’s what you’ll need for this salad:
- Belgian endive
- Radicchio (thinly sliced, for color; or purple endive if you can find it)
- Oranges
- Sliced almonds
- Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
- Red Wine Vinaigrette
Radicchio is another bitter green; it’s flavor is much more intensely bitter than the endive. We like it here for color, so we’ve used only a bit chopped up. If you can find purple endive you could use that instead, or even another purple vegetable like red cabbage or red onion.
What is endive, anyway?
Endive (or Belgian endive) is a leafy vegetable that has a small white head and leaves with yellow green tips. The flavor is crisp with a bitter finish. Endive is often used in salads, but the cup shape of the leaves make them ideal for serving appetizers, like endive with smoked trout. It can also be braised, sautéed and roasted. Read more at our Guide to Endive.
For the red wine vinaigrette
This endive salad pairs brilliantly with a homemade red wine vinaigrette: it’s got just the right sweet tart, zingy flavor to match the citrus and contrast the bitterness of the endive. It uses simple ingredients you’ll likely already have on hand in your pantry and fridge. Head to the Red Wine Vinaigrette recipe for specific instructions!
- Red wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Maple syrup or honey
- Garlic powder
- Neutral oil or olive oil
Other salad dressings that pair well
There are lots of other dressings that would work with this endive salad. Here are a few homemade salad dressings that would pair well if you want to think outside the box:
- Orange Vinaigrette Salad Dressing would be ideal (you can skip the zest in the salad)
- Poppy Seed Dressing is sweet and zingy
- Green Goddess Dressing works as a creamy option
- Creamy Balsamic Dressing would add a zingy flair
Dietary notes
This endive salad recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, omit the cheese.
Endive Salad with Parmesan & Orange
This endive salad recipe is a mix of refreshing, tangy and sweet! Combine this bitter green with orange, Parmesan and red wine vinaigrette.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Salad
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 heads Belgian endive
- ½ cup thinly sliced radicchio
- 2 oranges, plus zest
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
- Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, shaved
- ¼ cup Red Wine Vinaigrette
Instructions
- Cut off the bottom 1/2-inch of the endives. Cut the leaves in half lengthwise, leaving most of the smaller leaves whole. Rinse the leaves and blot them dry with a towel or place in a salad spinner to dry.
- Zest one orange. Then cut both of the oranges into segments (or simply remove the pieces).
- Make the Red Wine Vinaigrette.
- Place the endive leaves on a large plate or platter, or on individual plates. Top with the sliced radicchio, orange zest and slices, sliced almonds and shavings of Pecorino or Parmesan cheese. Top with the red wine vinaigrette (taste and add more if necessary).
More salad recipes
This endive salad is elegant and works well in winter, when citrus and bitter greens abound. But you can make it any time of the year! Here are a few more stunning salad recipes:
- Mix up beautifully bright pear salad or simple goat cheese salad.
- Go for elegant fennel orange salad or fennel salad.
- Go for grain salads like quinoa salad or farro salad.
- Try impressive butternut squash salad, frisee salad or watercress salad.
- Opt for lunchtime salads like vegetable salad or white bean salad.
Found this when I was looking up salad recipes for endives and have made it twice. It’s simple and delicious!
Let us know if you have any questions!