Toasted walnuts and slices of crisp apples are paired with bitter endive in this light, lemony and refreshing Belgian endive salad.
As much as I love a cozy casserole or a soothing soup during the colder months, there comes a point when I just need some crunch. Something crisp and refreshing with a bit more liveliness than the cold weather staples we all come to depend on. That’s when this Belgian endive salad comes into play. It’s a real crunch fest, loaded with palate pleasing tastes and textures to wake up those tired taste buds.
Endives and apples are sliced thin and tossed with fresh herbs and toasted walnuts in a simple lemon vinaigrette for a light and refreshing winter salad.
What is endive?
Endive belongs to the chicory family which also includes radicchio. You can find Belgian endives in most supermarkets year-round. It comes in small heads and its tightly packed leaves are pale white with yellow tips.
Belgian endive has a more pronounced bitter flavor than most lettuce which makes it perfect for pairing with sweeter ingredients; in this case apples. The bitter flavor and crisp texture of endive pairs particularly well with crisp but sweet-tart apples.
How to make a Belgian endive salad:
This endive salad is easy to throw together.
- First you’ll make a simple lemon vinaigrette with both fresh lemon juice and lemon zest along with yogurt for creaminess (I use dairy-free to keep the salad vegan but regular yogurt is fine as well) and olive oil (or toasted walnut oil if you have it).
- Next you’ll finely chop some parsley and chives, and then thinly slice your apples and endives.
- Everything gets gently tossed together to combine then topped with toasted walnuts before serving.
It’s a light but satisfying salad filled with lively layers of bitter, sweet, tart and toasty flavors. So whether you’re looking for a little lightness and crunch in your wintertime meals or just want to change up your usual salad greens I think you’re in for a delicious discovery!
More salad recipes:
Belgian Endive Salad
Toasted walnuts and slices of crisp apples are paired with bitter endive in this light, lemony and refreshing Belgian endive salad.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup/30g coarsely chopped walnuts
- 3 Belgian endive heads
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml olive oil (or use 1 Tablespoon olive oil and 1 Tablespoon toasted walnut oil)
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml plain non-dairy yogurt
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- ⅛th teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 large apple (I used Fuji)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped chives
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts in a 350F degree oven for 3-5 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven
and let cool. - Pull the leaves from the endive heads, cutting at the base as needed to remove them. Rinse, dry well and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, yogurt, salt and pepper, set aside.
- Cut the apple into quarters, then slice the quarters very thinly. Add the apple wedges, endive leaves and to the dressing and toss together. Add the fresh parsley, chives and toasted walnuts and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 212Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 297mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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