Every Thanksgiving spread needs a light, bright, acidic, crunchy salad to balance out all the rich and mushy foods! This simple, festive radicchio salad has it all – it’s crunchy, sweet, salty, bitter, nutty and makes for a beautiful Thanksgiving presentation. Deep red radicchio, bright green arugula, and seasonal apples get tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette and topped with salty, nutty Parmesan and crunchy nuts.
Bonus! Bitter, peppery lettuces like radicchio and arugula help to stimulate digestion – something we could all benefit from before a big feast!
Ingredient Highlight
Radicchio! This beautiful chicory hails from Italy and has a distinct bitterness that is a great addition to salads and is also delicious roasted/grilled. Radicchio is rich in vitamin K, which is important for bone health and helps you absorb calcium better. It’s also a great source of both lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants important for eye health. One more thing! Bitter greens like arugula and radicchio help to stimulate digestion, making it a great way to start a meal.
Pro tip: soak your radicchio leaves in ice water for at least 10 minutes to remove some of the bitterness. Dry in a salad spinner before dressing.
Servings 6 People
Prep Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- 1 small head radicchio, core removed, chopped (about 4-5 cups)
- 3 cups loosely packed arugula
- 1 large or 2 small apples, cored, thinly sliced
- 1 cup shaved parmesan**
- ½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Black pepper
- *Can’t find radicchio? No problem, you could substitute with more arugula, kale (massage it in the dressing!), and/or add in some thinly sliced red cabbage for color.
- **This salad would also be delicious with crumbled goat cheese or feta.
- Pro tip: ~ I love serving salads like these on a big platter so that the cheese and nuts on top don’t get lost in the bottom and everyone gets the perfect bite!
Instructions
- In a jar with a lid, add the olive oil, balsamic, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and salt and shake vigorously to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl or salad bowl (preferably a wide shallow bowl), add radicchio, arugula, and apples. Toss with ¾ of the dressing. Add more dressing, to taste.
- Transfer the salad to a big platter (or keep it in your salad bowl), and top with the parmesan, walnuts, and black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 4-5 cups radicchio
- Make dressing
- Toast ½ cup walnuts
- Shave 1 cup parmesan
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, skip the cheese and top with green olives.
- Can’t find radicchio? Substitute with more arugula, kale (massage it in the dressing!), and/or add in some thinly sliced red cabbage for color.
- Nut allergy? Top with some crunchy seeds instead.
- Sub crumbled goat cheese, blue cheese, or gorgonzola for the Parmesan.
- Use a crisp pear in place of apple.
Storage:
- Store leftover salad in the fridge for up to 2 days (recommend eating it fresh).
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- This salad doesn’t keep very well because of the arugula (tends to get soft), so try to eat it all or just dress the amount you think you’ll eat.
- If you do have leftovers, enjoy them straight out of the fridge. Top with some more cheese and nuts if you’d like.
- If you have leftover meatballs, chop them up and add to the salad.
