Radicchio and Escarole Salad with Raspberry Dressing

Name: Radicchio and Escarole Salad with Raspberry Dressing
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup raspberries; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 small head radicchio (chopped); 1 small head escarole (cut into 1-inch pieces); 1 fennel (thinly sliced); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup pitted mixed olives (coarsely chopped); 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds; 3/4 cup raspberries

Radicchio and escarole are two of my favorite lettuces, and they're very common in Italy. Because they have a slight bitter taste to them, I always like pairing these lettuces with bold flavors - especially sweet ones! In this case, I tossed the greens with chopped olives for that salty and briney addition, along with raspberries for a great sweet note. The raspberry dressing is really fun because it's a great pink color, and with mustard and vinegar, it has a bright taste that brings the whole salad together. This is a great choice to serve alongside any protein for a spring dinner!

Servings

Prep Time

15 minutes

Image of Radicchio and Escarole Salad with Raspberry Dressing

Ingredients

For The Dressing:

1 cup raspberries
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For The Salad:

1 small head radicchio (chopped)
1 small head escarole (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 fennel (thinly sliced)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup pitted mixed olives (coarsely chopped)
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds
3/4 cup raspberries

Instructions

This recipe originated on an episode of Giada Entertains. Episode: Earth Day Party.
For the dressing: To the pitcher of a high-speed blender add the raspberries, olive oil, Dijon mustard, vinegar and salt. Puree on high for about 1 minute, scraping down the sides halfway through, until emulsified. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together the radicchio, escarole, fennel and salt. Begin by adding half the dressing and tossing well to coat. Taste the salad to determine if it needs more dressing. Depending on the size of your lettuces it may take all the dressing. Divide the salad among 4 salad bowls and top evenly with the olives, sesame seeds and raspberries.