Description
A vibrant and flavorful Blue Cheese, Walnut, and Chicory Salad featuring toasted walnuts, crisp radicchio and Belgian endive, all tossed in a tangy Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar dressing. Perfect as a refreshing appetizer or light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 head radicchio
- 4 heads Belgian endive
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Toast Walnuts: Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes until they become fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Prepare Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously until the dressing emulsifies and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Prep the Greens: Remove any wilted outer leaves from the radicchio and Belgian endives. Cut the radicchio in half, remove the core, and chop into 1-inch pieces. Trim the root ends of the endives; separate some whole leaves to use as garnish and chop the remaining into ½-inch pieces.
- Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, combine the chopped radicchio and endive. Add half of the toasted walnuts and half of the crumbled blue cheese. Pour the prepared dressing over the mixture and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Plate and Garnish: Arrange the reserved whole endive leaves on a serving platter. Pile the dressed salad mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining walnuts and blue cheese. Serve immediately for optimal freshness and flavor.
Notes
- Toasting walnuts enhances their flavor and crunch—be careful not to burn them.
- Use good quality balsamic and rice vinegar for the best taste.
- Serve immediately after assembling to prevent the greens from wilting.
- You can swap blue cheese for another strong-flavored cheese if preferred.
- This salad pairs well with a crisp white wine or light red.
