Crisp apples add sweetness to this simple yet elegant Italian salad.

Bitter greens have grown on me over the years. I didn’t enjoy them until fairly recently, and now I really enjoy serving them as a salad course for dinner parties.

Take endive, for example. It’s pretty bitter on its own, but paired with sweet/tart apples, a quick vinaigrette and crunchy toasted walnuts, it’s elevated to something absolutely delicious!

Leave it to Lidia Bastianich to reel me in with this gorgeous, rustic Italian starter. I served it at a dinner party a while back, and it was a big hit all around.

It’s the perfect addition to any meal that needs a crunchy component. The dressing was simple and very tasty, too, and would be great on a variety of salads.

The example image of this dish showed red apples, but I kind of liked how this looked with the green Granny Smiths.

This salad held up well in the refrigerator over night and was great for lunch the next day, too!

Belgian Endive and Walnut Salad (Insalata Belga e Noci)

Yield: 6 Servings 1x

Description

Crisp apples add sweetness to this simple yet elegant Italian salad.

Scale

Ingredients

3 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 heads Belgian endive, trimmed, cut on the bias into 1-inch-thick slices
2 apples, skin on, cored, sliced into thin half-moons
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted and chopped

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and salt, and season with black pepper. Whisk in the olive oil in a steady stream to make a smooth, emulsified dressing.
Toss the endive, apples, and walnuts together in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with the dressing, toss well, and serve immediately.