Belgian endive salad with apples and goat cheese

Easy 15-Minute Belgian Endive Salad recipe! Loaded with crisp apples, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy walnuts with a zesty lemon vinaigrette.

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Hi, Rhubarbarians! If you're tried of the same old salad routine, you have to try this easy Belgian endive salad. It's crunchy, it's creamy, it's fresh and vibrant and just so so perfect for fall and winter.

Crunchy Belgian endives, sweet apple slices, tangy goat cheese crumbles, and nutty walnuts, all tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette. Top with some fresh parsley and you've made a fabulous winter salad in just 15 minutes! Take the perfect bite (with a bit of everything on that fork), and you'll want to make this salad all winter long.

Check out our favorite vegetarian winter salads to try this season!

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this
• When is endive season?
• Ingredients and equipment
• Step by step instructions
• Serving suggestions
• Recipe tips and substitutions
• Storing
• FAQs
• Recipe
• Comments and reviews

Why you'll love this

There's a lot to love about this endive salad recipe! Let's get into it:

• Crunchy and creamy: The crispiness of Belgian endive perfectly complements the creamy texture of goat cheese.
• Bold flavor: The sweet notes from fresh apple slices, the tanginess of goat cheese, and the nutty crunch of walnuts create bold flavors in a simple salad.
• Quick and easy: With just 15 minutes of your time, you can whip up this impressive salad that's perfect for a speedy lunch or a side that steals the show at dinner.
• Versatility: Toss in some chickpeas or your favorite protein to turn it into a satisfying main course or swap the nuts/cheese for your favorites. You do you!
• Stays fresh: The Belgian endive in this salad holds its shape and stays crisp even with a generous amount of dressing. Perfect for making ahead and impressing your guests without the last-minute rush.

When is endive season?

Belgian endive is a type of chicory that grows in small heads, about 6" tall. It is a cold weather crop and is in season in the winter months here in the United States.

Ingredients and equipment

Here is everything you need to make this salad perfect at home! Full ingredient amounts with instructions are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.

Ingredients:

• Belgian endive: you'll need 4 heads for this salad.
• Apples: choose a crunchy variety like honey crisp or fuji.
• Walnuts: raw or toasted.
• Goat cheese: crumbled.
• White wine vinegar.
• Extra virgin olive oil.
• Lemon juice: fresh lemon juice.
• Shallot.
• Salt and pepper.
• Fresh parsley.

Equipment:

• Sharp knife and cutting board: for chopping the ingredients.
• Measuring cups: for measuring salad ingredients.
• Large salad bowl: for tossing the salad together. I really like this wooden salad bowl set.
• Tossing utensils: for tossing the salad together.
• Measuring spoons: for measuring dressing ingredients.
• Small bowl or jar: for whisking the dressing together. I love using small mason jars with lids and shaking the dressing!
• Small whisk or fork: for whisking the dressing together.
• Serving plates, forks, and knives: for serving the salad.

Step by step instructions

Here is a step by step guide to making a Belgian endive salad. Full instructions with ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.

• Start by prepping your Belgian endive. Remove the outer leaves that are floppy or damaged and slice off the bottom ½" of the head. Quarter the endive lengthwise.
• Place the endive, apple slices, walnuts, and goat cheese in a large salad bowl.
• Whisk together the dressing ingredients and then pour over the salad.
• Toss to coat.
• Season to your liking with salt and pepper.
• Serve with fresh parsley leaves.

Serving suggestions

I like to serve this as a side dish or appetizer with a knife and fork! The crisp endive and apples are quite large, so a knife is necessary. Serve alongside butternut squash soup, cheese tortellini with onion sauce, or homemade pesto pizza.

To make it an entree salad, add protein like lemon sauteed chickpeas or crispy tofu cubes.

Recipe tips and substitutions

• Rather than quarter the endives, feel free to peel the leaves off for more of a leafy salad.
• Choose a crunchy variety of apple like honey crisp or fuji.
• The apples will turn brown once sliced. To prevent this, you can brush the slices with a bit of lemon juice.
• Swap the walnuts for almonds or pepitas if you'd like.
• Swap the goat cheese for feta, blue cheese or cheddar.
• Although endive stays crunchy while dressed, it's best to dress the salad right before serving.
• Add a protein of your choice to make this an entree salad.

Storing

• Keep the salad refrigerated: To keep your Belgian endive salad as fresh as possible, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This prevents moisture and helps maintain the crispness of the ingredients.
• Dress before serving: If you have any leftover dressing or if you're making the salad ahead of time, store the dressing separately. This ensures that the endive and other salad components remain crunchy, and you can simply toss it right before serving.
• Prevent browning: Because this salad includes sliced apples, prevent browning by either dipping them in lemon juice before adding to the salad or slicing them just before serving.
• Avoid freezing: Due to the high water content in vegetables like endive, freezing is not recommended. Freezing can alter the texture and result in a mushy salad upon thawing.

How long will this Belgian endive salad stay fresh? While the salad holds up well, it's best enjoyed within 24 hours for optimal freshness. The longer it sits, the softer the endive may become, though the flavors will still be delicious.

FAQs

Have a question? You may find the answer here! If not, leave your question in the comment section at the bottom of article and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Did you make this recipe? Leave us a review and star rating in the comments below! We read every single review and appreciate your feedback.

Recipe

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