Radicchio Salad with Miso Maple Dressing

Radicchio Salad with Miso Maple Dressing is a mouthwatering combination of vibrant vegetables, sweet persimmon, and roasted nuts tossed with a sweet and salty homemade vinaigrette. This fresh salad gets more satisfying with each crunchy forkful.

If you love the radicchio and persimmon flavor combination, you have to try my Persimmon Salad next.

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Radicchio salad is a beautiful balance of flavor and texture with sweet, (slightly) bitter, crunchy, and crispy qualities. The distinct taste of the radicchio is balanced by the warm, sweet, salty notes of the other ingredients.

It makes for a delicious contrast! And the presentation is stunning; this pink leafy vegetable is topped with fruit, nuts, and a tasty miso maple dressing made from scratch.

The inspiration of this dish comes from Crudo e Nudo. David and I went for lunch on New Year’s Day and had a similar salad and could not stop thinking about it. I made this version so you can have a bit of this goodness in the comfort of your home.

Why This Recipe Works

• Quick & Easy – This low-effort vegetarian meal comes together in just minutes.
• Unique – Step away from your typical green salad. Radicchio salad is bright, and flavorful with a delightful crunchy texture.
• Perfect Winter Salad – Salads aren’t just for the summertime! Beat the winter blues with this colorful salad full of in-season fruits and veggies. Two of the main ingredients (persimmons and pink radicchio) are in season during the fall and winter.

What is Radicchio?

Radicchio is an heirloom vegetable from Italy. The most common variety the chioggia, which has a reddish-purple color with a spicy, bitter quality. Although it is often mistaken for a type of cabbage or lettuce, radicchio is actually a type of chicory.

Chicory is an herbaceous plant in the dandelion family. Each type of chicory has a different flavor profile, texture, and color. This recipe uses pink radicchio, which is one of the least bitter radicchios.

What is Miso?

Miso is a Japanese fermented paste made of soybeans and koji (mold that’s also used to make sake and soy sauce), that work together to break down the structure of the beans and ferment over the course of weeks or years.

Although many associate miso with miso soup, its use far surpasses that of warm, slurpin’ goodness. Miso paste serves as a great marinade, a great addition to dressings, cookie dough, sauces, soups, and umami accompaniment to vegetables, seafood and meats, and personally, one of my most favored secret weapons in my pantry.

What Type of Miso Should You Use for this Recipe?

There are many types of miso, from light to dark in color, red, yellow, and white; the depth of color lending to its unique flavor. The flavor profile also varies; salty, sweet, earthy, pungent, and bold–each having a unique flavor and use in foods.

For this recipe, I used white miso as it’s great for using in light sauces, dressings, marinades, and especially great for making miso butter. The flavor profile of white miso is slightly sweet and nutty, which is ideal for this radicchio salad recipe. See here for the miso I used for this recipe, which can be found at most Japanese or Asian markets.

Tools You’ll Need

• Mortar and pestle
• Tongs

Ingredients You Will Need for Radicchio Salad

Maple Miso Dressing

• White miso paste – One of my favorite ingredients. This adds an umami flavor.
• Garlic cloves – Finely grated.
• Pure maple syrup – The sweetness balances the slight bitterness of the radicchio.
• Avocado oil – my preference of oil due to it’s nutritional properties but also because it’s a neutral oil, perfect for dressings and vinaigrettes.
• Rice vinegar – Added for acidity.
• Sesame oil – This adds a nutty, toasted quality to the salad dressing.
• Soy sauce – For a savory taste.
• Water – To slightly thin the dressing.

Radicchio Salad

• Pink radicchio – I used the rosa del veneto variety, roughly chopped
• Fuyu persimmon – This uniquely sweet fruit peaks between October and February. It is similar to apples in texture and taste and shaped like an apple. Dice it up into bite-sized chunks.
• Hazelnuts – Roasted, skins removed and lightly chopped.
• Toasted sesame seeds – Added for texture and lends this salad a unique flavor. Lightly ground.
• Dates – Chopped and used to balance the flavor of the radicchio.

How To Make Radicchio Salad

Bring these simple ingredients together in order to create an unforgettable meal.

1. Add all dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine. Then set aside.
2. Add radicchio, persimmon, dates, ½ hazelnuts, and ½ ground toasted sesame seeds, to a mixing bowl. Add dressing to your liking (personally, a generous amount of dressing works well for this salad).
3. Toss to combine using tongs then transfer to a salad bowl.
4. Finally, top with remaining hazelnuts and sprinkle remaining ground sesame seeds. Enjoy immediately.

Tips and Tricks

• Make the dressing ahead of time. This gives the flavors time to marry.
• Toast hazelnuts in the oven for 8 minutes at 350°F then set aside to cool, then work on the dressing while you wait.
• Make the dressing while the hazelnuts are roasting. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
• Remove hazelnut skin by placing on a kitchen towel, fold it over the top and gently move your hand in a circular motion. This will loosen skin from the hazelnuts.

Variations

• Can’t source pink radicchio? Use the castelfranco variety instead. It’s another mild-flavored radicchio.
• Want to add cheese to your radicchio salad? Goat cheese or feta would be tasty additions.
• Add a pop of green. A milder leafy green would complement radicchio. Toss in some spinach!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is fuyu persimmon skin edible?

Fuyu persimmon skin is edible. Skip the peeling step and simply dice and add to the salad.

When is a persimmon ripe?

Fuyu persimmons are great to eat when they are still firm, similar to an apple.

Can you eat raw radicchio?

Yes. This radicchio salad contains raw radicchio and is the preferred way to consume it for this recipe. You can grill or sauté other–more bitter–varieties of radicchio (think chioggia, treviso, and verona), which does mellow the flavor.

What are some ways to eat radicchio?

Radicchio is used in salads or cooked and added to everything from pasta dishes to stews.

Looking for More Salad Recipes

• Kale Pomegranate Salad
• Easy Caesar Salad Recipe
• Kale and White Bean Salad
• Grilled Corn Salad

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