Curly Endive Salad with Celery, Apple and Candied Pecans

Recipe Pin
20 minutes
4 servings as a side

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Curley Endive creates the base of leafy greens in this refreshing winter salad, boasting crisp apple slices and sweet, crunchy pecans.

Allow me to introduce a salad green that deserves a shot in weekly salad rotations in your kitchen starting with this recipe. Crunchy celery, apples, and candied pecans pair perfectly with the curly leaves of curly endive, a bitter green known for its ability to stand up in a salad.

Curly Endive Salad may not have quite the same ring as say a Ceasar salad, but is so darn tasty and fast to assemble, I think I will have you convinced from that first bite. Dress with this easy vinaigrette or your dressing of choice and you’ve crunchy, hydrating, and damn delish.

pecans and celery and apple slices on curly endive, with vinaigrette
All images and text ©Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average, LLC

Ingredients for A Curly Endive Salad

  • curly endive also known as Frisée
  • celery ribs with leaves
  • a large, red apple
  • a small lemon
  • candied pecans

optional for serving

  • vinaigrette or dressing
  • crumbled, cooked bacon strips
  • parmesan shavings
  • Roquefort crumbles
a salad with curly endive and apple slices on a white platter

How to Make This Curly Endive Salad

Wash and Prep the Endive

To prep a head of curly endive (or any leafy vegetable for use in a green salad) in advance, remove any bruised outer leaves and discard. Wash the inner leaves and lay on paper towels to dry.

Tear the leaves by hand into a small bowl with or without the ribs. Squeeze some lemon juice over the leaves and use a wooden spoon to toss to coat. The lemon juice will prevent the torn edges from browning.

Wait 5 minutes before rinsing under cold water. Use additional layers of paper towels to dry or a salad spinner to reduce the total time drying the leaves. Place into a DRY bowl, cover with plastic film, and use within three hours.

ProTip: to ensure the leaves remain crisp and crunchy, be sure to dry them thoroughly after washing. I like a salad spinner for this reason, however it can also be done using paper towels and a little extra elbow grease.

Chop the Celery and Apple

Using a sharp kitchen knife, thinly slice the celery ribs and leaves on a severe angle, leaving you with very pretty, elongated slices. The distinguished slicing adds to the visual appeal of the vegetable.

Add to a large salad bowl then slice the apple into thin slices as well. Add all but a few slices of apple to the bowl, holding a few out as garnish for your platter or for each individual salad bowl.

For the slices you hold aside, place into a small bowl and toss with a small amount of fresh lemon juice. Fill the bowl with water and set aside until ready to assemble the salad.

Chop Most of the Candied Pecans

I swear these pecans make the salad, chiefly because they offer the right amount of sweetness to this curly endive lettuce salad without taking anything away from the other ingredients. Again, hold a handful of whole candied pecans out as garnish while chopping the remainder with a sharp kitchen knife and adding to the bowl.

Dress the Salad with Vinaigrette or Dressing

Finally, add the hearty green salad leaves to the bowl with the celery and apple slices. Drizzle 1/8-cup of vinaigrette or salad dressing of choice over the bed of greens and fruit and toss well to combine.

Use a wooden spoon to scrape the salad out onto a pretty serving platter or kitchen tongs to fill individual salad bowls. Add additional vinaigrette or dressing to the greens if desired or plan to offer additional table-side.

Drain the reserved apple slices on a paper towel. Add the apple slices and the reserved whole candied pecans to garnish the salad.

Modifying the Norm to Make It Not Entirely Average

  • Cook and crumble thick slices of bacon and add to the salad as a garnish for a sweet and salty flavor experience
  • Use a vegetable peeler to slice thick, long curls of block parmesan cheese, then add to the salad as garnish
  • Toss the base salad with Roquefort or Bleu cheese crumbles and a simple olive oil and red wine vinegar emulsification just before serving
  • Turn this salad into a main dish salad by adding your protein of choice
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Curly Endive Salad with Celery, Apple and Candied Pecans

Jenny DeRemer
Curley Endive creates the base of leafy greens in this refreshing winter salad, boasting crisp apple slices and sweet, crunchy pecans.
5 from 1 vote
Servings: 4 servings as a side
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American, Southern
Servings 4 servings as a side
Calories 210 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 1 large head curly endive washed and prepped
  • 7 ribs celery with leaves; washed
  • 1 large apple washed
  • 1 medium lemon halved and juiced
  • 1 cup candied pecans

optional for serving

  • vinaigrette or dressing of choice
  • cooked, crumbled bacon
  • parmesan shavings
  • Roquefort or Bleu cheese crumbles

Instructions
 

  • Remove any bruised outer leaves of a large head of endive and discard. Wash the inner leaves and lay on paper towels. Tear the leaves by hand into a small bowl with or without the ribs. Squeeze some lemon juice over the leaves and use a wooden spoon to toss to coat. The lemon juice will prevent the torn edges from browning. Wait 5 minutes before rinsing under cold water. Place in a salad spinner to dry the leaves. Place leaves into a DRY bowl, cover with plastic film, and use within three hours.
  • Using a sharp kitchen knife, thinly slice the celery ribs and leaves on a severe angle. Add to a large salad bowl (separate from the leaves) then slice the apple into thin slices as well. Add all but a few slices of apple to the bowl, holding a few out as garnish for your platter or for each individual salad bowl. For the slices you hold aside, place into a small bowl and toss with a small amount of fresh lemon juice. Fill the bowl with water and set aside until ready to assemble the salad.
  • Hold a handful of whole candied pecans out as garnish while chopping the remainder with a sharp kitchen knife and adding to the bowl with the celery and apple. Add the endive leaves to the celery and apple and drizzle 1/8-cup of vinaigrette or salad dressing of choice over the bed of greens and fruit and toss well to combine.
  • Use a wooden spoon to scrape the salad out onto a pretty serving platter or kitchen tongs to fill individual salad bowls. Add additional vinaigrette or dressing to the greens if desired or plan to offer additional table-side.
  • Drain the reserved apple slices on a paper towel. Add the apple slices and the reserved whole candied pecans to garnish the salad.

Notes

To Make Ahead, wash and prep endive and store in a bowl with plastic film and use within 3 hours.
Modifications
  • Cook and crumble thick slices of bacon and add to the salad as a garnish for a sweet and salty flavor experience
  • Use a vegetable peeler to slice thick, long curls of block parmesan cheese, then add to the salad as garnish
  • Toss the base salad with Roquefort or Bleu cheese crumbles and a simple olive oil and red wine vinegar emulsification just before serving
  • Turn this salad into a main dish salad by adding your protein of choice

The nutrition value can vary depending on what product(s) you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.

Please note that table salt and iodized salt are NOT substitutions for Kosher salt. Do not deviate unless otherwise specified.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 193mgPotassium: 516mgFiber: 6gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 3580IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 1mg
Did you love this recipe?Leave a comment and Let me know how it was!
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