Want to add sophistication to your meal? Try a crunchy and refreshing frisee salad! Frisée is a leafy green with a frilly texture and subtly bitter flavor, ideal for adding flair and elegance to salads. This one pairs it with the burst of juicy orange, aged Manchego cheese, and crunchy almonds, covering it all in a zingy white wine vinaigrette. It’s impressive and versatile enough to work with a load of different entrees. Here’s how it’s done!
Ingredients in frisee salad
Frisée, aka curly endive, is a leafy green with frilly leaves and a subtly bitter flavor. It’s part of the chicory family and technically a type of endive, though Belgian endive looks much different with its cylindrical shape. Its feathery leaves work great as a statement in salads, adding loads of texture and drama. Frisee is most well-known for its starring role in the French Lyonnaise salad, served with a poached egg and bits of bacon or lardon. This frisee salad recipe is an elegant side salad that’s versatile and works with many types of meals. Here’s what you’ll need for this salad recipe:
Frisée (curly endive)OrangeShallotManchego cheese: a robust Spanish cheese we highly recommend finding! Or, substitute shaved Parmesan cheeseSliced almondsMint leavesWhite wine vinaigrette
Tips on working with frisee
This feathery lettuce is a bit different from a head of romaine or iceberg, but it’s simple to work with. Here are a few notes on working with this leafy green:
Can’t find it at the store? It might be marked frisee, curly endive, or even endive lettuce (that was the case at our local grocery). Expect variation in size and texture. Some heads of frisee are very small and frizzy, others have larger leaves (like the photo above). This varies based on the maturity of the lettuce. We prefer a younger, more tender plant because it’s fluffier with a milder flavor, but it can be hard to find. Store unwashed, then wash and thoroughly dry before serving. It’s important to get the greens as dry as possible before you work with them, so the dressing adheres to the leaves. A salad spinner makes quick work of it!
Love bitter greens? Try our Endive Salad with Parmesan & Orange.
For the white wine vinaigrette
This frisee salad is dressed with a simple white wine vinaigrette that adds a pop of acidity to each bite! It’s the ideal pair with the juicy orange and bitter green. This dressing uses simple ingredients you might already have on hand in your pantry and fridge. Head to this Easy Vinaigrette recipe for specific instructions!
White wine vinegarDijon mustardMaple syrup or honeyOlive oil
Other salad dressings
Want to try this frisee salad with a different dressing? You’ll want to go with a light vinaigrette that doesn’t compete with the delicate wisps of frisee. Stay away from creamy dressings here. Here are a few homemade salad dressings that would work well here:
Orange Vinaigrette Dressing Red Wine VinaigretteCitrus Salad DressingDijon Mustard DressingShallot Vinaigrette
This frisee salad recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, omit the cheese. 5 from 1 review
1 large or 2 to 3 small heads frisée* (may be marked as curly endive or endive lettuce) 1 orange, plus zest 1 shallot 1 ounce Manchego cheese (or shaved Parmesan cheese; omit for vegan) 2 tablespoons sliced almonds 1 handful fresh mint leaves, optional
For the dressing (makes ½ cup; use 3 to 4 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 6 tablespoons olive oil Fresh ground black pepper
