8 Radicchio Recipes That Go Beyond Plain Salad Our favorite radicchio recipes bring out the best in this gorgeously bitter leafy vegetable. Close Credit: Marcus Nilsson For lovers of radicchio and other bitter leafy vegetables, the winter months are the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the best season to explore radicchio recipes, as it's when the largest variety of these chicories comes to market. In addition to the familiar, softball-sized red radicchio with white streaks, you may notice other types, such as Treviso, with its elongated, deep red spears, and Castelfranco, which are buttery-pale with mauve spots and ruffled leaves. When at its peak, radicchio's leaves almost shine and may be loosely formed or tightly packed. Cool winter weather brings out a hint of sweetness, but there is no getting around it: radicchio is bitter. Heat tempers the bitterness; you can tear radicchio leaves into wing-like shapes, mix them with grains or pasta, and toss them in a pan with olive oil or pancetta. You can wilt radicchio directly into a pan of risotto. Radicchio wedges or halves hold up well on the grill and can be roasted or braised—they will become creamy at the center if cooked for a long time. However, the most common way to use radicchio is raw in salads—it adds vibrant color and texture, and a little goes a long way. Oh—and if you aren't sure how to pronounce radicchio, just say rah-DEE-kee-oh. 10 Hardy Winter Vegetables to Plant in Your Garden 01 of 08 Radicchio Salad With Chopped-Lemon Dressing Credit: Justin Walker Radicchio's bitterness can be tamed or balanced by sweetness, fat, and acid like citrus, as in this salad with chopped whole lemon. It's a not-to-be-missed dish. View Recipe 02 of 08 Mixed Chicories With Persimmons Late fall brings sweet persimmons, just when we're anticipating the arrival of the freshest radicchio and other chicories. Combine them in a textured salad for this seasonal delight. View Recipe 03 of 08 Farro Salad With Fennel, Golden Raisins, and Radicchio Credit: Marcus Nilsson One word describes this salad so well—simple. It's a must-make recipe with a fresh dressing and sweet golden raisins that turn shredded radicchio into a quick and bright dinner salad. View Recipe 04 of 08 Roasted Radicchio Roasting radicchio in a hot oven makes it sweeter and also changes its texture completely; the center becomes tender, but there's a papery crunch at the browned edges. A drizzle of warm dressing or a sprinkling of cheese is all you need as a final touch. View Recipe 05 of 08 Radicchio and Endive Salad A vinaigrette of red wine vinegar, olive oil, and honey is whisked in a salad bowl before tossing in the sliced radicchio and endive. Serve this sophisticated salad as is, or sprinkle with chopped bacon, dried cherries, or toasted walnuts. View Recipe 06 of 08 Watercress, Radicchio, and Radish Salad Credit: John Dolan Bright and fresh for winter tables, this salad is also easy and delicious. Try making it with the pointy, crisp leaves of Treviso radicchio, or you could use crunchy Belgian endive in its place. View Recipe 07 of 08 Chopped Winter Salad Credit: Kate Mathis Crisp radicchio and escarole are teamed with roasted acorn squash and shiitake mushrooms and combined with crunchy pepitas and pomegranate arils. All in all, a truly seasonal salad everybody will love! View Recipe 08 of 08 Tricolor-Salad Pizza Credit: Lennart Weibull This fresh and inspired recipe uses a quick homemade dough and toppings such as radicchio, fennel, and cherry tomatoes to bring a little of the garden to pizza night. View Recipe Explore more: Food & Cooking Recipes Ingredients Vegetables