Radicchio and Arugula Salad

After my trip to Italy and a visit to the Campo di Fiori open produce market in Rome, I was inspired to create a Radicchio and Arugula Salad. It’s simple but contains Italian favorites like Gorgonzola cheese and fennel.

Enjoy this recipe!

Italian Inspired Radicchio and Arugula Salad

Rebecca Forstadt Olkowski

An Italian inspired salad high in anti-oxidants and nutrition.

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Course Salad

Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups of fresh baby arugula
• 1 small head of radicchio washed, patted dry and torn into 2″ pieces
• 1/4 cup of pine nuts roasted
• 1/2 cup of Gorgonzola cheese crumbled
• 1/2 of a small stalk of fennel – Cut the fennel lengthwise and cut out the core. Slice the fennel into very thin slices crosswise.

Dressing

• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey

Instructions

 

• Arrange the arugula and radicchio in a salad bowl
• Top with pine nuts, fennel slices, and Gorgonzola cheese.

Dressing

• Put the dressing ingredients in a covered jar and shake.
• Toss dressing with the salad or serve on the side.

Notes

In addition to radicchio and arugula, you can throw in fresh sprouts to add additional micronutrients and anti-oxidants.

Salad isn’t served before a meal in Italy, but rather after the meal as a digestive. You won’t find it soaked in dressing either. You can see some of Italy’s gorgeous salad greens in this photo of an outdoor Roman market.

Eating salad in Italy

Italians eat seasonal fruits and vegetables, but due to their temperate climate, many items such as ripe tomatoes, eggplant, and zucchini are available into winter.

I used radicchio and arugula to make this salad which are popular in Italy. Radicchio has a sharp flavor and arugula is slightly peppery.

Arugula, also known as Rocket, is heart-healthy because it raises your level of nitric oxide. It’s also rich in chlorophyll and will help prevent liver and DNA damage caused by toxins in your body. It’s better to eat it raw rather than cooked because more chlorophyll is retained. It’s a cleansing salad green that will keep your colon happy and healthy.

Radicchio is a member of the chicory family and contains a high level of plant compounds high in antioxidants. An ancient Roman philosopher, Pliny the Elder, praised radicchio for its medicinal properties. He claimed it was a blood purifier and a natural sedative for people with insomnia. One cup of radicchio will give you 100% of your vitamin K needs, and support bone health, as well as resistance to insulin.

Find salad bowls on Amazon, here.

What are your favorite types of lettuce?  Please leave a comment below: