Garlicky Escarole Is Our Favorite Any-Night Side (2024)

FAQs

Why is escarole so expensive? ›

The chicory is often bunched and placed with heads of fresh lettuce, away from its close relatives radicchio and endive. It's more expensive than lettuce since it is considered a specialty item.

Pull off the leaves from the core and wash them to remove any dirt at the base of the stems. The inner leaves are lighter in color and more tender than the outer leaves, so they are perfect for use in salads. If you enjoy bitter greens, you may find that they are fine on their own.

To clean the escarole, take the head, turn it upside down, and cut the core at the base. At this point, remove the outer leaves that are too hard or damaged. Remove all the leaves individually (as you do for salad) and wash them carefully under running water. If they are too large, you can cut them in half.

Escarole is a type of endive with very broad leaves, but without the bitter taste. Escarole is incredibly hearty and stores well in your refrigerator crisper drawer. Escarole is high in fiber, vitamin K and A, and folic acid. Escarole is also very difficult to overcook making it a perfect dish for the beginning cook.

Also, eating escarole regularly can increase kidney stones in people with kidney problems. The high oxalate content in escarole - a plant compound that helps get rid of excess calcium - is filtered through the kidneys and can affect the kidneys.

Escarole, or broad-leaved endive (var latifolia) has broad, pale green leaves and is less bitter than the other varieties. Varieties or names include broad-leaved endive, Bavarian endive, Batavian endive, grumolo, scarola, and scarole.

How Do You Take the Bitterness Out of Escarole? While escarole isn't as inherently bitter as broccoli rabe or radicchio, it does have a mild bitterness to it. It's easy to tame, however, by cooking it in garlicky olive oil and offsetting the bitter with a splash of tangy lemon juice at the end.

Keep fresh escarole wrapped in paper towels stored in an unsealed plastic bag in the refrigerator or in the crisper for up to five days. Do not wash until ready to prepare it since water will encourage deterioration.

Escarole is a versatile veggie but lends itself particularly well to raw salads and heartier dishes. Its outer leaves are bitter and chewy, while its yellow inner leaves are sweeter and tenderer. An acid like lemon juice or vinegar counters the bitterness of raw escarole.

—spinach and arugula are good bitter substitutes. Truly any dark leafy green'll do.

Is escarole fattening? ›

The escarole nutrition profile is low in calories but high in fiber, vitamin C and vitamin A. Each serving also contains a small amount of calcium, vitamin K and iron as well.

Escarole is available year-round with a peak season in the spring and summer months.

Unavailable at the Store - Escarole can be hard to find since it's less common than other lettuces. You'll need a backup plan if your grocery store or farmers market doesn't carry it.

Escarole is a leafy green often used in soups and stews. But what happens if you don't have it or can't find it at the store? Here are the best substitutes for escarole including kale, spinach, radicchio, arugula, chard, mustard greens, collard greens, beet greens, and lettuce.

These two leafy greens are highly nutrient-dense, with similar amounts of calories, carbs, vitamin K, and fiber per serving. Kale has more vitamin C, calcium, and manganese than escarole, while escarole has much more iron and vitamin A.