Frisee Salad

This frisee salad is refreshing and sophisticated, pairing this frilly leafy green with orange, almonds and a zingy vinaigrette.

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!

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!

This frisee salad recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, omit the cheese.

Ingredients

For the frisee salad

• 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

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the frisée, using a salad spinner or clean towel. Tear or chop the frisee into pieces.
2. Zest half the orange. Then segment the orange, following the instructions in How to Cut an Orange.
3. Thinly slice the shallot. Slice the Manchego cheese into pieces.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the white wine vinegar, Dijon, maple syrup or honey, salt. Whisk in the oil 1 tablespoon at a time until a creamy dressing forms. Add a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 weeks (bring to room temperature prior to serving).
5. Serve the salad: place the greens on a large platter or separate plates. Top with orange slices, shallot, cheese, sliced almonds, orange zest, and mint leaves. Drizzle with about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the dressing, to taste.