This red endive salad is a crisp, colorful cold salad made with radicchio or Trévise-style red endive, red cabbage, carrots, radishes, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, and a sweet-tangy garlic vinaigrette. It is different from a creamy coleslaw because it stays bright, sharp, crunchy, and refreshing, with no mayonnaise and no heavy dressing.

This recipe is based on my YouTube video, with a few adjustments since publication to make the proportions easier to reproduce at home. In the video, I finish the salad with noix de Grenoble, so I use walnuts here instead of chestnuts for the corrected version.

This is the kind of salad I make when I want something cold, crunchy, and colorful for a summer table, but it also works year-round with roasted meats, sandwiches, grilled fish, or a simple weekday meal. I make it this way because the bitter edge of red endive or radicchio needs balance: carrot and tomato bring sweetness, walnuts bring richness, and the garlic vinaigrette gives the whole salad energy.

Why This Salad Works

The base of this salad is all about texture. Red endive, Trévise, or radicchio gives a slightly bitter bite. Red cabbage adds serious crunch. Carrots make the salad sweeter and more familiar. Radishes bring a peppery freshness, and cherry tomatoes add juiciness at the end.

The vinaigrette is where the adjustment matters most. In the video, the dressing is made by eye with sugar, garlic, red wine vinegar, seasoning, and oil. That works when cooking by instinct, but for a website recipe people need measurements. For this version, I prefer to use a sharp but balanced ratio: enough red wine vinegar to wake up the cabbage and bitter leaves, enough oil to round it out, and just enough sugar to soften the acidity without turning the salad into something too sweet.

This recipe is lighter and sharper than a classic creamy slaw. For a more traditional creamy side, serve it next to my classic macaroni salad, or keep the table extra fresh with a homemade Greek salad. If you want to understand the base dressing technique better, my classic vinaigrette guide is a good place to compare ratios and variations.

Ingredients You Need

For the salad, use red endive, Trévise, or radicchio. These are not exactly the same, but they all bring that beautiful red color and slight bitterness. If your red endive is very small, use two. If using a round radicchio, one small head is usually enough.

Red cabbage gives the salad structure. Slice it thinly so it is pleasant to eat raw. If the pieces are too thick, the salad becomes tough instead of crisp. Carrots are grated so they distribute evenly through the bowl. Radishes should be sliced thinly, ideally with a mandoline if you are comfortable using one safely.

Cherry tomatoes are added near the end so they do not get crushed. Walnuts go on top for a nutty finish and a little richness. I prefer walnuts here because they match the slight bitterness of the red leaves better than very sweet nuts.

For the vinaigrette, use red wine vinegar, neutral oil, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, and a pinch of mild chili flakes or isot pepper if you have it. The chili is optional. It should not make the salad spicy. It should only give a small background warmth.

If you enjoy bright dressings, you may also like my quick lemon vinaigrette or my honey Dijon dressing. Those are softer options, while this red wine garlic vinaigrette is sharper and better suited to cabbage and bitter leaves.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Slice the red endive or radicchio

Cut the red endive, Trévise, or radicchio in half. Remove only the tough base if needed, then slice the leaves thinly. Do not throw away the tender heart. That part is often the best because it has crunch without being too tough.

Place the sliced leaves in a large mixing bowl.

2. Prepare the cabbage

Thinly slice the red cabbage with a sharp knife or mandoline. The thinner the cabbage, the better the salad. Raw cabbage needs a fine cut so the vinaigrette can soften it slightly.

Add the cabbage to the bowl with the red endive.

3. Add carrot and radish

Grate the carrots on the large holes of a box grater. Slice the radishes thinly. Add both to the bowl and toss the vegetables gently with your hands or tongs.

At this point, you should already see the balance of colors: red, purple, orange, and white.

4. Make the garlic vinaigrette

In a small blender cup, combine red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, and optional chili flakes. Blend until the garlic is finely broken down and the sugar starts to dissolve.

Add the neutral oil and blend again until the vinaigrette looks slightly creamy. It will not be thick like mayonnaise, but it should look unified and glossy.

I prefer blending this vinaigrette because raw garlic can be harsh when chopped by hand. Blending spreads the garlic evenly through the dressing, which gives a better result.

5. Dress the salad

Pour most of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well. Do not add every drop immediately if your vegetables are smaller than expected. Start with about three quarters of the dressing, mix, then add more if needed.

Let the salad rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This short rest helps the cabbage relax and lets the vinaigrette balance the bitterness of the red leaves.

6. Finish with tomatoes and walnuts

Add the halved cherry tomatoes near the end and toss gently. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and finish with crushed walnuts.

For a larger cold buffet, this salad pairs nicely with other fresh dishes like my three bean salad, Mediterranean octopus salad, or a more filling tuna pasta salad with basil vinaigrette.

Tips for the Best Red Endive Salad

Slice everything thinly. This is the most important detail. Big chunks of cabbage or radicchio can taste too bitter and too tough.

Taste before serving. Red endive and radicchio vary a lot. Some heads are mild, others are very bitter. If your salad tastes too sharp, add a small drizzle of oil or a pinch more sugar. If it tastes flat, add a splash more vinegar and a little salt.

Use walnuts at the end, not too early. If they sit too long in the vinaigrette, they lose their crunch.

Let it rest, but not all day. Ten to fifteen minutes is perfect. After several hours, the salad is still good, but the vegetables soften and release liquid.

Serve cold. This is a refreshing salad, especially for barbecue season, summer lunches, and make-ahead side dishes.

How This Recipe Is Different from Similar Salads

This is not a creamy coleslaw. There is no mayonnaise, no creamy dressing, and no soft shredded cabbage texture. It is sharper, brighter, and more colorful.

It is also different from a simple grated carrot salad because the base is more bitter and crunchy. If you want a softer, sweeter vegetable salad, my grated carrot salad with mustard vinaigrette is the better choice.

It is different from a protein salad like cold salmon salad or tuna salad with eggs because this one is mainly a vegetable side dish. It is lighter, crunchy, and made to sit beside a main course instead of replacing one.

Substitutions

If you cannot find red endive or Trévise, use radicchio. It is usually easier to find in grocery stores in Canada and the United States.

If you do not have red cabbage, use green cabbage, but the color and flavor will be milder.

If raw garlic is too strong for you, use 1 small garlic clove instead of 2 or 3. You can also let the vinaigrette rest for 10 minutes before dressing the salad, which softens the bite slightly.

If you do not have walnuts, use pecans, almonds, or pumpkin seeds. For a nut-free version, use toasted sunflower seeds.

If you want less sugar, use 2 tablespoons instead of 3. I would not remove it completely because the salad needs a little sweetness to balance the vinegar and bitter leaves.

If you prefer olive oil, you can use it, but neutral oil keeps the vinaigrette cleaner and lets the red wine vinegar, garlic, and vegetables stand out.

FAQ

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Yes, but it is best within a few hours. You can slice the vegetables and make the vinaigrette ahead, then dress the salad 10 to 30 minutes before serving.

Is red endive the same as radicchio?

Not exactly, but they can be used in a similar way for this salad. Trévise is longer and more elegant, while radicchio is usually round and slightly more bitter. Both work.

Can I use chestnuts instead of walnuts?

Yes, but the corrected recipe uses walnuts because the video transcript says noix de Grenoble. Chestnuts will make the salad sweeter and softer, while walnuts give more crunch and a slightly bitter, nutty finish.

Is this salad healthy?

It is a vegetable-forward salad with cabbage, carrots, radishes, tomatoes, and walnuts. It is fresh and lighter than a creamy salad, but it still has oil and sugar in the vinaigrette, so the best approach is balance and portion size.

What can I serve it with?

Serve it with grilled chicken, steak, fish, sandwiches, burgers, roasted potatoes, or a cold summer buffet. It also works beside air fryer roasted potatoes for a quick side dish combination.

What to Serve With This Salad

For a summer table, serve this crunchy red salad beside Greek pasta salad with creamy dressing or fusilli pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes. The pasta salads make the meal more filling, while this red endive salad keeps everything fresh and crisp.

For a lighter lunch, pair it with marinated feta salad or basil avocado salad with baby tomatoes. For a bigger plate, it also works well beside chicken avocado salad or a simple steak dinner with baked potato and garlic butter.

20-Minute Crunchy Red Endive Salad with Walnuts and Garlic Vinaigrette

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Prep Time 20

Cooking Time 13

Category Entrée

Cuisine Canadian home cooking, French-inspired

Portions 6 servings

Calories 190 kcal

Ingredients

1 small red endive Trévise, or radicchio, about 7 oz, thinly sliced
1/4 small red cabbage about 9 oz, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots about 5 oz, grated
4 to 6 red or purple radishes about 3 oz, thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1/3 cup walnuts lightly crushed
Optional edible flowers for garnish
Garlic Vinaigrette
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup neutral vegetable oil
2 to 3 tbsp sugar
2 to 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
1/2 tsp salt then adjust to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 small pinch mild chili flakes or isot pepper optional

Instructions

Thinly slice the red endive, Trévise, or radicchio and place it in a large bowl.
Thinly slice the red cabbage, grate the carrots, and slice the radishes. Add them to the bowl.
In a small blender cup, blend the red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, and optional chili flakes.
Add the oil and blend again until the vinaigrette is glossy and slightly emulsified.
Pour about three quarters of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well. Add more dressing if needed.
Let the salad rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes and toss gently.
Transfer to a serving bowl and finish with crushed walnuts and optional edible flowers. Serve cold.

Video

Notes

FAQ