Escarole is a leafy green vegetable that is part of the chicory family, along with frisée, endive, and Belgian endive. It is a flat-leafed variety of endive, with broad, crumpled, slightly jagged leaves that distinguish it from butterhead lettuce. Escarole is less bitter than other chicories, with a fresh, vegetal taste and light bitterness. The inner, lighter-colored leaves are sweeter than the outer, darker green leaves, and the level of bitterness varies throughout the head. Escarole is usually sold in bunches that look like a head of lettuce, with short, wide, wavy-edged leaves that are darker-green and a bit tougher on the outside and pale-yellow and more tender on the inside.
Escarole is a popular ingredient in Italian cuisine and can be served either raw or cooked. It is often used in pasta and soup recipes, such as Italian wedding soup, and is frequently paired with white beans, bacon, or ham. The wider, darker outer leaves tend to be a bit chewy and bitter, making them ideal for cooking. The leaves can be sautéed or braised similarly to collard greens. Escarole can also be used as a salad green, and it looks beautiful when cooked, turning semi-translucent and giving soups hues of green from dark to light.
Escarole is rich in provitamin A, which promotes eye health, and provides 54% of the daily value in only 2 cups (85 grams) . It is also a good source of vitamin K, folate, and fiber. Escarole can be found at well-stocked grocery stores and specialty markets priced by the pound or by the head.
