How To Easily Take The Bitter Bite Out Of Radicchio

Radicchio, a vibrant vegetable with a striking, deep burgundy hue, is a popular inclusion in a variety of salad recipes. Owing to its inherently satisfying crisp paired with its naturally bitter-sweet notes, radicchio can elevate every bite of your salad and grain bowl with a delightful texture and nuanced flavors. 

While radicchio closely resembles a type of lettuce, it is actually a type of chicory, which makes sense given the noticeable, sharp, and bitter contrast to lettuce's subtle, buttery sweetness. Some may relish the natural flavors of radicchio, but for others, the bitterness can be overwhelming and sometimes even unpleasant to the palate. However, there is a simple way to fix this minor hiccup, which requires a bit of advanced planning. The trick is to chop a head of radicchio into quarters and soak them in cold water for up to an hour. Although this method does not entirely eliminate the distinct bitterness, it helps tone it down enough to make the leafy vegetable more appealing to taste if you are particularly sensitive to the natural bitter notes.

The reason why this technique works boils down to a simple science. The bitterness of radicchio stems from a compound called lactucopicrin (aka intybin), which belongs to a category of plant-derived compounds that impart a characteristic smell and flavor to bitter leafy veggies like radicchio. Because lactucopicrin is water soluble, soaking the radicchio wedges in cold water helps remove some of this compound while retaining its desirable crunch. What's left is to get creative with your seasonings, dressings, and cooking techniques, and serve up a tasty plate of radicchio.

Once you've drawn out most of the bitterness from the radicchio, it is ready to be prepared and served in different dishes without its characteristic peppery sharpness overpowering the other components. Starting with the basics, pat the radicchio leaves dry before chopping them and tossing them into a leafy salad for a boost in micronutrients. Radicchio is a prized produce in Italian cooking, with regions across the country featuring this star, leafy vegetable in diverse culinary preparations. One such classic recipe is radicchio in padella, a simple sauté of radicchio in garlic and olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and finished with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. This humble, yet flavorsome dish is popular in Italy's Veneto region. Another Veneto staple is a radicchio risotto, which is an effortless yet rich dish that will have you going back for seconds if not thirds!

You can also step outside the box and put a creative, colorful spin on a typical pesto sauce by swapping out basil with radicchio instead. Stir into cooked pasta, or layer into a hearty sandwich. Speaking of sandwiches, switch up your coleslaw game with a radicchio slaw, coated in a creamy, tahini-based mayo for an inventive, plant-based coleslaw that adds a refreshing crunch to your sandwiches and wraps. To level up the flavors even further, just like how grilling lettuce imparts a flavor-packed, smoky char, you can also grill radicchio wedges for a hearty salad that you can top with your preferred choice of toppings and dressings. This hack helps mask any residual bitterness, is perfect for outdoor grilling season, and makes for a delectable side dish for a summertime potluck.