By Megan McFadden in Ingredient — Sep 13, 2023

20 Delicious Vegan Radicchio Recipes to Try

Radicchio is often used in salads, grilled, or roasted to mellow its bitterness. Try these vegan radicchio recipes today.

Introduction

Radicchio is a leafy vegetable known for its vibrant red or purple leaves. It belongs to the chicory family and has a slightly bitter and peppery flavor. It's often used in salads, grilled, or roasted to mellow its bitterness.

Radicchio is prized for its distinctive taste and striking appearance, making it a popular ingredient in culinary and decorative applications. Try these vegan radicchio recipes today, including but not limited to the following.

Radicchio Cups
Radicchio Salad
Radicchio Pasta
Radicchio Wraps
Radicchio Walnut Quiche

1. Radicchio Cups

A great alternative to tortilla shell or sandwich bread is leafy greens because they are big enough to fit your sandwich and wrap filling.

Try these roasted pumpkin, hazelnut, and fig radicchio cups from Heartful Table.

2. Radicchio Salad

One of the questions I tend to get after telling people I am vegan is whether I eat salads like some rabbit. Yes, it's hard to believe that vegans eat more things besides grass, but we do. I used to eat berry salads before I became vegan.

After moving out of my parents' house, I wasted lots of leafy greens because they spoiled quickly. I learned to buy leafy greens if they were a part of a recipe, like getting spinach if I was making minestrone.

If you are a salad lover, make this radicchio salad from Minimalist Baker.

3. Radicchio Pasta

Besides salads, radicchio can be used in various dishes, such as risotto, pasta, or even grilled as a side. Make radicchio pasta with the help of Very Vegan Val.

4. Radicchio Wraps

When my dad and I traveled to Puerto Rico, we had the best wraps at one of the restaurants there. If you like wraps, here's a radicchio wrap recipe from Beautiful Ingredient.

Check out my vegan Puerto Rico travel guide.

5. Radicchio Walnut Quiche

In case anyone is unaware, vegans do not consume eggs because they come from chickens. Yes, cage-free eggs are a thing, but that does not change the fact that billions of chickens die each year due to animal agriculture in the United States alone. If you don't believe me, feel free to look up the statistics yourself.

Some common egg dishes are omelets, shakshuka, frittatas, huevos rancheros, and quiches. For a vegan alternative, make this vegan radicchio walnut quiche from Recipes and Places.

6. Roasted Radicchio With Strawberry Balsamic Reduction

Roasting radicchio can mellow its bitterness and bring out its sweetness. It can be brushed with olive oil and seasoned before cooking for a delicious side dish.

Make some roasted radicchio with strawberry balsamic reduction from It's a Veg World After All. You may also like these strawberry recipes.

7. Brothy Beans With Radicchio

Meatless Mondays is a plant-based campaign that encourages ordinary people to reduce their meat consumption by eating no meat every Monday.

You don't have to be vegetarian or vegan to incorporate beans into your diet. One way to do so is by making brothy beans with radicchio with the help of Tried and True.

8. Radicchio Strips

I hardly ate out growing up besides on vacation, and on many occasions, that was at McDonald's. I started with chicken nuggets as a little kid and then gradually got more grownup meals as I got older, either chicken strips or a McChicken without mayo. Nowadays, I don't get anything from McDonald's due to their lack of vegan options, but I hope that changes soon.

More things can be made into strips besides chicken. Here are some radicchio strips from Beautiful Ingredient, perfect for topping your favorite dishes.

9. Grilled Radicchio

In high school, one of my parents forgot to unplug the grill before putting the cloth grill cover back on. Technically, the deck didn't start on fire until the cats thought it would be a fun game to turn the grill temperature knob.

My dad got the fire out okay. The lesson learned is you shouldn't mess with the cats because the flame might be bigger than you think. Jokes aside, if you want to grill more veggies, try grilled radicchio from BohoVeganMom.

10. Smoked Tofu Radicchio Lasagna

One of my favorite pasta dishes to make is lasagna. Even though I have not mastered cooking all of the noodle layers properly, it is still a tasty dish to have with cooked asparagus or steamed broccoli.

Make some smoked tofu radicchio lasagna with the help of a Veg Taste from A to Z.

11. Vegan Pepperoni Radicchio Salad

One thing I have missed since going vegan is quality pizza. Many vegan pizzas have been good, but they have a long way to go to match the taste and depth of regular meaty and cheesy pizzas.

If you want pepperoni in a salad over a pizza, make a vegan pepperoni radicchio salad from Field Roast. Then, make these pizza recipes and check out my vegan pizza guide.

12. Broccoli Rabe Risotto With Balsamic Roasted Radicchio

Radicchio is a popular addition to risotto, often added towards the end of cooking to retain its vibrant color and distinctive taste.

This risotto recipe from The First Mess has a great combo of broccoli rabe risotto topped with caramelized radicchio and vegan Parmesan.

13. Radicchio, Mandarin Orange, and Brussels Sprouts Salad

Radicchio's bitter flavor pairs well with sweet and acidic ingredients, like balsamic vinegar or citrus fruits, to create balanced dishes. That can be seen with this radicchio, mandarin orange, and Brussels sprouts salad from Garlic & Zest

14. Herb Polenta With Mushroom Scallops and Radicchio Salad

When I first spotted polenta in the produce section of Hy-Vee, I was super confused because the polenta tubes looked too much like ground hamburger. After I realized otherwise, I gave it a try and found out it was delicious.

Even though I haven't made it that many times after that, I can also learn to make it homemade. Here is a herb polenta with mushroom scallops and radicchio salad from Zucker&Jagdwurst.

15. Kale, Radicchio, and Freekeh Salad Buddha Bowl

Due to its vibrant color and unique shape, radicchio is often used as a decorative garnish to enhance the visual appeal of dishes, which makes it a great addition to a Buddha bowl. Try this vegan kale, radicchio, and freekeh salad Buddha bowl from Just a Little Bit of Bacon.

16. Antipasto Pasta

Radicchio has strong ties to Italian cuisine and culture. It is particularly associated with the Veneto region in Italy, where varieties like Radicchio di Chioggia are highly prized.

Another Italian favorite is antipasto, the first Italian course filled with cured meats, cheese, olives, and pickled veggies. Make antipasto pasta with the help of Rabbit & Wolves

17. Beet Radicchio Soba Noodles

I've tried rice, pasta, and udon noodles before. I do not recall trying soba noodles. A good excuse to do so is making beet radicchio soba noodles with the assistance of Very Vegan Val.

You may also be interested in these beet recipes.

18. Falafel Radicchio Wraps

Before being vegan, my favorite food was fried chicken wings from Pizza Ranch. Nowadays, my preferred dish is falafel.

Whether you prefer premade ones from the freezer aisle or homemade, assemble falafel radicchio wraps with the help of My Gut Feeling.

19. Graubüenden Sandwich

There are so many types of sandwiches, from Reuben to Cuban. One from Grisons, Switzerland, is a Graubüenden sandwich, like the recipe from Fooby.

20. Harissa Carrot Parsnip Salad

The last vegan radicchio recipe I have for you is another salad. Make some harissa carrot parsnip salad with the help of The First Mess.

Conclusion

Radicchio stands out among leafy greens due to its bold bitterness and vibrant color. Its distinctive flavor makes it a valuable addition to dishes when used in moderation or with other ingredients to balance the taste.

If you liked this blog post, you may like my previous entries on cabbage, collard greens, and asparagus, and my future ones on spinach, kale, and lettuce. For more red produce, eat more rhubarb, apples, pomegranates, watermelon, tomatoes, and radishes.