Sauteed Escarole Recipe: Italian Style

This recipe for Sauteed Escarole provides a slightly sweet taste with an unbelievably silky texture. This Italian side dish is naturally vegan, gluten-free and delicious.

You probably already know that this bitter green vegetable is great in soups and salads.

Without a doubt, two of the most popular Italian dishes are escarole and white bean soup aka Greens and Beans and Italian Wedding Soup. 

It can also be grilled, sauteed or braised.

The focus today is sauteeing escarole (previously parboiled) with garlic and red pepper flakes in extra virgin olive oil.

You will be pleasantly surprised to taste how much flavor combining these 4 ingredients have. As is usually the case when so few ingredients are used, make sure they are of high quality.

I’m guessing right now that some of you love this stuff, some hate it and some have no idea what I’m talking about.

So let’s start with identifying this healthy green leafy vegetable.

What is it?

According to Healthline, this green, flat-leaf vegetable is part of the chicory family.  As you can see, it has broad leaves with jagged edges. As a variety of endive, it grows in heads with a heart of pale yellow/white leaves, surrounded by larger ones with deep green color.

What does it taste like?

In its raw state, it is mildly bitter, with a flavor similar to curly endive or chicory. The outer leaves are more bitter than the inner ones. As it cooks, sauteed escarole loses its bitterness and becomes pleasantly mild tasting. 

Buying and storing

• look for green leaves that are crisp and fresh looking;
• absence of blemished leaves or yellow spots;
• spin, base, and leaves should be firm;
• refrigerate up to 4 days, wrapped in damp paper towels.

So now that we know what escarole is, what do we do with it?

Mise en place

• Trim off the base; 
• Remove the outer leaves if they appear damaged;
• Separate the leaves;
• Soak and thoroughly rinse to remove all dirt and grit. You might have to do this a couple of times.

I strongly recommend soaking and rinsing the escarole even though it might state “pre-washed” on the package.

Instructions

Set a large pot of salted water to boil.

In the meantime, slice 3-4 cloves of garlic.

Coarsely chop the escarole leaves.

Once the water has started boiling, add the chopped escarole, and simmer for about 5-7 minutes. The total time will vary based on how tough the leaves are.

Notice how the volume reduces.

Meanwhile, over medium heat, drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat.

Lower the heat to medium, add the sliced garlic (3-4 cloves) and sauté for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. Take care not to let the garlic brown.

If desired, add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper.

Remove from heat.

By this time, the parboiled escarole should be tender. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing the excess water to drain off and place in a bowl. There will be a little bit of liquid that accumulates at the bottom of the bowl.

Next, add the drained escarole to the pan of sauteed garlic along with a couple of tablespoons of the drained liquid.

The oil might splatter a little so be careful.

Return the pan to medium heat and simmer for about 5-10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. If there is still a bit of liquid, raise the heat to cook it off.

Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the sauteed escarole to a serving dish and if desired serve with lemon wedges.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS:

• capers 
• pine nuts
• raisins
• olives

Tips

• The blanching process helps remove some of the bitterness.
• Serve this sauteed vegetable hot or at room temperature.
• The inner leaves of escarole are very tender and are great to use in green salads.

Can I prepare this ahead of time?

Yes, in part. Parboil the escarole a couple of hours ahead of time and set it aside until you are ready to saute it.

Can I combine this side dish with other foods?

Yes! Although this makes the best side dish, it is equally delicious when combined with other food. Here are some of my favorites:

• with pasta;
• in soups;
• as a topping for pizza;
• with polenta or
• in a sandwich.

Italian side dishes we love

• Peperonata
• Italian Potato Recipe
• Sauteed Onion and Zucchini 
• Mediterranean Vegetable Bake
• Grilled Radicchio
• Marsala Glazed Carrots
• Sauteed Broccolini
• Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

 

Recipe origins

The Italian word for escarole is scarola unless you had an Italian nonna from Campobasso that would refer to it as ‘scharole.

Growing up Italian meant greens made a daily appearance at the supper table, throughout the year.

Broccoli rabe, collard greens, Swiss chard, chicory, escarole and other Italian greens were consistently prepared.

In late spring and throughout summer, my mom would harvest these green leafy vegetables from my dad’s backyard garden. If you are curious, there are a few pictures in this older post on sauteed Swiss chard. 

My mom would also freeze these greens. In the colder months, they were used in soups and stews. 

Sauteed escarole was always served with their juices so that the homemade Italian bread would soak it all up.

I guarantee it will be easy to eat your greens, in the form of this sauteed escarole recipe. 

Enjoy!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

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Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this escarole with garlic and olive oil, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!