This Crisp Frisée Salad Recipe Brings the French Bistro Vibes (2024)

Our five-ingredient recipe for Frisée Salad With Dijon Vinaigrette makes a sophisticated accompaniment to roasted or seared proteins like beef, chicken, and fish. Fancy looking frisée has a slightly bitter taste and crisp, curly leaves that are easy to prep and look lovely on a plate. Tossed with a tangy vinaigrette and finished with fresh chives, it’s an easy side dish that looks elegant without being fussy. We particularly like it with heavier mains (think braised chicken in a creamy sauce), where it provides a bright counterpart to richer ingredients. You can also serve the greens and dressing as a light lunch entree, topped with a poached egg and bacon lardons.

Ingredients for Frisée Salad With Dijon Vinaigrette

Frisée lettuce: Frisée is a member of the chicory family, along with endive and radicchio. It has curly, frizzy looking leaves with a slightly bitter taste, similar to other chicories. If you can't find frisée but still want to make this salad, you can swap in another chicory, or substitute romaine lettuce or even arugula.

Dijon mustard: Tangy Dijon mustard adds some bright bite to the dressing while also helping it to emulsify. We prefer a smooth, creamy Dijon for this recipe, but you can use a coarser variety if that's what you have on hand.

White-wine vinegar: Neutral tasting white-wine vinegar helps form the base of the vinaigrette. If you don't have it, you can use red-wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead. We wouldn't recommend using distilled white or balsamic vinegar for this recipe.

Extra-virgin olive oil: A generous 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil adds creaminess to the dressing while taming some of the acidity. You can use light olive oil in a pinch, but we wouldn't recommend swapping in canola or vegetable oil in its place.

Washing and Preparing Frisée Lettuce

It's important to thoroughly wash any and all salad greens to remove any grit and potential contaminants. Do this by either running the leaves under cold water or placing them in a bowl of cold water and swishing them around well. Remove them from the water (rather than pouring the water out and then removing the leaves) to be sure you're leaving any grit behind.

To prepare the frisée for serving, trim off the bottom root end and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Be sure they are thoroughly dry before tossing with the vinaigrette; you can do this by running them in a salad spinner or laying them on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to air dry.

1. Make dressing:

   In a blender (or screw-top jar), combine vinegar and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, and blend well to combine. Add oil, and blend until combined and thickened.

2. Combine with frisée and chives and toss:

   Place frisée and chives in a large serving bowl; toss with vinaigrette, and serve.

Storage

Unwashed frisée can be refrigerated for up to 5 days before using. To store, wrap the head in a paper towel or dish towel to absorb excess moisture, and place in a resealable bag, pressing out as much air as possible, then stash it in the crisper drawer.

Other Uses for Frisée Lettuce

If you find yourself with extra frisée lettuce, there are plenty of ways to put it to use.

• Try mixing the leaves in with other lettuces to add a touch of bitter contrast to salads.
• Use it in place of romaine in a caesar for an elevated twist.
• Gently wilt it in a skillet some sautéed shallot and finish with a splash of vinegar for a simple side dish.
• Top it with a poached egg and crispy lardons (half-inch pieces of thick-cut bacon) and drizzle with Dijon vinaigrette for a classic bistro salad.
  

More Green Salad Recipes to Try:

• Tender Lettuce Salad
• Arugula Salad With Radishes and Caper Vinaigrette
• Classic Caesar Salad
• Boston Lettuce With Shaved Parmesan
• Kale-and-Apple Salad
• Green Salad With Edible Flowers
• Stacked Butter Lettuce Salad
• Peppery Greens With Meyer-Lemon Dressing
• Green Salad With Roasted Beets and Pickled Rhubarb