What Is Radicchio And How Is It Different From Red Cabbage?

Although they are similar in appearance, radicchio and red cabbage are two completely different vegetables, with vast differences in taste, texture, and uses. Radicchio, also called Italian chicory, is a bitter, leafy vegetable that originated in Italy but is now widely grown in California. A staple in Italian cooking, radicchio is a member of the sunflower family, which also includes chicories and endives. It contains many antioxidants, and has twice as much copper and zinc as red cabbage. 

Strikingly similar in appearance to red cabbage, the deep magenta of radicchio's leaves contrast with its bright white core and veins. And while the leafy vegetable is shaped like a small head of cabbage, the leaves are not so tightly packed together. Cabbage is much denser than radicchio, and has a higher water content, which contributes to it's hefty weight. Cabbage is an extremely nutritious cruciferous vegetable, related to broccoli, mustard, and Brussels sprouts, yet has a very mild flavor when eaten raw and can become sweet and caramelized when cooked. 

There are many types of radicchio, but the kind you're likely to see at the grocery store is the baseball-sized Chioggia radicchio, and it's also the variety that most closely resembles red cabbage. Less commonly seen is Treviso, which looks akin to Chioggia in coloring with a white core and deep purple leaves, but is longer and more oval in shape, like an oversized endive, and has a milder flavor. In general, radicchio offers a more intense bitter flavor than red cabbage.

If you're lucky, you may find an elusive Castelfranco at a farmer's market or specialty produce store, which is an heirloom variety of radicchio from Italy. Its ruffled leaves are much paler than standard radicchio, having a more green hue speckled with streaks of various shades of purple. This beautiful variety is usually less bitter and more mild in flavor.

A classic recipe like this endive, radicchio, pear, and walnut salad is a great place to start if you've never tried radicchio before, as the ingredients really bring out the best in one another. If you're wary of the distinct flavor of the chicory, may we encourage you to embrace the bitterness with this grapefruit salmon salad recipe?  Using a bitter leaf like radicchio as the base for a salad is a very Parisian way to jazz up your dinner, as endives are a staple in French cuisine and are similar to radicchio in both taste and texture.

In Ari Kolender's recipe for radicchio salad with yogurt and hazelnuts, the nuts add a satisfying crunch with a hint of sweetness, and the yogurt adds a silky cooling element to contrast the sharp radicchio, while golden raisins add the necessary sweetness to balance the entire salad. Radicchio is also excellent when grilled, as it is in this recipe for grilled Treviso radicchio with anchovy vinaigrette, and if you're in the mood for something distinctly non-salad, lean into French ingredients and technique with this radicchio and Comté cheese tart.