Endive VS Escarole: Which One Should You Choose?
“Endive VS Escarole” holds ongoing debate regarding their appearance, use, and nutrition. Both are good for health as well as have amazing taste. Yet, from the growing stage to the serving, Endive and Escarole are different.
The primary difference between Endive and Escarole is: Escarole is a variety of Endive. Escarole is milder in taste compared to Escarole. Escarole is commonly known as broad-leaved Endive. It has broader, thicker, and curlier leaves.
So, you can find the difference between these two vegetables from their appearance and flavor.
But do you know why they are chosen one over another? Their health benefits might also surprise you. Go through this article and get every information you need about Endive and Escarole.
What is Endive?
Endive is a leafy vegetable and it’s enjoyed as a dipper, appetizer, stir fry, grilled, sauteed, baked, and even as an alternative to lettuce. People enjoy Endive both as cooked or raw vegetables. Generally, raw Endive tastes bitter but gets sweeter after cooking. They taste great if you can cook them right.
The growing procedure of Endive is quite difficult. For this, its supply is not available globally. Around the USA, this vegetable is known as chicory. And in France, it is named chicorée frisée.
To eat the Endive, you must separate the leaf from the vegetable’s root. Some also prefer eating this vegetable with meat.
It would help if you searched Endive in your nearest store, where they sell leafy vegetables like lettuce and cabbage.
Quick recipe:
- Try brushing each Endive with olive oil
- Grill well to bring brown tone
- Top with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, toasted walnuts, salt, and pepper
- Serve as a side dish aside from your meal.
There are two different types of Endive. Each of them is used for different purposes. Give them a check:
- BELGIAN ENDIVE
- CURLY ENDIVE
BELGIAN ENDIVE:
This type of Endive is comparatively smaller in size. It has a cylindrical head of lettuce and yellow leaves with curly outer edges. This tastes bitter but juicy. The pale leaves are crispy in taste. These leaves demand salads and appetizers.
CURLY ENDIVE:
Curly Endive has another name, “Frisee.” It has a bushy head and curly green leaves. This Endive also tastes slightly bitter. But is comparatively more intense in taste. Its dark green leaves have a prickly texture. They have good demand as a salad.
What is Escarole?
Well, Endive is basically three types. Escarole is another leafy green vegetable from the “chicony family” of ENDIVE. It has similar types of curly leaves, outer edges, and a slightly bitter taste.
Escarole is also known as Escarole, Batavian, and bavarian Endive. Some also consider it an expensive type of lettuce.
Escarole is considered different from others because of some differences. It has comparatively broader and thicker leaves. It has a less bitter taste than other types because of its lighter green leaves. Outer leaves are quite thick and more bitter. They need to be prepared well; before eating.
Quick recipe:
- Immerse the Escarole in hot water for 2 minutes
- Then put it into the cold water for 5 minutes
- Now use extra virgin olive oil and saute these green leaves with garlic.
- Serve it as a side salad? Appetizer
Endive VS Escarole: What are the differences?
Endive and Escarole are both used by professional chefs. They have massive health benefits and unique tastes. If you are fascinated with fancy salad recipes, you must give these a try.
Some think Endive is better, whereas some find Escarole more intense.
Before you make any decision, check on some core differences between endive ad escarole. A table of comparison might make everything more sorted:
| Comparison Parameter | Endive | Escarole |
| Look | Short, broad, wavy leaves. Looks like the head of lettuce | Broad. Thick, flattened head, arrow-shaped, ruffled edges. Lettuce heads are clung tightly |
| Texture | Hard and tough leaves, but of prickly | Prickly and tough |
| Taste | Slightly bitter and gets sweeter after cooking | Less bitter and has mild flavor after cooking |
| Use | Used in Salad, roasted, sauteed, and grilled recipes | Can be eaten as a raw green salad. It is also, used in soup |
Appearance
By the appearance of endive and escarole, you can differentiate them easily. Endive has a loose head, lighter green center, and darker green leaves on the edges. It has a little prickly but tough texture. On the contrary, escarole has broader leaves. Its leaves are smaller in size, lighter green in color, and loose.
Growing Process
Endive and Escarole have two different growing ways. Endive has to be kept away from sunlight while growing. It needs to be covered as a mushroom. Farmers use dirt/ plastic to grow in the dark. On the other hand, escarole follows a regular lettuce-growing procedure.
Taste
Endive and escarole both have a slightly bitter taste. The light green part of the endive has a mild taste compared to the outside leaves. The curly leaves of the endive have a slightly bitter taste after cooking. It will give a creamy texture.
On the other hand, escarole’s heart can be eaten raw as salad. And also they can bring a better taste by cooking with mustard, nuts, and shallots.
How Should You Choose Them?
While choosing any kind of vegetable, you consider some specific things. You should pick bright colored crisp, fresh leaves while buying good endive. On the contrary, for escarole, you should pick the broader leaves.
Note: Always avoid dry, brown, or flabby leaves.
Cooking preparation
Before you eat or cook, endive and escarole, they need to be well prepared. Like other vegetables, you need to remove the wilted leaves, cut the core parts, and apart the leaves with your hands. A similar process applies both for endive and escarole. The only difference is the core parts of these vegetables. You should store the edible parts separately.
Serving suggestion
If you want to keep the endive raw, it will do. But to add some different taste, serve it with mustard, garlic, shallots, or as a side dish of soup. Escarole is more popular as a raw salad. However, while serving with soup, try sauteed once.
Nutrients and Heath Benefits Of Endive:
Yes, endive is enriched with minerals like sodium, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and etc. A clear chart of these nutrients can give you a more extensive idea bout endive health benefits:
Food amount: 300 grams
| Nutrient | Percentage |
| Sodium | 3% |
| Phosphorous | 12% |
| Magnesium | 11% |
| Calcium | 16% |
| Potassium | 28% |
| Zinc | 22% |
| Copper | 33% |
| iron | 32% |
Endive is also enriched with vitamins. It has a major percentage of vitamins B3, K, And folate. It also contains vitamin A, vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6 and etc. Give a quick check on the consisting percentage of vitamins in endive.
Food Amount: 300 grams
| Nutrient | Percentage |
| Vitamin B12 | 0% |
| Vitamin B5 | 54% |
| Vitamin B1 | 20% |
| Vitamin B2 | 18% |
| Vitamin B3 | 8% |
| Vitamin B6 | 5% |
| vitamin C | 22% |
| vitamin A | 131% |
| vitamin E | 9% |
| vitamin D | 0% |
| vitamin K | 578% |
| Folate | 107% |
As endive is full of minerals and vitamins, these have several health benefits as well:
- Endive support your digestion system. It provides one gram of fiber with every ⅓ cup of serving. This will provide enough fiber to your everyday diet.
- This vegetable is rich in antioxidants. The leafy green vegetable will protect your cells.
- Endive strengthens your bones and increases your metabolism.
- If you’re planning a weight loss diet, endive is a great ingredient to try. This is low in calories but high in fiber.
- Endive stables your blood circulation. So, it is extremely essential for women as they go through periods every month.
Nutrients and Health Benefits Of Escarole:
Escarole might not have the highest amount of minerals, compared to endive. Still, this is a popular pick for people who are planning a diet with fewer calories. Let’s check on the vitamins included in Escarole.
Food amount: 300 grams
| Nutrient | Percentage |
| Sodium | 3% |
| Phosphorous | 10% |
| Magnesium | 10% |
| Calcium | 14% |
| Potassium | 22% |
| Zinc | 19% |
| Copper | 29% |
| iron | 27% |
Escarole has enough vitamin elements to meet your daily requirement. These are the following amount of vitamins one can gain with these green vegetables.
Food Amount: 300 grams
| Nutrient | Percentage |
| Vitamin B12 | 0% |
| Vitamin B5 | 50% |
| Vitamin B1 | 15% |
| Vitamin B2 | 15% |
| Vitamin B3 | 6% |
| Vitamin B6 | 4% |
| vitamin C | 11% |
| vitamin A | 114% |
| vitamin E | 8% |
| vitamin D | 0% |
| vitamin K | 530% |
| Folate | 59% |
All these minerals and vitamins provide some incredible health benefits to the human body. These are:
- Escarole has two types of fiber( soluble, and insoluble). These can protect your digestive system and keeps it functioning normally against bacteria attack.
- With 85 grams of escarole serving, you can get 12% of the fiber in your daily diet.
- This green vegetable helps to reduce inflammation. It has a high amount of antioxidants to keep the cells active in your body.
- This is really helpful for heart diseases. Even your bones can get stronger by intaking Escarole. The high amount of Vitamin K in this vegetable fights against heart disease. And Vitamin D helps to make your bones stronger.
Endive VS Escarole: Which One Is Healthier?
Well, Endive and Escarole both can support your health with a great number of minerals and vitamins. Yet, if you compare them with one another, the endive is the winner. It has more essential vitamins and minerals compared to escarole. But, if you want to make something Italian, escarole can give it a bit of a different taste However, Escarole is more expensive than Endive.
Check on the level of elements of these two amazing vegetables compared to one another:
| Elements | Endive | Escarole |
| Suger | Low | High |
| Sodium | Low | High |
| Saturated Fat | Low | High |
| Minerals | High | Low |
| Vitamins | High | Low |
| Glycemic index | Low | High |
| cholesterol | Same | Same |
| Calories | Low | High |
For low-fat diet, low carbs diet, low glycemic index diet you should pick Escarole. But, if you’re into low calories diet, Endive will be the best-suited vegetable for you.
After comparing them, it can be stated that Endive is richer than Escarole with Folate and Vitamin K.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Endive as an alternative to Escarole?
Escarole belongs to the Endive family. They hold some differences in taste and appearance. Still, you can use them as an alternative to one another for your recipe. However, if you’re on a strict diet, consult your nutrients before making any decision.
How Can I Get Rid of The Bitterness from Escarole?
Soak the Escarole in hot water for 2 minutes. Then, ruins it again with cold water for 5 minutes. This simple trick will cut off the intense bitterness of Escarole. It will not include entirely removing the vegetable’s entire bitterness. But it gets much more flavourful to eat it raw.
How to store Escarole?
You can easily store Escarole for a long time. But avoid keeping them directly in the refrigerator. Wrap the vegetables well before putting them into the refrigerator. Else, you can also store them in a dry and cool place. And if you want to store cooked Escarole, put them in a container. This can keep the cooked Escarole fresh for three days.
Why is Escarole more expensive than Endive?
Escarole has more versatility for cooking. It is considered a special item for fancy salad items. There has another reason that makes Escarole more expensive; it tastes less bitter and is ideal for Italian salad.
Wrap-Up
Endive and Escarole are said to be the same vegetable. However, Escarole is a type of Endive vegetable. It is a flat-leafed vegetable from the endive family. They are both healthful green vegetables and demanded diet plans.
This article must have made it clear that Endive and Escarole are different regarding their vitamins and minerals present. If you’re health conscious, you might not want to use them as alternatives to one another.
