This crunchy and refreshing Radicchio Salad with Lemon Oil Dressing is perfect for summer, thanks to fluffy baby gem lettuce, crunchy dukkah, and colorful spring radishes. A healthy and light plant-based lunch or dinner.

What is Radicchio

Radicchio is a type of leafy vegetable that is a member of the chicory family. It is known for its distinctive bitter flavor and vibrant red or purple leaves. The leaves are crisp and have a slightly spicy or peppery taste. Radicchio is often used in salads, adding color, texture, and a unique flavor to dishes.

There are different types of radicchio– One of the most popular varieties is Chioggia radicchio, which has a round head and is commonly used in salads. Another well-known variety is Treviso radicchio, which has elongated, tapered heads and is often grilled or roasted.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Warmer weather means I’m craving fresh, colorful vegetable-packed salads. And this baby gem and Radicchio Salad recipe is a perfectly simple but elegant and totally versatile recipe that’s perfect for summer. It’s a super colorful salad filled with bitter radicchio, leafy greens, and a lemon olive oil dressing that adds bright flavors. 

These lettuces are both light and hearty, sweet and bitter. And the bright, zesty lemon oil salad dressing is just the ticket to tie everything together. This is a delicious salad recipe to keep on hand to impress guests and bring to a picnic or barbecue. Note: you may want to make extra, as this is the kind of stunning dish that always seems to disappear quickly (even if you’re eating with non-vegans).

What’s better, is that after creating your salad base, you can really go wild with the mix-ins. Make this salad your own with fresh herbs and veggies! 

How to Prepare Radicchio for Salad

If you haven’t cooked with radicchio before, get ready for a revelation. This hearty red lettuce is a bit bitter, a bit tart, and totally addicting. You can find radicchio in all sorts of different beautiful colors and shapes. The most common is a tight, dark red head of lettuce.

To prepare your red radicchio for this salad:

• Peel off the outer leaves, which tends to be a bit damaged and is the least clean part of the lettuce.
• Gently tear the inner leaves off of the core and place them in a large bowl of very cold water or ice water.
• Let the radicchio leaves soak for 5 to 10 minutes to remove any dirt on the lettuce.
• Then drain and dry with a salad spinner or paper towels.

Ingredient Notes

• baby gem lettuce hearts: Feel free to switch things up and use your favorite salad greens or a different type of lettuce. 
• small head of radicchio: Easy to find in most grocery stores! 
• handful breakfast radish
• Dukkah: An Egyptian spice blend that’s super easy to make.  I use this recipe, and it stays fresh for weeks in your spice cabinet.
• lemon oil: A simple blend of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. 
• Fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• Microgreens optional
• Plant-based protein optional

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Quarter or halve your gem lettuce hearts and place them in a large mixing bowl. Thinly slice the radicchio and radish and add it to the bowl.
2. Drizzle lemon oil or olive oil and fresh lemon juice to taste and toss to coat. Add dukkah and toss again—season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve with plant protein of choice and any additional microgreens, salad greens, or sprouts.

Using Dukkah for Salads

Dukkah is a mixture of spices, seeds, and sometimes nuts. It comes from Egypt and other parts of North Africa, and it’s one of my favorite ways to instantly elevate a dish like this baby gem and radicchio salad.

You can buy dukkah, but it’s also so easy to make your own. I use this recipe, and it stays fresh for weeks in your spice cabinet.

Then, you can sprinkle crunchy, savory flavor on everything from avocado toast to yogurt.

Other Ways to Cook with Dukkah

Any of these recipes are great vehicles for your homemade dukkah:

• Vegan Cucumber Tempeh Sandwich
• Chickpea”Tuna” Salad Cucumber Stacks
• Lemon & Herb Crusted Tofu Steaks

Secrets to Success

• You can easily build this salad up to have more heft, protein, and crunch if you like. You can add your favorite plant protein, such as tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, or another bean.
• For more color and extra crunch, feel free to add other springtime vegetables like peas, asparagus, broccoli, or beets! I also like to add a sprinkle of microgreens because they’re full of nutrients and always look great on salads!
• For sweetness, feel free to add mandarin oranges, sweet apple, or even sliced grapes. 
• To offset the bitterness of radicchio, feel free to add some creamy avocado as well. 

Storage Tips

Store leftover radicchio salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 48 hours for best results. 

Recipe FAQS

More Healthy Vegan Salad Recipes

15-Minute Caprese Pasta Salad 

Vegan Chopped Italian Salad 

Vegan Artichoke “Tuna” Salad

If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!