This recipe has become a summer favorite and while I serve it as a salad, I also serve it as both an appetizer and as a side dish with grilled protein at BBQs. Belgian Endive Salad Cups with Corn, Avocado and Feta brings together the best of fresh produce and I’ve kept it super simple with a light dressing of olive oil and vinegar. It couldn’t be easier to pull together. Let’s start with the produce.
Starting with the lettuce I’ve chosen for this dish, let’s talk about Belgian endive (baby endive). I refer to this as the perfect lettuce cup. It is firm enough, and crisp enough, to handle a filling and you can pick it up in your hands and like a taco. Salad cups are a favorite of mine, so be sure to try my Greek Salad Cups recipe too. Finger food at its best. The flavor is mild so it makes the perfect blank canvas for the tasty fillings in this recipe. While you certainly can use red endive, I prefer the smaller Belgian endive. Red endive has much larger leaves and is much more bitter, so I haven’t used it here, but you certainly could. Other endive substitute options that would work are baby gem lettuce leaves, baby romaine lettuce leaves and Bibb lettuce leaves.
MOST COMMON QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT BELGIAN ENDIVE
For the corn, I use fresh ears of corn and I grill them on a grill pan or an outdoor grill. This is fast and easy and takes just a couple of minutes. You simply remove the husk and silks and throw it on the grill. I season the corn after it has been cut off the cob. Just grill the corn on all sides until you get some nice grill marks then let the corn cool slightly until you can handle. Then, using a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the cob and place in a bowl.
I like to use ripe avocado that isn’t too soft. I want it slightly firm so it holds up in the salad. Just scoop out the flesh from the skin, dice and add to the bowl with the corn.
Nothing is better than fresh garlic and you’ll use a rasp grater or grate plate to add as much as you like. I used about 1/2 of a large clove.
Add you fresh thyme, salt and pepper, olive oil and vinegar and gently toss all the ingredients together. Honestly, it doesn’t get easier. I used a Prosecco wine vinegar but you could use a champagne vinegar or a plain white wine vinegar here too. Be sure you taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
You are now ready to assemble the Belgian endive salad cups.
Place the washed and dried, individual lettuce leaves on a plate. Fill each one with some of the filling. Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the top and finish with a little more fresh ground black pepper. Just a warning, these are kind of addictive. Make more than you think you’ll need. Enjoy!
Did you like this recipe? Be sure to leave a rating below and leave your comments. How did it turn out? Did you make any substitutions? Let me know. If you are looking for other fun and delicious salad ideas, try these:
Compressed Watermelon, Feta & Arugula Salad with Jalapeno Dressing
Belgian Endive Salad Cups with Corn, Avocado and Feta
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 Ears fresh corn, shucked and silks removed
- Cooking spray
- 1 Head Belgian endive, separated into 8 individual leaves
- 1 Tsp. Dried Thyme
- 1 Small Avocado, halved, pitted and diced
- 1/2 Garlic clove, grated on a rasp grater
- 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. Prosecco wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 1/4 Cup Low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect heat or spray a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.
- Place the corn on the low heat side of the grill over indirect heat. If cooking on a grill pan, place the corn right on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally until charred on all sides, about 5-10 minutes. Remove the corn to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Once you can handle, shave off the corn kernels and place in a bowl.
- Add your chopped avocado, thyme and a large pinch of salt and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Grate the garlic over the top and gently stir into the mixture distributing evenly throughout the salad. Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over the salad and gently toss to combine everything. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Separate the leaves of Belgian endive and place on a plate. Fill each leave with equal amounts of the salad. Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the top of the lettuce cups and finish with more black pepper. Serve as a first course salad, or as a side salad or appetizer. Enjoy.
