15 Escarole Substitutes for Soups and Salads

Escarole, a Bavarian and Batavian endive with wide, curly green leaves, is used in various dishes, especially pasta, soups, and salads, to provide a bitter, peppery taste.

However, you may discover that you are out of escarole when you thought you had plenty. Worse, you find out when you’re cooking your favorite spaghetti or soup. So, what do you do now?

Here are some substitutes you can use:

1. Curly Endive
2. Kale
3. Arugula
4. Radicchio
5. Chinese Spinach
6. Spinach (Regular Variety)
7. Swiss Chard
8. Frise
9. Mustard Greens

The good news is that there are several acceptable replacements for escarole. But first, let us learn more about this beneficial substance.

15 Best Substitute For Escarole

Escarole may be eaten raw or cooked. It provides a plethora of nutritional advantages. Escarole offers more vitamins and minerals per ounce than iceberg lettuce. As a result, keeping some in your pantry is a wise idea.

The leaves on the plant’s outer margins have a more bitter taste and are darker in color, whilst the leaves on the plant’s center are generally tenderer in texture. Escarole does not need much time to make when used in cookery. A simple rinse is all that is required.

Kale and arugula are two of the most flavorful options. Feel free to experiment with the other alternative replacements listed below.

Curly Endive

Curly endive, like escarole, has a thin stem and curly, frilly leaves. If you don’t have any escarole on hand, you may substitute curly endive. While curly endive looks like green leafy lettuce, it has a more balanced taste. It also contains vitamins A, C, and E.

Before adding the alternative, taste it uncooked to get an idea of how it would effect your recipe. Two little escarole stalks are comparable to one larger curly endive.

Kale

Kale plants have green or purple leaves and are one of the most popular escarole alternatives due to their similar taste. Kale may be used in a number of meals, but it is excellent in smoothies, especially when combined with other leafy greens.

When in a hurry, replace 4 parts kale with one or more green vegetables for escarole. This adds a great taste to any food.

Arugula

Arugula, also known as rucola, roquette, or garden rocket, is a member of the same brassica family as cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, and cabbage.

With its spicy and mustard-like taste, arugula is akin to raw escarole and hence a viable alternative. It has a similar flavor, but it is more delicate and lighter in flavor.

Use two arugula leaves in place of one escarole stem. For optimal results, use a cabbage leaf with a curly endive leaf.

Radicchio

Radicchio is also known as the Italian chicory. It features red-purple leaves, white veins, and a spicy (albeit rather disagreeable) taste.

The vegetable is ideal for green salads and side dishes because of its burgundy leaves with white ribs. Because of its somewhat bitter flavor, it may be used in lieu of escarole. It’s perfect for spaghetti and pizza toppings.

To replace escarole, use an equivalent quantity of radicchio, which tastes virtually identical to the former. Simply add a little quantity at a time, taste, and adjust as needed until you obtain the desired flavor.

Chinese Spinach

The Chinese Spinach is only found in Western and Central Asia. It is a green flowering plant that is used as a component in various meals due to the many nutrients it provides. It may easily substitute escarole in a variety of cuisines.

Although the flavor is somewhat different, Chinese spinach may be a decent substitute for escarole. You may also add curly endive to the mix to get the required taste.

Spinach

Spinach, the standard type, is perhaps the most flexible of all possibilities. While it has a somewhat bitter flavor, its adaptability enables you to use it in place of escarole in almost any cuisine. Spinach is not only adaptable, but it is also very nutritious, making it a true superfood.

Spinach may be cooked or served as a side dish. It’s also delicious in salads, stews, soups, and casseroles. Spinach is also delicious with eggs, cottage cheese, salmon, and butter. As a result, it may be used in lieu of escarole in equivalent proportions.

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard, also known as silverbeet, spinach beet, and leaf beet, is a tasty side dish vegetable. It takes a little longer to cook, but once done, it may be used to spaghetti, pizza, and risotto in the same way as escarole can.

In the Mediterranean, Swiss chard is a popular vegetable. This is mostly owing to the many nutrients it provides, as well as its versatility.

Frisee

Frise is a common ingredient in side dishes and salads. Its leaves are delicious when combined with baby greens. The vegetable earned its name from its curled, thin, and fuzzy leaves.

Use a 1:1 substitution for escarole in your recipe. However, before adding additional frise, experiment with a tiny quantity to observe how it influences the taste of the meal.

Mustard Greens

Mustard greens, which are related to escarole, have a similar toasty flavor. It tastes like cabbage and radish, but the mustard greens are a little spicy.

When substituting mustard greens for escarole, use a 1:1 ratio. You may make adjustments based on the taste you wish to obtain.

Bok Choy

Bok choy stems, like escarole stems, are delicious and healthy, making it an ideal substitution for the latter in many dishes.

The taste comes from the delicate, drab green leaves. Bok choy enhances the taste of your side dish when combined with green onions, fresh ginger, aromatics, and various sauces.

Use a bunch of bok choy for every bunch of fresh chopped escarole in a meal to replace it. When used in a soup, be sure to fully cook the food.

Collard Greens

The word collard greens refers to the loose-leafed Brassica oleracea varieties that are comparable to broccoli and cabbage. Collard greens are also an excellent escarole alternative.

Collard greens, which are popular in South American cuisines, are best used in salads but may also be used as a savory side dish when sautéed with garlic. When replacing escarole, use a 1:1 replacement ratio.

Beet Greens

Beet greens are not only comparable to escarole in taste, but they also have incredible nutritional advantages. Beet green leaves, which are related to Swiss chards, are likewise edible and have a similar surface and flavor to the former.

Beet greens may need rapid boiling to retain their nutrients during cooked. The vegetable is popular in North African and Asian cuisines. In certain regions of Europe, beet greens are also used in lasagna.

When you have complete beet green leaves, replace one beet green leaf for every one or two escaroles. If your beet greens have been cut, however, use the 1:1 substitute ratio.

Romaine Lettuce

Romaine Lettuce, a kind of head lettuce with long, dark green leaves, is a good substitute for escarole in many mixed green recipes. It is high in nutrients and goes well with sandwiches.

It is high in vitamins A and C, as well as folic acid. Because Romaine lettuce is low in calories, you may use as much as you like in your recipes without feeling bad.

To replace escarole with Romaine lettuce, split the leaves in half or cleave them. The sweet and floral tastes will benefit from this. Use three Romaine lettuce leaves in place of one escarole leaf in your recipe.

Lovage

Lovage is a member of the parsley family that is native to the southern Mediterranean and Central Asia. It is mostly used in cooking for its aroma and taste, making it an excellent alternative for escarole.

Loveage leaves are as bitter as escarole. The stems and leaves may be substituted for escarole in any recipe. You may add extra flavor to your cuisine by using fresh leaves. Escarole may also be substituted with dried leaves and seeds.

Use an equal quantity of lovage to the amount of escarole called for in the recipe. Simply add the lovage gently, tasting the meal as you go. This way, you won’t overload the food.

Iceberg Lettuce

If you are not getting enough variety of veggies in your diet, iceberg lettuce is a fantastic approach to supplement your nutrients. Because of its soft and sweet flavor, as well as its wonderful crunch, it provides a lovely touch to recipes.

Although it is not as healthful as other lettuce kinds, it is high in folate and vitamins A and K. It is more effective in salads than with cooked foods. It’s a wonderful escarole substitute, particularly if you want some crunch in your recipes.

To use as a replacement for escarole, gradually add the leaves. As you proceed, taste the food and add more as needed until it has the desired flavor. A stalk of escarole may typically be replaced with one or two leaves of iceberg lettuce.

Broccoli

Broccoli, a delicious green vegetable from the cabbage family, with a huge flowering head. Its tail-related small leaves are eaten as a vegetable.

Broccoli is a healthy alternative to escarole in meals, particularly since it tackles escarole’s most prevalent complaint: that it softens and gets a nasty texture when cooked.

Broccoli retains its hard crunch and shape even when roasted or cooked with other high-heat methods. The florets may be bleached for use as a side dish or in baked recipes, and they give a harsh, gritty flavor to major dishes.

To replace escarole, use 1 bunch fresh broccoli pieces for 1 bunch fresh escarole. Allow some time to finish cooking the meal for the finest results.