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Italian Escarole is sautéed in extra virgin olive oil with garlic, then tossed with crunchy, toasted pine nuts and plump, sweet raisins. A nutritional powerhouse with amazing textures and flavors that comes together quickly in a few short steps. Enjoy this festive, vegan side dish for the holidays or any time of year!
Escarole, a.k.a., “scarola” in Italian and “schka-roll” in my family, is a staple vegetable in Italian-American households, especially in the northeast US where you can generally access this vegetable year-round. It’s also very popular in Italy, particularly in Rome and the surrounding areas. Sautéed escarole is a common side dish in both Neapolitan and Sicilian cooking.
This dark leafy green is the star ingredient in three of the most popular recipes here on my website: Italian Wedding Soup with Mini Meatballs, Greens and Beans and Escarole and Cannellini Bean Soup.
This sweet-and-savory Italian Escarole is a true Sicilian-inspired version of sautéed greens. Think garlicky greens sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil with crunchy pine nuts and plumped, sweet raisins. Mamma Mia!
For a few other recipes inspired by the flavors of la cucina Siciliana, check out Sautéed Cauliflower, Eggplant “Meatballs”, Pesto Trapanese, Pasta with Tuna Sauce, Pasta alla Norma, Sicilian Stuffed Eggplant, Cucuzza Soup, Escarole with Pine Nuts and Raisins and Ricotta Cheesecake with Almonds and Orange.
What is Escarole?
Escarole is an incredibly hearty, leafy green that’s in the chicory family (same family as endive). It has a soft bitterness but is much milder than some of its green cousins like broccoli rabe, dandelion, kale and endive. In fact, escarole loses a good amount of its bitterness and becomes more mild tasting as it cooks. It can be eaten raw and is actually delicious in salads, but also holds up well to longer cooking techniques and braising.
Sometimes escarole is labeled as or referred to as broad-leaf endive, Bavarian endive, Batavian endive, scarola or scarole. For more information about this versatile green, check out this article called “What Is Escarole, and How Is It Eaten?”
In this dish, the escarole is steamed briefly in its residual rinsing liquid, then simply sautéed in garlic and olive oil, much like Sautéed Broccoli Rabe.
The difference here is that two very classic Sicilian ingredients are added to the sautéed greens, increasing its Italian-ness: raisins and pine nuts. These ingredients round out the dish perfectly in texture, color, aroma and flavor–the raisins adding sweetness and the pine nuts adding nuttiness–a true feast for the senses!
Pine nuts and raisins are also used in this Sicilian Pasta with Cauliflower recipe.
This Italian Escarole recipe is naturally gluten- and dairy-free and vegan and able to be enjoyed by everyone. It’s a nutritious and festive way to round out your holiday menus but is also simple enough to be made regularly. Hope you give it a try. Mangia bene!
Ingredients
- Escarole: Choose full, heavy escarole heads with crisp, bright green, fresh-looking leaves without yellow spots or blemishes. The leaves should not be wilted. Escarole heads are all different weights and sizes. This recipe used one very large head that was just over 2 pounds. You may find smaller heads and, therefore, need to use more than one in this recipe.
- Olive Oil: Use a quality extra virgin olive oil for sautéing to make this dish extra delicious!
- Raisins and Pine Nuts: These are both quintessential Sicilian ingredients that add texture and flavor to the dish. Raisins bring a sweetness to the slightly bitter green and are soaked briefly in wine vinegar to rehydrate and plump them. Pine nuts (a.k.a., pignoli in Italian) add a special nuttiness. Pine nuts are very pricey these days, so can be either eliminated from the recipe, if necessary, or substituted with chopped almonds, walnuts or pistachios.
- Garlic: No explanation necessary! Other than to say, use as much or as little as you want and please do ot use the prechopped garlic as it has an unpleasant taste. Fresh is best!
- Wine Vinegar: Use to rehydrate the raisins, the vinegar also cuts down on escarole’s bitterness a bit. Either red or white wine vinegar can be used.
How to Prepare Sautéed Italian Escarole
- First, prep and rinse the escarole. Remove any damaged or wilted outer leaves. Then, use a sharp knife to make a 3 to 4 cuts along the length of the leaves, turning the escarole once or twice (with the root end still intact). Then, make horizontal cuts to break the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Cut the root end off and discard.
- Next, place the cut escarole leaves in a large bowl to soak and thoroughly remove all dirt and grit. Shaking and move the leaves around in the water to make sure all the sand and dirt is removed. You might have to do this a couple times.
- Once the escarole is free of dirt, place it in a colander to drain off excess liquid. No need to pat the leaves dry as the residual liquid that that clings to the escarole will help steam it in the sauté pan.
- PRO-TIP: Be sure to lift the escarole up out of the water (leaving the dirt behind) as opposed to pouring both the escarole and water directly into a colander, which may cause the escarole to retain dirt.)
- Rehydrate the raisins: Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour the vinegar over them, letting them sit about 15 minutes until rehydrated and plump. Drain raisins before using.
- Toast pine nuts: Place pine nuts in a small, dry skillet that fits them easily in a single layer over medium-low heat. Stir them occasionally until they are golden-brown and have a nutty aroma. This will only take a couple of minutes.
- PRO-TIP: Pine nuts will burn very quickly, so do not walk away from the stove when doing this!
- Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Then, add half the prepped and cleaned escarole. Cover and let the greens reduce, stirring a couple times. This should take a few minutes.
- Once reduced, add a big pinch of salt and stir. Then add the remaining prepped escarole to the pan and cover again for a few minutes. Cook until the escarole leaves are tender, stirring occasionally.
- PRO-TIP: There should be enough residual liquid in the greens from the rinsing process to steam/cook them. If there isn’t, add a little bit of water to the pan.
- Once the escarole is tender, remove it from the pan and pour off any remaining liquid.
- Add the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and crushed red pepper (if including). Cook until the garlic starts to brown lightly, taking care not to burn it.
- Drain the cooked escarole and add it back to the pan with the garlic to sauté it. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and stir a few times, making sure that the escarole is coated in the olive oil.
- Turn the heat off, fold in the reserved pine nuts and raisins, and serve immediately. That’s it!
More Italian-Inspired Vegetables
- Baked Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Breadcrumbs
- Marinated Grilled Eggplant
- Pesto Roasted Vegetables
- Ciambotta ~ Italian Vegetable Stew
- Steakhouse Creamed Spinach
- Green Beans in Tomato Sauce
- Roasted Zucchini with Mint and Vinegar
- Roasted Eggplant with Crispy Garlic and Herbs
- Sauteed Bell Peppers with Olives and Capers
Frequently Asked Questions about Italian Escarole
Choose full, heavy escarole heads with crisp, bright green, fresh-looking leaves without yellow spots or blemishes. The leaves should not be wilted.
Store uncooked escarole heads in the refrigerator in a loose plastic bag for up to 3 days.
Yes. To save time when cooking, store the prepped and cleaned escarole in the fridge for 1 to 2 days prior to cooking it. But, be sure to either put it in a salad spinner and/or let it air dry/pat it dry before doing so. Plus, put a couple paper towels in the bag with it to absorb residual liquid and to prevent wilting.
Yes. Escarole loses a good amount of its bitterness and becomes more mild tasting as it cooks in general. But, to remove even more (but not all) of its bitterness, you can blanch (boil) the escarole first.
As an alternative to the one-pan method that I used in the recipe below for cooking the escarole, blanch it in salted boiling water for about 1 minutes after the water comes back to a boil, then plunge it into ice water (or rinse under very cold water) to stop the cooking process. Then, drain well and squeeze out excess liquid. Then, proceed with the sautéing step.
TOP TIPS FOR SAUTÉED ITALIAN ESCAROLE
- Escarole: Escarole tends to collect dirt and sand inside its leaves, so it’s important to clean it well. You may need to soak it in a large bowl of cold water a few times to do this properly. Be sure to lift the escarole up out of the water (leaving the dirt behind) as opposed to pouring both the escarole and water directly into a colander, which may cause the escarole to retain dirt.
- Prep Escarole in Advance: To save time when cooking, store the prepped and cleaned escarole in the fridge for 1 to 2 days prior to cooking it. But, be sure to either put it in a salad spinner and/or let it air dry/pat it dry before doing so. Plus, put a couple paper towels in the bag with it to absorb residual liquid and to prevent wilting.
- Recipe Substitutions: If you need a substitute for escarole, try spinach, Swiss chard or Tuscan kale. Also, as pine nuts are very pricey these days, they can be either eliminated from the recipe, if necessary, or substituted with chopped almonds, walnuts or pistachios.
- Recipe Variations: This one-pan sautéing technique and recipe can be used for other dark leafy greens as well, such as swiss chard, spinach and lacinato/Tuscan kale. In addition, try out these other ideas:
- Leave the pine nuts and raisins out for a more simple, basic version of sautéed escarole with garlic.
- Add 2-4 anchovy filets to the pan along with the garlic for a punch of brininess and umani.
- Switch the raisins and pine nuts out for olives and capers.
- Serving Suggestions: Italian Escarole a versatile side dish that pairs with lots of entrée. Some of my favorites are Baked Ziti, Steak Pizzaiola, Baked Chicken Cutlets, Roasted Turkey Breast and Roasted Italian Sausage. You can also use these sautéed greens as a meal building block–toss them with pasta, stir them into brothy beans or top off your favorite protein bowl with them. Or, just enjoy them with some crusty Italian bread!
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave until heated through.
More Great Recipes to Try
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Sautéed Italian Escarole
Equipment
- Large Skillet (or Dutch Oven)
Ingredients
- Approx. 2 pounds escarole (1 to 2 heads 2 depending on size)
- ½ cup raisins (black or golden)
- ⅓ cup red or white wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2-3 Tbsp chopped garlic
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- To Taste salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients according to specifications above.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Then, prep and rinse the escarole. First, remove any damaged or wilted outer leaves. Then, use a sharp knife to make a 3 to 4 cuts along the length of the leaves, turning the escarole once or twice (with the root end still intact). Then, make horizontal cuts to break the leaves into bite-sized pieces. (See the photos above.) Cut the root end off and discard.Approx. 2 pounds escarole
- Next, place the cut escarole leaves in a large bowl to soak and thoroughly remove all dirt and grit. Shaking and move the leaves around in the water to make sure all the sand and dirt is removed. You might have to do this a couple times.
- Once the escarole is free of dirt, place it in a colander to drain off excess liquid. No need to pat the leaves dry as the residual liquid that that clings to the escarole will help steam it in the sauté pan.(NOTE: Be sure to lift the escarole up out of the water (leaving the dirt behind) as opposed to pouring both the escarole and water directly into a colander, which may cause the escarole to retain dirt.)
- Rehydrate the raisins: Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour the vinegar over them, letting them sit about 15 minutes until rehydrated and plump. (Water can also be used in a pinch.) This can be done several hours in advance and held at room temperature. Drain raisins before using.½ cup raisins, ⅓ cup red or white wine vinegar
- Toast pine nuts: Place pine nuts in a small, dry skillet that fits them easily in a single layer over medium-low heat. Stir them occasionally until they are golden-brown and have a nutty aroma. This will only take a couple of minutes. Pine nuts will burn very quickly, so do not walk away from the stove when doing this! Set aside.⅓ cup pine nuts
- Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Then, add half the prepped and cleaned escarole. Cover and let the greens reduce, stirring a couple times. This should take a few minutes.
- Once reduced, add a big pinch of salt and stir. Then add the remaining prepped escarole to the pan and cover again for a few minutes. Cook until the escarole leaves are tender, stirring occasionally. (NOTE: There should be enough residual liquid in the greens from the rinsing process to steam/cook them. If there isn’t, add a little bit of water to the pan.)
- Once the escarole is tender, remove it from the pan and pour off any remaining liquid. Add the remining 2 Tbsp olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and crushed red pepper (if including). Cook until the garlic starts to brown lightly, taking care not to burn it.2-3 Tbsp chopped garlic, Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Drain the cooked escarole and add it back to the pan with the garlic to sauté it. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and stir a few times, making sure that the escarole is coated in the olive oil.To Taste salt and black pepper
- Turn the heat off, fold in the reserved pine nuts and raisins, and serve immediately. (Reserve some pine nuts and raisins to serve on top, if desired.) Buon Appetito!
Notes
- Escarole heads are all different weights and sizes. This recipe used one very large head that was just over 2 pounds. You may find smaller heads and, therefore, need to use more than one in this recipe.
- Escarole tends to collect dirt and sand inside its leaves, so it’s important to clean it well. You may need to soak it in a large bowl of cold water a few times to do this properly. Be sure to lift the escarole up out of the water (leaving the dirt behind) as opposed to pouring both the escarole and water directly into a colander, which may cause the escarole to retain dirt.
- Store uncooked escarole heads in the refrigerator in a loose plastic bag for up to 3 days.
- To save time when cooking, store the prepped and cleaned escarole in the fridge for 1 to 2 days prior to cooking it. But, be sure to either put it in a salad spinner and/or let it air dry/pat it dry before doing so. Plus, put a couple paper towels in the bag with it to absorb residual liquid and to prevent wilting.
- As an alternative to the one-pan method that I used here for cooking the escarole, you can blanch it in salted boiling water for about 1 minutes after the water comes back to a boil, then plunge it into ice water (or rinse under very cold water) to stop the cooking process. Then, drain well and squeeze out excess liquid. Proceed with the sautéing step. You can also store the blanched and rained escarole in the fridge for a couple days prior to sautéing. (The blanching step will remove some of escarole’s bitterness.)
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave until heated through.
