Radicchio

Radicchio is a leafy chicory with a striking appearance — tight, round or elongated heads of deep burgundy leaves with bright white veins. Its flavour is distinctly bitter, with a peppery edge that mellows considerably when cooked.

Raw, radicchio adds colour and a sharp bite to salads, pairing well with sweet elements like pear, balsamic vinegar, or honey-based dressings. It’s also excellent grilled, roasted, or charred — heat caramelises its natural sugars and softens the bitterness into something rich and complex. Halved heads brushed with olive oil and grilled are a classic side dish.

Several varieties exist, with the round Chioggia type and the elongated Treviso type being the most common. Radicchio is grown in Australia and is widely available in supermarkets and greengrocers, particularly through the cooler months.

Farmed
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Radicchio is grown as a cool-season crop, sown from seed into well-prepared soil. Some varieties undergo a forcing process where the heads are harvested, trimmed, and placed in dark conditions with their roots in water to encourage the growth of tender, colourful inner leaves. The outer leaves are removed and the tight inner head is what’s sold at market.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 22kcal
Protein 1.3g
Carbs 2.9g
Fat 0.1g
Fibre 2.1g Sugar 2.2g
Mass Distribution

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈0.5kg
Freshwater ≈130L
Land ≈0.4

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

In the kitchen

Used as

bitter salad leaf

Classic dishes
  • Radicchio Risotto
  • Grilled Radicchio
  • Italian Bitter Leaf Salad

Keeping it

In the fridge: 14–21 days.

Advice from Cubud’s own keeping notes — how to keep it, not a measured number.

Keeping one at home? Track yours in your cubud →

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

Analytical (Atwater Imputation)

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Where to next

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