I have a thing for roasted grapes. Which is why this is the fourth recipe on my blog now that features roasted grapes. I just love the way that a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky salt and 20 minutes in a 400° oven transforms grapes into soft, supple orbs of concentrated grapey goodness. So every year, when the grapes start ripening in late August, my mind starts churning through ideas of what to pair roasted grapes with. This year, I had the vision to combine my beloved roasted grapes with fennel, radicchio and the creamiest vegan ricotta. This roasted grape, fennel & radicchio salad is just beyond & I am so excited to be sharing it with you all!
ingredient rundown
RADICCHIO: a type of chicory that is known for its beautiful color, tender bite, and its bitter flavor. We love the way the bitterness plays off of the sweet roasted grapes and fennel white balsamic reduction this recipe calls for. But if chicories are not your thing, feel free to substitute with red butter lettuce.
FENNEL: fennel bulbs are one of my very favorite ingredients. When sliced thin and roasted, fennel becomes soft and caramelized.
ROASTED GRAPES: not all grapes are meant for roasting, in my humble opinion. Dark-colored grapes are the best for roasting. Here I am using a variety called “Thomcord” – which is a cross between Thompson & Concord grapes. They are basically seedless concord grapes that are just a bit lighter in color and they are amazing!
CREAMY VEGAN RICOTTA: I wanted to create a vegan cheese that rivaled the texture of the stracciatella and cream that is inside a ball of burrata cheese. By simply combining vegan ricotta & vegan cream cheese, you get the dreamiest, creamy vegan cheese that truly rivals the iconic texture burrata filling. My favorite brand of vegan ricotta & cream cheese is made by Kite Hill.
CASTELVETRANO OLIVES: meaty, buttery, and mild-flavored – castelvetrano olives are an incredible addition to this salad. Not to mention, their beautiful green shade is the perfect pop of color against the rich-toned radicchio leaves & roasted grapes.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: there’s nothing quite like it. I use it for basically everything (as Greeks do) and it is the ingredient that brings all of these elements together.
FENNEL WHITE BALSAMIC REDUCTION: I highly recommend making your own white balsamic reduction because it is seriously AMAZING (this is the second recipe on the blog featuring it!) For this salad, I infused the white balsamic reduction with fennel seeds to build on the flavor of the caramelized fennel. If fennel seeds are not your thing feel free to use a fresh sprig of thyme or rosemary ;)
And finally…FLAKY SALT: flaky salt, specifically Maldon salt, is hands down the best salt for finishing a dish. And if you are wondering if it is worth it, yes, it is totally worth it!
seasonal salad love
This roasted grape, fennel & radicchio salad is a beautiful tribute to the season. The flavors are perfect for each other and it helps that they make for such a gorgeous display!
The rich hues of the radicchio & roasted grapes contrasted with the earthy green olives & golden caramelized fennel create a color palette that makes my heart happy. A celebration of the season, as summer fades to fall – this salad is everything I am loving at the moment.
ROASTED GRAPE, FENNEL & RADICCHIO SALAD
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD:
- 1 lb. grapes (I recommend a dark type of grape)
- 1 large fennel bulb, sliced in thin wedges (tough core removed from each wedge, while still leaving wedge intact)
- 1 head of radicchio, leaves separated & torn into bite size pieces
- 1/2 cup castelvetrano olives, pitted & torn into pieces
FOR THE VEGAN BURRATA RICOTTA:
- 8 oz. vegan cream cheese
- 8 oz. vegan ricotta
- extra virgin olive oil
- flaky salt
FOR THE FENNEL WHITE BALSAMIC REDUCTION:
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup agave (substitute honey if not vegan)
- 1 tsp slightly crushed fennel seeds
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F & line two quarter sheet pans with parchment paper
- Arrange grapes onto one of the parchment lined sheet pans, drizzle grapes with olive oil & season with a pinch of salt.
- Arrange thinly sliced fennel slices on the other parchment lined sheet pan, drizzle fennel with olive oil & season with a pinch of salt.
- Roast grapes & fennel in the oven.
- While the grapes & fennel roast start the white balsamic reduction. Add white vinegar, agave & fennel seeds to a small saucepan & whisk to combine
- Cook over medium heat until the liquid comes to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced to about 1/3 up. The mixture should be thickened and coat a spoon when adequately reduced. Pour the reduction into a small dish and reserve.
- Remove the grapes after 20-25 minutes. They should have started to release their juices and the skin will look wrinkly.
- Continue roasting the fennel for another 10 minutes, until it has softened and looks slightly caramelized.
- While the grapes and fennel cool, mix the vegan ricotta & vegan cream cheese together in a bowl until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Arrange the torn radicchio onto a large platter. Drizzle the radicchio with extra virgin olive oil. Add caramelized fennel over the top of the radicchio.
- Next, add dollops of the vegan burrata ricotta (you should have about 1/2 of the bowl left over). Add the roasted grapes & olives.
- Drizzle the finished salad with the fennel white balsamic reduction & garnish with flaky salt.
Notes
*I like to roast the grapes while they are still attached to the vine. It is very easy to remove them from the vine after they are roasted. You can serve them still attached to the vine for a beautiful presentation, you & those you serve will just have to slip them off of the vine with their fork before diving in to eat!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
more grape recipes:
ROASTED GRAPE & HALLOUMI SALAD
Bella-I’m off to the market in a few minutes and can’t wait to pick up all these ingredients to make this dish! It looks spectacular!!!
That makes me so freaking happy Carolyn! I cannot wait to hear what you think! ;)
Gorgeous photos Bella and what a wonderful flavor combination!
Thank you Marilena! It is so delicious <3
Absolutely gorgeous photos!! Is this the Latte Marble backdrop from Capture by Lucy? I’m looking into trying some of her backdrops and this is one of the ones I had my eye on! :)
Thank you! Yes, this is the latte marble! It is one of my very favorites!
Absolutely STUNNING images Bella!!!
THE DAY that you posted this blog post my wifey made your recipe for us, it was out of this world AMAZING!!
That is so wonderful! Thank you for letting me know how much you guys enjoyed it!
…….BOTH times, we ate it back to back at the same sitting, could NOT get enough of it!!!
AMAZING! That makes me so happy!
you husband is a TRUE genius coming up with the “vegan burrata ricotta”, it literally has my household HOOKED on this genius salad with that unrivaled vegan creaminess!!
I will let him know you said that!
Dare I even whisper the title “S-A-V-A-N-T” for his “vegan burrata ricotta”?!?!?!? YES I DO!!! It is THAT unbelievably A-M-A-Z-I-N-G-!!!!!!!!! And we just LOVE that it is vegan, we feel so light after eating it yet perfectly blissed out and satisfied!!! Tell him “a thousand thank you’s” from a fellow Greek, he’ll know that translation and idiom I AM SURE!!!
Hahaha! Of course, you would say that! So happy you guys love it! A thousand you’re welcomes ;)
I can’t wait to try this recipe, Bella! I’ve got all of the ingredients, and I’ll be making it this weekend. Your photography is stunning!
Oh yay! I am so honored that you are making my recipe! Thank you so much Emily!
The flavors of this salad bring me back to Tuscany. Absolutely loved it.
That makes me so happy Mikaela! SO happy you tried it!
I crave this salad. I have made it several times and have been ordered by friends to make it for Thanksgiving. Today, I only had kalamata olives, concord grapes and romaine in the icebox so I tried that with a honey mustard vinaigrette and it was great! I would have never tried olives and grapes in a salad except the picture was so pretty and now it has become my new favorite thing. Thank you Bella! You are a genius!
Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave me a comment Marcia! I could not be happier that you and your friends have fallen in love with my recipe! I am so honored that it will be a part of your Thanksgiving celebration as welL! Thank you again!
I made a radicchio with pickled radicchio Burrata salad with sourdough bread, breadcrumbs, and felt it was a bit bitter, so googled radicchio salad with grapes and found this remarkable recipe. Bravo with a flavor combinations! It’s perfect! Can’t wait to discover more on your blog. Bella!
Yay! So happy you discovered my blog through this recipe – it really is such a wonderful combination of flavors & the sweetness is so welcome against the bitterness of the radicchio.