Radicchio Delivery or Pickup

Radicchio is a staple of fall and winter meals. This type of chicory boasts a bright magenta hue, and it offers a flavorful touch to salads, soups, and more.

A member of the sunflower family, chicories are closely related to endives. In fact, the names for those categories can get confusing depending on where you live. What you know as endive in the United States is called chicory in other places. Chicories like radicchio are a lot like lettuce, but they are heartier and a bit more bitter than regular lettuce.

You'll find a variety of radicchio types. Most types of radicchio are named for the area in Italy where they typically grow. A few types of radicchio even have protected geographical indication, known as Indicazione Geografica Protetta or IGP. The IGP label guarantees that:

Radicchio Rossi di Chioggia, commonly called Chioggia Radicchio, is one of the most popular kinds of radicchio in the United States. That makes it easy to find and use in your recipes. Chioggia keeps particularly well, so you can store it for weeks in your refrigerator if you need to do so. The rounded radicchio looks a lot like a small head of cabbage.

Radicchio Rossi di Treviso, or simply Treviso Radicchio, is also commonly available in the U.S. This type of radicchio is milder than Chioggia and boasts a more elongated shape. Treviso Tardivo Radicchio comes from the same Treviso plant but has unique long and slender leaves, thanks to a forced second growth. That late-harvest radicchio looks a bit like an octopus and delivers a strong, bitter flavor.

Radicchio di Castelfranco, or Castelfranco Radicchio, has an unusual shape and blanched yellow leaves with red flecks. That gives insight into this prized radicchio's nicknames: winter rose and orchid lettuce.

Look for radicchio that appears crisp when picking out radicchio to eat. Before you use it, remove any wilting leaves. Beautiful red radicchio looks browner once you cook it, but that's completely normal.

Although radicchio is best in the cooler months of the year, you can find radicchio at any time. Just keep in mind that the trademark bitter flavors will be more evident in warmer months.

Radicchio keeps best when you loosely wrap it in a perforated bag or plastic before storing it in a cold place. The vegetable drawer in your refrigerator will work well. Radicchio will stay good for at least a week, often longer, when you store it this way.

You can place a whole bright red leaf in a salad for a beautiful appearance. However, you can also obtain a sweeter taste by splitting the radicchio head in half before shredding it finely on the diagonal. Pro-tip — don't throw out the upper, tender part of the root right below the leaves' base. That portion is quite tasty. You can also sliver your radicchio in fine slices before dressing it a little before you serve it. Olive oil, wine vinegar, and salt offer a simple yet delicious dressing.