What Is Frisee?

Some of you may have heard of chicory, endives or escarole, but what are frisee? Frisee (free-ZAY) are curly endives with pale-green or yellowish leaves and is sometimes called curly endives or chicory. However, unlike some endives, frisée does not have a torpedo shaped leaf. Instead, the frisee are rather shaggy and bushy and are similar to but has smaller leaves than escarole. 

In the U.S. and France, we call this "frisee" while in the U.K. they call this "endives."  Frisee can also be mistaken for a type of lettuce, however, this endive is not a part of the lettuce family and is actually a part of the chicory family but are frequently used in salads. The frisee has a slightly bitter flavor which is noticeably milder than all other endives such as radicchio or Belgian endives and pairs nicely with a sweet or fruity salad dressing.

The frisee also contains beneficial nutrients such as folic acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and manganese. Vitamin A supports a healthy eyesight and also acts as an antioxidant, whereas Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant for immune health. Vitamin K is vital for blood clotting and also helps promote bone health. It's safe to say that although the frisee has a pepper and bitter taste, it is a key benefit to our health.

Below, you can find more information on what frisee is;

Alfaro, D. (2020, October 11). How frisée relates to chicory, curly endive, and Escarole. The Spruce Eats. https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-frisee-995686