: the developing crown of chicory when blanched for use as a vegetable or in salads by growing in darkness or semidarkness
called also endive, witloof
: chicory sense 1
also
: belgian endive
Examples of Belgian endive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Dr. Steven Gundry, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
There’s also a divine course of shredded Belgian endive served atop a swirling spinach and hibiscus sauce.
—Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2025
It’s smartly plated with a Belgian endive salad lightly dressed in a fresh herb pistou, which balanced the richness of the tart with a bright crispness, a ping-pong of flavor that was a dream way to kick off an exceptional dinner all around.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 3 Sep. 2024
Other options include Belgian endive, butterhead, Little Gem (such as Red Gem, Green Gem, red oak leaves, green oak leaves, Red Tango, Green Tango), or radicchio.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2024
Parmesan cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup), divided Crackers and Belgian endive leaves, for serving
Directions
Prepare oven and baking dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
—Karen Schroeder-Rankin, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2023
While chicory is also cultivated in the form of Belgian endive (the blanched, milky yellow root first harvested in Brussels in the 19th century) and puntarelle (spiny stalks famously beloved by Romans), radicchio is by far its most dramatic incarnation.
—Zoey Poll Kyoko Hamada, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2023
Radicchio, moving beyond its beauty and onto its identity, is a leafy chicory (as is pale Belgian endive and spiky, beguiling Catalonian puntarelle) and, fun fact to squirrel away for a future trivia game, a member of the Asteraceae family (a.k.a. the sunflower/daisy/aster family).
—Sarah Jampel, Bon Appétit, 1 Nov. 2021
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Noun
Chicory and bitter greens Popular in Italy and France, radicchio, Belgian endive, frisée and puntarelle are rich in inulin, which balances the gut microbiome.
—Dr. Steven Gundry, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
There’s also a divine course of shredded Belgian endive served atop a swirling spinach and hibiscus sauce.
—Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2025
It’s smartly plated with a Belgian endive salad lightly dressed in a fresh herb pistou, which balanced the richness of the tart with a bright crispness, a ping-pong of flavor that was a dream way to kick off an exceptional dinner all around.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 3 Sep. 2024
Other options include Belgian endive, butterhead, Little Gem (such as Red Gem, Green Gem, red oak leaves, green oak leaves, Red Tango, Green Tango), or radicchio.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2024
Parmesan cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup), divided Crackers and Belgian endive leaves, for serving
Directions
Prepare oven and baking dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
—Karen Schroeder-Rankin, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2023
While chicory is also cultivated in the form of Belgian endive (the blanched, milky yellow root first harvested in Brussels in the 19th century) and puntarelle (spiny stalks famously beloved by Romans), radicchio is by far its most dramatic incarnation.
—Zoey Poll Kyoko Hamada, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2023
Radicchio, moving beyond its beauty and onto its identity, is a leafy chicory (as is pale Belgian endive and spiky, beguiling Catalonian puntarelle) and, fun fact to squirrel away for a future trivia game, a member of the Asteraceae family (a.k.a. the sunflower/daisy/aster family).
—Sarah Jampel, Bon Appétit, 1 Nov. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Belgian endive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Belgian%20endive. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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