Pear, Walnut, and Endive Appetizer (So Easy!)

This Pear, Walnut, and Endive Appetizer is perfect for holiday parties! Think of this endive recipe as cute little handheld salad bites that you can customize to your liking. You’ll love that these endive cups look elegant, yet are super simple to prepare.

Creating This Stuffed Endive Appetizer

This is the first year in a long time that I won’t host Thanksgiving at my house. A few years back we did have Thanksgiving at my Dad’s, but I was still the host in terms of the person in charge of the menu planning and all the cooking.

I didn’t mind. I actually like preparing Thanksgiving dinner.

With that said, after a pretty busy year it will be a nice change of pace to be a guest somewhere else. And it is the perfect opportunity to try out some new appetizers as my contribution to the big meal.

With all of the focus on the big deal meals of Thanksgiving and Christmas and all of the fun holiday baking, appetizer recipes are something that usually end up forgotten for me.

Appetizers usually have to be a conscious decision for me.

Mental note: You need to experiment with some new Holiday Appetizers. Or something like that.

I tested out these simple endive appetizer bites. I think they’re a new family favorite!

What Is Endive?

Endive is a type of leafy green that comes from part of the chicory family. When enjoyed raw, fresh endive is very crisp and has a slightly bitter flavor.

They have smaller leaves that make perfect little endive boats that you can fill with a variety of ingredients to make simple appetizers.

What Does Endive Taste Like?

Raw endive has a mildly bitter flavor that pairs well with sweet flavors, like the apple and pear used in this particular recipe. Once cooked, endive’s bitterness mellows out and it tastes nuttier.

Ingredients for the Endive Appetizer Bites

Think of this simple holiday season appetizer as a little handheld endive blue cheese salad – there are 3 components: honey walnuts, a simple vinaigrette, and the endive fruit filling.

For this stuffed endive recipe, you’ll need just the following ingredients:

• Walnuts
• Honey
• Dijon Mustard
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Lemon Juice
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Shallot
• Belgian Endive Leaves
• D’Anjou Pear
• Honey Crisp Apple
• Pomegranate Arils
• Fresh Parsley
• Blue Cheese

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this endive recipe, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Endive Appetizer Bites

I think they’re perfect for this time of year with the delicious seasonal flavors of pear and cranberry. And you can assemble them literally minutes before serving them!

1. First, you’ll combine walnuts with honey and bake them.
2. While the walnuts cook, make a simple vinaigrette dressing.
3. Then, chop the fruit and combine it with some of the pomegranate and chopped parsley.
4. After that, assemble the appetizer by arranging the endive leaves on a platter and spooning the fruit mixture on top of the leaves. Then, drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with the walnuts and blue cheese.

The above is simply a quick summary of this endive appetizer recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Tips for Making Stuffed Endive Bites

Endive Appetizer FAQs

Got questions about how to make this endive recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Can endive be substituted?

For this particular recipe, the best endive substitute that I can recommend is radicchio. Radicchio is more bitter than endive, but it’s also very crisp and will deliver a similar texture.

How should I was the endive?

Remove the outer two to three leaves, then cut off the very bottom of the endive. From there, you should be able to separate the leaves easily.

Be sure to rinse the endive leaves until running tap water to remove any dirt. Gently pat the leaves dry so you don’t break them.

Can I use different fruit?

You can use all apples or all pears if you only have one or the other. I don’t recommend substituting canned pears as they are more mushy and much sweeter due to added sugar.

Can I Use Something Besides Blue Cheese?

A softer cheese is best for this recipe, in my opinion. If you don’t like blue cheese, I would suggest trying goat cheese in place, or simply leave the cheese off.

What can I substitute for pomegranate arils?

If you need a substitute for pomegranate seeds, you can try using dried cranberries instead; they will also provide a nice pop of flavor and color. Or, simply leave the pomegranate off.

Can I assemble this easy appetizer ahead of time?

I don’t recommend it. The apple and pear can brown if cut too early. If the endive appetizer is fully assembled too far in advance, the endive may wilt due to the dressing.

If you make some of the individual components in advance, these endive cups just require you to chop the fruit followed by a quick assembly right before serving.

How should store leftovers?

If you have leftovers of this endive appetizer, you should store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or wrap the serving platter in plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.

When to Serve this Endive Appetizer

The great thing about this endive recipe is that it looks unique and impressive, but it is so easy to prepare! These little bites make a wonderful appetizer for:

• dinner party
• cocktail party
• holiday party
• cheese tasting party
• wine night

Try this Endive Appetizer!

Next time you’re looking for an elegant appetizer that is easy to prepare, give these endive salad bites a try!

Did you think combination of pungent blue cheese with juicy fruit and endive lettuce was delicious? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this easy appetizer recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me @goodlifeeats #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this elegant dish!

More Easy Holiday Appetizers:

These small bites and dips are perfect for any Holiday appetizer spread and will go perfectly served alongside this recipe for Endive, Pear, and Walnut Appetizer.

Store-bought stuffing cubes are transformed into an easy but impressive appetizer in this Spinach Stuffing Balls recipe! Perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas!

This simple White Bean Bruschetta is a quick make-ahead appetizer to help simplify holiday entertaining and potlucks.

Spiced Pear and Pomegranate Crostini look far more special than a plate of fruit and cheese, but they’re really a cinch to prepare and they don’t require any special serving utensils.

This easy recipe for Garlic, Thyme, and Rosemary Marinated Olives is perfect for simple entertaining! They make a great easy appetizer idea for any party.

Serve this Marinated Feta Appetizer with crackers or crusty bread. In this recipe, feta cheese is marinated in olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic, lemon, and sun dried tomatoes for a delicious and simple appetizer.

In this Greek Puff Pastry Appetizer, puff pastry shells are baked and filled with a mixture of kalamata olives, red bell pepper, fresh oregano, feta, and spinach with a warm lemony olive oil vinaigrette.

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