Stuffed Endive Appetizer with Blue Cheese and Apple

This no cook, no fuss Stuffed Endive Appetizer recipe features Belgian endive filled with Granny Smith apples, chunks of blue cheese, pistachios, and an orange honey dressing. Plus, it requires only 15 minutes of prep!

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So here we are again. New Year’s Eve. Ugh. Does anyone even like this holiday? Like actually truly enjoy it?

I’m not the biggest fan of NYE. Probably because of the inevitable letdown I’ll feel tomorrow. Goodbye, Christmas tree and lights. Hello, sub zero temps and four more months of winter!

Still, a girl’s gotta eat to ring in the New Year. And since I do run a food blog after all, I decided to whip up a fancy schmancy Belgian endive hors d’oeuvre for all you party people.

But here’s the kicker. This dish LOOKS super fancy, but it takes only 15 minutes to prepare! Even less if you’re a fast chopper.

Besides the minimal prep time, here’s why you’ll love this Stuffed Endive Appetizer:

• Melt-in-your-mouth blue cheese is a perfect companion to tart Granny Smith apples and rich, earthy pistachios. I’m telling you, this combo is the BOMB. I ate several spoonfuls of it while I was shooting the photos for this recipe.
• It requires ZERO cooking. AKA it’s perfect for when your friends say they’re coming over in 15 minutes.
• How often do you eat endive? I mean, come on, probably not that much. And that’s a shame, because endive is so delicious!

And since it really is a lesser-known vegetable, let me give you some fast facts about endive.

What is Belgian Endive?

Part of the Chicory family, Belgian endive is a cylindrical vegetable with pale yellow leaves and a mildly bitter flavor. The bottoms of endive leaves are crunchy, while the tops are tender.

The shape and texture of endive makes it perfect to stuff for an appetizer! But you can also make it into a salad (see my Endive Orange Salad with Tahini Dressing for an example) or bake it (like in my Roasted Endive with Honey and Pine Nuts).

Is Belgian Endive good for you?

Endive is a source of fiber and several vitamins and minerals. In particular, it’s loaded with vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin that’s critical for proper blood clotting and bone health.

So, yes, stuffed endive is actually good for you too!!

How to Make a Stuffed Endive Appetizer

• Peel off each endive leaf and place them on a serving tray.
• In large bowl, combine the diced apples, pistachios, and blue cheese. Pour the dressing on top.
• Fill each endive with a spoonful of the stuffing. Top with chopped fresh mint.

Expert Tips

• Store endive in a dark area, such as in a brown paper bag, in the fridge so that it stays fresh before making this recipe.
• Look for heads of endive that have fairly large leaves that are big enough to stuff with filling.
• You may want to use your knife to carefully shave some of the back part of each leaf. This will help the leaves stay flat on the serving tray.
• This recipe is best enjoyed shortly after preparing, since the leaves can get soggy over time.
• If you don’t have the patience to stuff endive, just chop it all up and make a salad!

More Stuffed Veggie Recipes

• Buffalo Chickpea Salad Celery Sticks
• Vegetarian Italian Stuffed Peppers
• Lentil Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Chickpea Salad Cucumber Boats

Looking for another veggie appetizer while you’re here? Check out the Healthy Cucumber Canapes with Whipped Feta.

I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.

📖 Recipe

Cheers to a happy and healthy 2020!

Lizzie