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Endive Salad Cups with Blue Cheese and Fresh Raspberries

These easy, elegant Endive Cups with Blue Cheese and Raspberries combine bright berries, creamy cheese, and crunchy nuts for a simple yet striking appetizer.

If you want an impressive starter, this Endive Salad is a winner. Serve on an appetizer or dessert buffet — it’s quick, versatile, and looks beautiful on the plate.

Endive Cups with Blue Cheese, Raspberries and Macadamia Nuts on a white plate.

Why You Must Make

  • Endive leaves make perfect little vessels for flavorful fillings — think of them as elegant, edible spoons.
  • This recipe pairs creamy blue cheese and cream cheese with juicy raspberries and toasted macadamia nuts for a wonderful balance of sweet, salty, and crunchy.
  • They’re easy to assemble, healthful, and stunning on a platter — great for parties or a light starter.

Ingredient Notes

  • Kitchen Staples – olive oil, salt.
  • Endive – 2 heads, leaves separated and trimmed if needed.
  • Blue Cheese – Maytag works well, but use your preferred variety; bring to room temperature for easier blending.
  • Cream Cheese – softened to room temperature so it mixes smoothly with the blue cheese.
  • Fresh Raspberries – ripe berries are best; substitute strawberries if raspberries are unavailable.
  • Macadamia Nuts – toasted and chopped for crunch; other nuts may be used instead.
  • Pomegranate Arils – optional, but they add color and a juicy pop.
  • Seedless Raspberry Jam – makes a smooth vinaigrette; press regular jam through a sieve to remove seeds if needed.
  • Dijon Mustard – helps emulsify the dressing.
  • Red Wine Vinegar – can be substituted with another vinegar if desired.
Overhead view of a star of Endive Cups with Blue Cheese, Raspberries and Macadamia Nuts.

May is National Salad Month

Fresh berries are a staple in my kitchen, enjoyed at breakfast and in desserts. When Driscoll’s partnered with California Endive Farms for National Salad Month, I welcomed the chance to feature bright, berry-forward salads. These endive cups highlight how a few simple, fresh ingredients can brighten a plate.

Endive Cups with Blue Cheese, Raspberries and Macadamia Nuts on a square white plate with a drizzle of vinaigrette.

Recipe Tips

These endive boats are simple to make but have a refined presentation.

  • PRO Tip: Soften the cream cheese and blue cheese for easy blending — leave them at room temperature about 30 minutes before preparing the filling.
  • PRO Tip: Toast nuts in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes on a rimmed sheet pan, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Cool and chop.
  • Adjust the amount of blue cheese to taste if you prefer a milder tang.
  • Use a small scoop or roll teaspoonfuls between your palms to form neat cheese balls.
  • Both green and red (purple) endive work well; choose what looks best at your store.
  • PRO Tip: Slice a thin sliver from the rib at the base of each endive leaf so the cups sit flat and don’t tip on the serving platter.
  • If raspberries aren’t ideal, substitute small strawberry pieces for a similar bright, fruity note.

Assemble each leaf with a blue cheese and cream cheese ball, add raspberries, chopped macadamia nuts and optional pomegranate arils, then finish with a drizzle of raspberry vinaigrette. These bite-sized salads are elegant, flavorful, and perfect for entertaining.

Endive Cups with Blue Cheese, Raspberries and Macadamia Nuts.

You May Also Like

  • Grilled Endive with pistachios, dried cherries and feta for a warm variation.
  • Strawberry Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese for another berry-and-cheese pairing.
  • Spinach, Almond and Berries Salad for a larger, shareable salad.
  • Mediterranean Endive Boats with savory Mediterranean flavors.
Endive Cups with Raspberries and Blue Cheese
The Recipe:

Endive Cups with Blue Cheese, Raspberries and Macadamia Nuts

Prep Time
15 minutes
Total Time
15 minutes
Yield
12

Endive cups filled with creamy blue-cheese balls, raspberries, macadamia nuts and a light raspberry vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • 2 heads of endive, leaves separated
  • ¼ cup blue cheese (Maytag suggested)
  • 2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 12 fresh raspberries
  • 2 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts, toasted
  • Pomegranate arils, optional
  • ⅓ cup seedless raspberry jam
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Lay out endive leaves on a serving platter. Trim a sliver off the bottom so they sit flat, if desired.
  2. Mix the blue cheese and cream cheese until well combined and smooth.
  3. Scoop teaspoonfuls of the cheese mixture and roll into small balls.
  4. Place one cheese ball in each endive leaf. Add a few raspberries, some chopped macadamia nuts and pomegranate arils, if using.
  5. Whisk together raspberry jam, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil and salt to make a vinaigrette. Drizzle over the endive cups.
  6. Serve immediately.

Notes

Slicing off a thin sliver of the rib at the base of each endive leaf helps the cups sit upright on your serving dish.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 116
Total Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 4mg
Sodium: 99mg
Carbohydrates: 11g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 8g
Protein: 1g

© Liz Berg
Cuisine: American
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Category: Appetizers

Skinny Tip

I’m starting a new series of Skinny Tips covering small habits that help me stay slim. I’ll share more in upcoming posts.

Tip #2: I pop a piece of gum in my mouth when I’m baking to resist taking that first nibble of cookie dough — once I start, it’s hard to stop!

Disclosure: California Endive Farms provided fresh endive and Driscoll’s Berries supplied coupons for berries. I was not paid to write this post; the opinions are my own.