Disclaimer: Some links are Amazon affiliate links. Making purchases through them helps support the recipe testing, photos, and content I share at no cost to you — thank you!
Summary
This is one of those, dressings that is so good… you just want to bottle and sell it.
This vibrant salad transforms naturally bitter radicchio into a beautifully balanced dish. Soaking the leaves softens their sharpness, while a floral pink peppercorn and white balsamic vinaigrette that is sweetened with honey and maple syrup, brings gentle complexity. The fruit and pink peppercorns create a crave-worthy flavor combination, rounded out by the nutty crunch of toasted walnuts and the savory depth of Parmesan. It’s an elevated Italian salad your nonna would be proud of.
Pink Peppercorn & White Balsamic Dressing
1/2 C
servings5
minutes0
minutes79
kcal5
minutesThis salad shines because of its dressing: a floral pink peppercorn and white balsamic vinaigrette that softens radicchio’s natural bitterness into something round, sweet, and complex. Honey and maple add gentle warmth, while the peppercorns bring a fragrant lift—not heat—creating a beautifully balanced bite that coats every leaf.
Ingredients
60 g 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
30 g 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
3 g 1 clove garlic, grated
15 g 1 tbsp honey
15 g 1 tbsp maple syrup
2.5 g 1 tsp ground sumac
1.4 g 1 tsp whole pink peppercorns
3 g 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 g 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
Directions
Before We Start
White Balsamic: This stuff is amazing, if you can’t find it, substitute apple cider vinegar.
Pink Peppercorns: Black pepper is not a replacement for this. We use a mortar and pestle to grind it down since they tend to contain a lot of moisture that you probably don’t want in a pepper grinder. You can use a spice grinder as well.
Sumac: This ingredient is bright and acidic in flavor, if you don’t have it, just add lemon zest instead. It’s not really an Italian ingredient, so lemon zest also makes it more true to its Italian roots, but the sumac is a nice touch.
Thyme: You can substitute dried if you don’t have fresh on hand.Prep Garlic
Peel and grate one clove of garlic with a microplane or the fine side of a box grater.
In a small bowl add the garlic and the white balsamic. Give it a stir.
Letting it sit for a few minutes will allow the vinegar to cut down the bite for the garlic.Grind the Pink Peppercorns
Using a mortar and pestle, grind the pink peppercorns as fine as you can. You can also use a spice grinder if you had one.
Pink peppercorns are quite moist, so I do not recommend adding them to a pepper grinder.Chop the Thyme
Pull off the leaves from a few sprigs of thyme and finely chop them.Combine and Whisk
In your bowl with the garlic and balsamic, add in the ground pink peppercorns, honey, maple syrup, sumac, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and chopped thyme. Whisk together to combine and emulsify.
You May Like These Recipes Too
Additional Details About This Recipe
What makes pink peppercorns different and can I substitute?
Pink peppercorns are botanically distinct from black pepper; they’re soft, floral, and slightly fruity, with a gentle heat that won’t bulldoze delicate greens. If you can’t find them, try a blend of lightly crushed coriander seeds + a pinch of red pepper flakes to mimic the citrus-floral vibe. Black pepper isn’t a great swap here—it skews sharper and more assertive.
Can I make this dressing creamier or more emulsified?
Yes! Whisk in 5 g | 1 tsp Dijon mustard for a tighter emulsion, or 30 g | 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt for a creamy version. A quick 10–15 second blitz with an immersion blender also creates a silky texture without changing flavors.
How long does it keep and how should I store it?
Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 7 days. Separation is normal—shake or whisk before using. Because there’s raw garlic, keep it refrigerated and avoid making more than you’ll use within the week for best flavor and food safety.
Any dietary swaps I should know about?
For a vegan version, replace honey with agave syrup or use all maple syrup. If you’re sensitive to sumac or don’t have it, lemon zest (about 1 g | ½ tsp) adds a bright, citrusy lift that stays true to the Italian profile.
Are pink peppercorns safe for everyone?
Most folks are fine, but pink peppercorns come from a plant related to cashews. If you have a tree-nut allergy, consult your healthcare provider or skip them and use the coriander + red pepper flake combo noted above.
Nutritional Facts
Per 1 Tbsp (15 ml) serving — recipe makes ~8 servings
- Calories: 79
- Protein: 0 g
- Total Carbohydrates: 4.6 g
- Total Sugars: 3.6 g
- Added Sugars: 3.6 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0 g
- Total Fat: 7.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 5.8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 150 mg
Notes: Calculated from listed ingredients (60 g olive oil, 30 g white balsamic, 15 g honey, 15 g maple syrup, seasonings). Actual values may vary slightly based on brand and salt type.
Awesome !!!!!
!
Great recipe!
Thank you! Hope you are well old friend.