Lettuce 101: The Best Types of Lettuce for Salads (and Beyond!)
Which blazon of lettuce should you use when? Follow this handy guide to pick the best way to go light-green.
Don't settle for those pale, limp pieces of light-green wilting under the salad bar drinking glass. Learn almost the types of lettuce y'all can buy to perk upwardly salads, make peachy wraps or char on the grill. (Yes, I said grill.)
Lettuce is a cool-conditions crop and easy to abound yourself, but nearly types are available year-round at the local grocer. There are four main types of lettuce: crisphead (commonly known as iceberg), romaine, loose-foliage and butterhead. Although crisphead is the to the lowest degree nutritious, all lettuces provide dietary cobweb and vitamins A, C and K. The boilerplate lettuce has less than 10 calories per shredded cup! If you're the health-minded sort, a good rule of thumb is the darker the leaf, the more than nutritious the lettuce.
Before You lot Purchase
It's all-time to purchase lettuce that hasn't been pre-cut or processed (just, I know, it's difficult to deny the convenience of prepackaged greens). Besides, because of its large leaf surface, lettuce often retains pesticides. We recommend buying organic if it'southward available.
Types of Lettuce
Crisphead
Crisphead, or iceberg, is probably the best-known lettuce in the U.S., in function because of its shrink-wrapped presence at nearly every grocery store in the country. Look for a round, compact, pale greenish caput. Iceberg has a very mild taste and is generally eaten raw in salads and on sandwiches; it'southward also found shredded in tacos and other dishes. Although iceberg tends to go a bad rap, its crunchy texture and sturdy leaves are essential for the classic wedge salad.
Where to utilize it: In salads with heavy dressings, dishes that phone call for shredded lettuce, sandwiches and overnight layered salads.
Romaine
If you've ever had a Caesar salad, you lot've had romaine, also known as cos lettuce. With a long, upright head of crisp, pale green leaves sporting crunchy midribs, romaine—particularly the lighter leaves toward the center (the heart)—is more flavorful than some other varieties. Yous can often find romaine hearts packaged in your local grocery store. Romaine is sturdy and holds its own on the grill—or mixed with crunchy apples, pears and nuts in this Holiday Lettuce Salad.
Where to use information technology: In salads with rich, creamy dressings or spicy, pungent vinaigrettes, or on the grill, as in this Grilled Romaine Toss.
Loose-Leaf
Loose-leaf lettuce has large, open, ruffled leaves that abound effectually a cardinal stalk rather than a compact caput. The leaves are tender with a mild, slightly nutty season. Commonly available in red and green varieties, loose-leaf lettuce is a scrap more than perishable than caput-type lettuces and should exist dressed just before serving to avoid wilting. For smaller heads, you tin can use the leaves every bit is, only for larger heads, we recommend tearing the leaves into bite-sized pieces to brand quick and piece of cake dishes like Company Dark-green Salad or Swiss Cobb Salad.
Where to use it: In salads with light-to-medium dressings, baby lettuce mixes, wilted lettuce salads, wraps and sandwiches.
Butterhead
Butterhead lettuce forms a loose caput featuring soft, smooth-textured, red-tinged or stake green leaves that become lighter toward the centre. Handle this lettuce with intendance; the leaves are quite tender and bruise easily. The main varieties are Boston and bibb (which is smaller and more pricey). The sense of taste is balmy and sweet.
Where to apply it: In lettuce cups and wraps (like these Thai Craven Lettuce Wraps), with light, delicate salad dressings and on sandwiches.
Best Ways to Store Lettuce
While crisphead lettuce can exist stored in the crisper drawer of the fridge unwashed (exist sure to wash it earlier eating!), loose-leaf varieties should exist thoroughly washed with clean water and dried before storing. Roll the leaves in several layers of paper towels or a kitchen towel, and then seal in a plastic bag and shop in the crisper drawer of the fridge up to ane week. Shop fresh lettuce abroad from ethylene-emitting produce such as apples, plums and grapes because, while harmless to consume, ethylene tin can cause lettuce to wilt. Due to lettuce's loftier water content, information technology'south best to avert freezing it.
Now that yous know about the four primary types of lettuce, make them extra tasty with your ain bootleg salad dressings.
Get Started With These Not-Boring Lettuce Recipes
Vietnamese Pork Lettuce Wraps
Coincidental, flavorful and depression in carbohydrates, these Vietnamese Pork Lettuce Wraps are a perfect and depression-fuss way to feed a group. Place the ingredients in separate dishes and allow your guests assemble their ain wrap, which allows them to personalize to adapt their tastes. —Gretchen Barnes, Fairfax, Virginia
Quick Nicoise Salad
Like the French, I pack my classic Nicoise salad with veggies, potatoes, tuna and eggs. Cooking the potatoes and beans together helps the dish come together fast. —Valerie Belley, St. Louis, Missouri
Warm Rice & Pintos Salad
During my undergrad years, my roommate taught me how to cook vegetarian dishes like brown rice with pintos. It's so versatile; you tin turn information technology into a wrap or goulash. —Natalie Van Apeldoorn, Vancouver, British Columbia
Mexican Layered Salad
Here's another popular dish I like to fix in advance, adding the cheese and chips but before serving. It's a slightly different version of the traditional layered salad.—Joan Hallford, Northward Richland Hills, Texas
Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
My family is always happy to run into this fruit and veggie salad on the tabular array. If strawberries aren't bachelor, substitute standard mandarin oranges and dried cranberries. —Irene Keller, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Tropical Layered Chicken Salad
This is a fresh and succulent recipe that is a big hit whenever I take it to a potluck—always the get-go to go! —Frances Pietsch, Bloom Mound, Texas
Shrimp & Avocado Salads
This gorgeous shrimp and avocado salad has such authentic flavor, you'll recollect yous're sitting at a beachside cantina in Acapulco. —Heidi Hall, North St. Paul, Minnesota
Turkey Salad on Wheat Staff of life
When one of my favorite lunch spots closed, this recipe permit me agree on to more than just good memories. The peas, bacon and cheese are such a fun and springy combo. I make big batches of the salad for parties—turns out I'm not the only fan! —Merrijane Rice, Kaysville, Utah
Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wraps
My become-to repast afterwards an evening run is this satisfying turkey wrap with jicama, a murphy-like root veggie used in Mexican cooking. —Christie Arp, Blue Ridge, Georgia
Nectarine Arugula Salad
Hither's a summer salad that brightens any supper. The homemade dressing with a hint of berries is perfect with arugula, nectarines and blueish cheese. —Christine Laba, Arlington, Virginia
Harvest Salad with Lime-Back-scratch Dressing
A friend gave me this salad recipe to aid me impress my new husband who loves citrus. Nosotros serve the dressing over greens nosotros harvest from our garden—the lime and curry brand a fantastic pairing. —Rachel Muilenburg, Prineville, Oregon
Mediterranean Romaine Salad
This salad is my standard—I always make certain I accept the ingredients on hand so I can whip up this piece of cake salad someday. —Trisha Kruse, Hawkeye, Idaho
Chicken Tostada Salad
If I don't have whatever tostada shells on paw for this speedy salad, I just heat taco shells, interruption them in one-half and lay them apartment on the plates. It works just as well. Great Southwest flavor! —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah
Strawberry-Chicken Pasta Salad
When I figured out how to copy this eatery dish at habitation, my family was so excited. For a different spin, use raspberries or peaches instead of strawberries. —Jane Ozment, Purcell, Oklahoma
Tuna and White Bean Lettuce Wraps
Here's a fabulous way to apparel upward ordinary tuna salad. This easy recipe makes a quick dinner or lunch at the office, and information technology's healthy. —Heather Senger, Madison, Wisconsin
Pork & Vegetable Spring Rolls
I thought rice paper wrappers would be a quick, fun way to put salad ingredients into a paw-held snack or meal. I as well make this with shrimp or add in cranberries. Get alee, experiment! —Marla Strader, Ozark, Missouri
Blueberry Romaine Salad
I dear to bring this succulent salad to schoolhouse gatherings. The bootleg dressing couldn't be simpler, and so I whip it up in advance and just give it a quick toss with the other ingredients when I get to whatsoever result. —Kris Bristol, Charlotte, Michigan
Blood-red-Chicken Lettuce Wraps
I came up with this amazing recipe when I had a load of cherries on hand. My family polished them off fast, and asked for more. Luckily I had enough fruit to make them over again the next day! —Melissa Barlow, Fruit Heights, Utah
Pear & Pomegranate Salad
Pomegranate seeds and Boursin cheese add zip to this cool salad of Bosc pears over lettuce. Look for the v.ii-ounce Boursin, which has a firmer texture than the spreadable version. —Erika Monroe-Williams, Scottsdale, Arizona
Thai-Style Cobb Salad
This veggie salad is like a mix of Cobb salad and my favorite summertime rolls. If y'all accept leftover chicken, toss it in. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Salary-Tomato Salad
We love this wonderful bacon salad that tastes like a piled-loftier BLT without the time or effort. You lot can make information technology hours ahead and keep it in the fridge till serving fourth dimension. —Denise Thurman, Columbia, Missouri
Overnight Layered Lettuce Salad
This layered salad is a family favorite from a church building cookbook I've had for 40 years. The salary adds a fabulous crisis. —Mary Brehm, Cape Coral, Florida
Northwest Salmon Salad
I honey that I can employ my favorite Northwest ingredients—fresh salmon, blueberries and hazelnuts—all in one recipe. The salmon and sour cream dressing are only as scrumptious in a sandwich. —Davis Clevenger, Dexter, Oregon
Holiday Lettuce Salad
Light with a hint of sugariness, this lettuce salad recipe volition make everyone excited to swallow their fruits and vegetables. —Bryan Braack, Eldridge, Iowa
Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/lettuce-101-guide-common-lettuce-varieties/
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