Lettuce 101: Your Guide to the Most Common Lettuce Varieties
Updated: Mar. 07, 2018Which type of lettuce should you use when? Follow this handy guide to pick the best way to go green.
Don’t settle for those pale, limp pieces of green wilting under the salad bar glass. Learn about the types of lettuce you can buy to perk up salads, make great wraps or char on the grill. (Yes, I said grill.)
Lettuce is a cool-weather crop and easy to grow yourself, but most types are available year-round at the local grocer. There are four main types of lettuce: crisphead (commonly known as iceberg), romaine, loose-leaf and butterhead. Although crisphead is the least nutritious, all lettuces provide dietary fiber and vitamins A, C and K. The average 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 nutritious the lettuce.
Before You Buy
It’s best to purchase lettuce that hasn’t been pre-cut or processed (but, I know, it’s hard to deny the convenience of prepackaged greens). Also, because of its large leaf surface, lettuce often retains pesticides. We recommend buying organic if it’s available.
Types of Lettuce
Crisphead
Crisphead, or iceberg, is probably the best-known lettuce in the U.S., in part because of its shrink-wrapped presence at nearly every grocery store in the country. Look for a round, compact, pale green head. Iceberg has a very mild taste and is generally eaten raw in salads and on sandwiches; it’s also found shredded in tacos and other dishes. Although iceberg tends to get a bad rap, its crunchy texture and sturdy leaves are essential for the classic wedge salad.
Where to use it: In salads with heavy dressings, dishes that call for shredded lettuce, sandwiches and overnight layered salads.
Romaine
If you’ve ever had a Caesar salad, you’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. You 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 it: 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 grow around a central stalk rather than a compact head. The leaves are tender with a mild, slightly nutty flavor. Commonly available in red and green varieties, loose-leaf lettuce is a bit more perishable than head-type lettuces and should be dressed just before serving to avoid wilting. For smaller heads, you can use the leaves as is, but for larger heads, we recommend tearing the leaves into bite-sized pieces to make quick and easy dishes like Company 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 head featuring soft, smooth-textured, red-tinged or pale green leaves that become lighter toward the center. Handle this lettuce with care; the leaves are quite tender and bruise easily. The main varieties are Boston and bibb (which is smaller and more pricey). The taste is mild and sweet.
Where to use it: In lettuce cups and wraps (like these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps), with light, delicate salad dressings and on sandwiches.
Best Ways to Store Lettuce
While crisphead lettuce can be stored in the crisper drawer of the fridge unwashed (be sure to wash it before eating!), loose-leaf varieties should be thoroughly washed with clean water and dried before storing. Roll the leaves in several layers of paper towels or a kitchen towel, then seal in a plastic bag and store in the crisper drawer of the fridge up to one week. Store fresh lettuce away from ethylene-emitting produce such as apples, plums and grapes because, while harmless to consume, ethylene can cause lettuce to wilt. Due to lettuce’s high water content, it’s best to avoid freezing it.
Now that you know about the four main types of lettuce, make them extra tasty with your own homemade salad dressings.
Vietnamese Pork Lettuce Wraps
Casual, flavorful and low in carbohydrates, these Vietnamese Pork Lettuce Wraps are a perfect and low-fuss way to feed a group. Place the ingredients in separate dishes and let your guests assemble their own wrap, which allows them to personalize to suit 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 can turn it into a wrap or casserole. —Natalie Van Apeldoorn, Vancouver, British Columbia
Mexican Layered Salad
Here’s another popular dish I like to prepare in advance, adding the cheese and chips just before serving. It’s a slightly different version of the traditional layered salad.—Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
My family is always happy to see this fruit and veggie salad on the table. If strawberries aren’t available, substitute mandarin oranges and dried cranberries. —Irene Keller, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Hoisin Meatball Lettuce Wraps
I make these tangy-sweet appetizers every year during the holidays, and it doesn't take long for them to disappear.—Elaine Sweet, Dallas, Texas
BLT Wraps
My mom and I used to make these easy wrap-ups for summer days at the lake with our entire family. These days, we love to bring them to picnics and days in the park. —Jonnah Burks, Brighton, Missouri
Tropical Layered Chicken Salad
This is a fresh and delicious recipe that is a big hit whenever I take it to a potluck—always the first to go! —Frances Pietsch, Flower Mound, Texas
Shrimp & Avocado Salads
This gorgeous shrimp and avocado salad has such authentic flavor, you'll think you're sitting at a beachside cantina in Acapulco. —Heidi Hall, North St. Paul, Minnesota
Turkey Salad on Wheat Bread
When one of my favorite lunch spots closed, this recipe let me hold 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 go-to meal after an evening run is this satisfying turkey wrap with jicama, a potato-like root veggie used in Mexican cooking. —Christie Arp, Blue Ridge, Georgia
Nectarine Arugula Salad
Here's a summer salad that brightens any supper. The homemade dressing with a hint of berries is perfect with arugula, nectarines and blue cheese. —Christine Laba, Arlington, Virginia
Tarragon Chicken & Romaine Salad
This three-in-one spring salad combines the best natures of romaine, chicken and potato salads, crowned with a touch of crisp bacon. — Kathy Yarosh, Apopka, Florida
Harvest Salad with Lime-Curry Dressing
A friend gave me this salad recipe to help me impress my new husband who loves citrus. We serve the dressing over greens we harvest from our garden—the lime and curry make a fantastic pairing. —Rachel Muilenburg, Prineville, Oregon
Caesar Salad in Peppered Parmesan Bowls
This cheese bowl salad looks impressive but is a cinch to make. I won't tell if you don't! —Melissa Wilkes, St. Augustine, Florida
Mediterranean Romaine Salad
This salad is my standard—I always make sure I have the ingredients on hand so I can whip up this easy salad anytime. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Chicken Tostada Salad
If I don't have any tostada shells on hand for this speedy salad, I just heat taco shells, break them in half and lay them flat 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 re-create this restaurant dish at home, 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 dress up ordinary tuna salad. This easy recipe makes a quick dinner or lunch at the office, and it's good for you. —Heather Senger, Madison, Wisconsin
Hearty Asian Lettuce Salad
This meatless version of your favorite restaurant salad packs 13 grams of protein per serving and is bursting with juicy flavor. It's a brilliant choice for lunch or a busy-day dinner. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Pork & Vegetable Spring Rolls
I thought rice paper wrappers would be a quick, fun way to put salad ingredients into a hand-held snack or meal. I also make this with shrimp or add in cranberries. Go ahead, experiment! —Marla Strader, Ozark, Missouri
Blueberry Romaine Salad
I love to bring this delicious salad to school gatherings. The homemade dressing couldn't be simpler, so I whip it up in advance and just give it a quick toss with the other ingredients when I get to any event. —Kris Bristol, Charlotte, Michigan
Cherry-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 again the next day! —Melissa Barlow, Fruit Heights, Utah
Tortellini & Chicken Caesar Salad
My family loved this pasta salad right from the start, so these days I serve it a lot. When grilling season hits, I grill the chicken as a special treat. —Lee Reese, Rolla, Missouri
Mandarin Orange & Romaine Salad
A tangy salad of romaine, celery and oranges with tarragon vinegar and hot pepper sauce makes a cool companion for turkey dishes. —Cathy Pawlowski, Naperville, Illinois
Bacon Chicken Chopped Salad
Here's one of many reasons we love tomato season. Chopped salads are so simple and such a fantastic way to eat fresh. —Donna Marie Ryan, Topsfield, Massachusetts
Grilled Romaine with Chive-Buttermilk Dressing
I was grilling steak one night and wanted to make a special side dish. I'd recently seen a grilled romaine Caesar recipe, and decided to create my own version. This salad goes well with chicken, too, and couldn't be easier. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado
Pear & Pomegranate Salad
Pomegranate seeds and Boursin cheese add zip to this cool salad of Bosc pears over lettuce. Look for the 5.2-ounce Boursin, which has a firmer texture than the spreadable version. —Erika Monroe-Williams, Scottsdale, Arizona
Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
A wedge salad gets the creamy treatment when topped with blue cheese dressing. Keep the dressing as a topper, or make it a dip for Buffalo wings. —Jenn Smith, East Providence, Rhode Island
Thai-Style Cobb Salad
This veggie salad is like a mix of Cobb salad and my favorite summer rolls. If you have leftover chicken, toss it in. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Bacon-Tomato Salad
We love this wonderful bacon salad that tastes like a piled-high BLT without the time or effort. You can make it hours ahead and keep it in the fridge till serving time. —Denise Thurman, Columbia, Missouri
Green Salad with Dill Dressing
With a big holiday meal, a light colorful salad is the perfect side dish, especially with this flavorful dressing. I like to make this pretty, tasty salad for the holidays or anytime. —Lucy Meyring, Walden, Colorado
Overnight Layered Lettuce Salad
This layered salad is a family favorite from a church cookbook I've had for 40 years. The bacon adds a fabulous crunch. —Mary Brehm, Cape Coral, Florida
Northwest Salmon Salad
I love that I can use my favorite Northwest ingredients—fresh salmon, blueberries and hazelnuts—all in one recipe. The salmon and sour cream dressing are just as scrumptious in a sandwich. —Davis Clevenger, Dexter, Oregon
Holiday Lettuce Salad
Light with a hint of sweetness, this lettuce salad recipe will make everyone excited to eat their fruits and vegetables. —Bryan Braack, Eldridge, Iowa
Goat Cheese Lettuce Cups
The slight, peppery bite of a radish goes surprisingly well with the crunch of a juicy apple. Bring the two together in a light, lemony dressing, and sprinkle with goat cheese. —Tom Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey
Crispy Shrimp Caesar Salad
My friend Jane and I have a favorite lunch spot that serves a fantastic salad on Wednesdays. I made my own version at home so I can share it with my family and eat it whenever I want. Save a lot of prep time and buy peeled, deveined shrimp and pre-washed lettuce. —Marla Clark, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Asian Lettuce Wraps
This recipe is as tasty as the lettuce wraps found in national restaurants, but it's healthier! — Linda Rowley, Richardson, Texas
Italian Fresh Vegetable Salad
Garden-fresh veggies are a hit at community potlucks. I carry the dressing in a mason jar to add just before serving. — Jeanette Hildebrand, Stafford, Kansas
