A Guide to Lettuce

You might think you know lettuce...but do you really know lettuce? Most people don’t realize how many different kinds of lettuce there are, and when you should use each kind. I’m going to break down the world of lettuce for you so that your salads from here on out will be straight. Fire.

Tender Greens

Tender greens make a great salad base because they are compatible with all flavors and textures. My favorite tender greens salad is topped with a sherry vinaigrette, pecorino cheese, and some toasted pine nuts...so simple and to die for. Some of my favorite tender greens are:

• Bibb Lettuce

• Spinach

• Mesclun

• Friseé

Bitter Greens

Bitter greens have big green energy and a high flavor profile on their own, so when I make salads with them I like to add a lot of very flavorful toppings to balance out the strong flavor of the greens. Bitter greens that I commonly use are:

• Chicory

• Arugula

• Treviso

• Watercress

• Endive

• Dandelion Greens

Crunchy Greens

Crunchy greens are your mainstream salad greens. Because they are mostly composed of water, they pair well with heavier flavors and creamy dressings. Popular crunch greens are:

• Iceberg Lettuce

• Red Leaf Lettuce

• Romaine

Roughage

Roughage is very fibrous and tends to be darker in color. These kinds of greens add volume to your salad and are packed with TONS of vitamins and nutrients. I find it nice to pair roughage with lighter toppings like fruit and thinly sliced vegetables to contrast the dense greens. Another tip, always massage your roughage with some salt and dressing to break down those tough fibers, it makes them more pleasant to eat and easier to digest. My favorite rough greens are:

• Swiss Chard

• Kale

• Mustard Greens

• Collard Greens

• Cabbage

Vegetables

Another dope salad hack is to ditch lettuce entirely (sorry, lettuce!). I love using thinly sliced vegetables as the base of salads. This spices things up a bit by adding a different kind of crunch and flavor. Topping vegetable salads with even more veggies (yeah, you heard that right), cheese, nuts, and a light dressing will elevate the flavor, making your salad taste BOMB. Some veggies I like to use as salad bases are:

• Carrots

• Fennel

• Zucchini

• Radish

• Kohlrabi

Now that we’ve broken down these types of lettuce, it’s time for you to get creative in the kitchen. Let’s make our salads better than they’ve ever been by switching it up. Who knew salad could taste so good? I did :)