When I shared my champagne vinaigrette on Friday, I promised I’d also share my favorite green salad.
Here’s a quick and easy butter lettuce side salad that will add freshness, crunch, and flavor to any meal.
What do you mean, side salad?
When I use the expression “side salad,” I’m trying to distinguish this recipe from one of my dinner salads.
In general, my salad is like an energy plate. A protein source, a complex carbohydrate source, and a healthy fat source characterize them.
In other words, they cover their macronutrient base.
My side salads usually provide some healthy source of fat in the form of vegetables and salad dressings. But they are simple and light. These salads aren’t food in themselves, and they don’t want to be.
Isn’t the distinction between a “side dish” and a “main dish” a little arbitrary? Of course, it is.
Depending on the day and the diner’s preferences, a salad consisting mainly of vegetables or greens may be enough to satisfy.
Similarly, a whole grain or bean salad can be served as a side dish. It’s all circumstantial evidence.
Side salads are primarily vegetables or other vegetables. In contrast, main course salads have grains, beans (or other proteins), and vegetables.
Balanced diet
No matter how you define a side salad, its beauty is that it is a way to finish the meal.
You’re probably familiar with My Plate. It Platetool was created by the United States Department of Agriculture to help Americans plan and prepare balanced meals.
Like all tools created for widespread public use, MyPlate has limitations. It cannot account for individual needs, lifestyles, or preferences.
I like to think of “My plate” as a suggestive planning principle rather than a template that must be strictly followed.
My Plate suggests one should be vegetarian and filled with vegetables or fruits. The other two-thirds should contain protein and starch.
My plate also recommendsPlateng dairy products to meet your calcium needs; Vegans can incorporate calcium-rich plant foods into their diet.
I don’t think 50% needs to be a strict goal, but the overall meal-planning principle is reasonable. I usually advise my nutrition clients to limit the percentage of vegetables on their Plate to 30-50%, which is realistic and sensible for them on any given day.
An exception to this is the needs of people with eating disorders who are malnourished and in the process of nutritional supplementation. The platter-by-plate method ®️(50% starch) is more suitable for them.
Covering half a dinner plate with vegetables can sometimes be easy for vegetarians.
But even vegetarians may find that their diet—I eat much pasta, for example—doesn’t contain enough vegetables to create the vegetable plate my Plate suggests.
This is where vegetable garnishes, including side salads, come in handy. They can be a delicious, nutritious addition to a plant-based main course.
What is butter lettuce?
Why is butter lettuce my first choice for a side salad among the many lettuce varieties?
First, I should explain butter lettuce. It is a type of green lettuce characterized by soft, large, and round leaves.
The two types of butter lettuce you are most likely to encounter in an American grocery store are Bibb lettuce and Boston lettuce.
They are very similar, but the leaves tend to be tighter than cloth, and the lettuce heads are smaller. The leaves themselves are very strong, with some ridges.
Boston lettuce leaves are flatter and softer. The head of Boston lettuce may look looser and more “relaxed” than the head of Bibb lettuce.
Anyway, texture is what I like most about this lettuce. As the name suggests, butter lettuce has a very tender and smooth texture.
I also like the giant leaves of butter lettuce.
I make a lot of kale, arugula, and chopped long-leaf salad. All of these salads have bite-sized greens.
For variety and contrast, it’s fun to use large, floppy leaves for a side salad – a salad needs a knife and fork!
Butter lettuce nutrition
I love the nutrition of butter lettuce.
A 100-gram serving of butter lettuce—a large serving, about 3.5 ounces—contains about 85 percent of the RDA, the recommended daily vitamin K intake for adults.
In addition, butter lettuce is richer in iron than other types of lettuce. The same 100 grams of iron is about 15% of the recommended daily intake for adult women.
Most of us know that dark leafy greens are a good source of iron. In contrast, lettuce is not a typical source of iron, but the leaves of butter lettuce contain more iron than most foods.
Is baby butter the same as butter lettuce?
If you go shopping hoping to find some butter lettuce, you may stumble upon lettuce labeled “baby butter.”
Baby butter has the same nutrients as Bibb or Boston lettuce and is very similar in texture. The only difference is that the little butter leaves are more minor.
Standard butter lettuce is usually sold whole, while small butter leaves may be sold in loose form.
The core of a baby’s butterhead may also be smaller and tighter than a regular butter lettuce head. I’ve seen them cut into quarters and eaten in a salad, which works for them.
The young leaves are too small if you want to use butter lettuce as a cup or wrap. Small butter lettuce leaves work well for a salad recipe with loose leaves.
Can I use a different kind of lettuce for this side salad?
As much as I love butter lettuce, it’s not the only lettuce that works well for this salad.
You can use any of the following types of lettuce in your recipe:
- French vegetable salad vegetables
- Oak leaf lettuce
- Tropicana lettuce
- Crisphead lettuce
- Red leaf lettuce
- gemstone
- The heart of romaine lettuce
- Frisee
- Baby romaine lettuce
- Mache
- Chicory or endive leaves
I prefer to use light lettuce or salad greens for this salad, so I don’t usually use arugula, spinach, or kale.
However, baby spinach can be substituted with butter lettuce at home.
Classic vinaigrette dressing
My favorite salad dressing is a simple champagne vinaigrette.
What I love about vinaigrette is its balance. The sauce is tart and savory, hinting of Dijon mustard and sweetness. To me, it tastes just right.
However, a lemon vinaigrette—olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper—would also work well. If you like the taste of red wine vinegar, you can try my Greek vinaigrette.
Vinaigrette is better for a lettuce salad than a creamy dressing (like tahini).
That’s a big generalization, of course. But the cream sauce will weigh down the delicate lettuce leaves.
On the other hand, a simple mixture of olive oil and vinegar (or citrus) can be applied to butter lettuce leaves or other lettuce leaves to keep them delicious and fresh.
How to make a delicious butter lettuce side salad
What I love most about this butter lettuce side salad is how quick and easy it is to make.
I am okay with making a meal-sized salad, but my side salads are simple dishes I can mix up when I’m ready to serve.
Luckily, that’s all you need to do to make this recipe.
Step 1: Wash and dry the vegetables
If you have a whole head of butter lettuce, separate the leaves before washing and drying. If you buy whole leaves, then you can wash and dry them directly.
I use a salad spinner to speed things up.
Step 2: Stir the vinaigrette
Of course, you can prepare the vinaigrette in advance. I like to make champagne vinaigrette once weekly, so I usually have a jar in my fridge.
If not, the vinaigrette will only take 5-10 minutes.
Step 3: Mix the salad and season
Next, you will transfer the vegetables to a mixing bowl and mix them with the dressing.
Fold is the most important word here. Other heartier, firmer salads respond well to a vigorous stir-fry. However, large, delicate lettuce leaves are better for gentle folding.
Some salad recipes call for putting the salad dressing at the bottom of the bowl, then adding the greens and mixing. Others request that the sauce be ladled over the salad leaves before mixing.
The order of ingredients makes little difference to this side dish. I usually put the lettuce leaves in a bowl, add the dressing, and fold them.
How much dressing should I use? I recommend using 1/3 cup (80 ml) of seasoning, about 5 ounces of vegetables, or eight handfuls.
It’s essential not to over-garnish the butter lettuce. Your goal is to make it shiny but not too oily. The best way to avoid overdressing is to start with a moderate amount of salad dressing and continue to add as needed.
After mixing the butter lettuce with just the right amount of seasoning, add a few slices of Melton’s salt, another salt flake, and freshly ground black pepper.
The seasoning already has salt and pepper. This is just the finishing touch. Make sure the salad is well seasoned.
Step 4: Serve
While some salads made with dark green can be stored comfortably, this butter lettuce with salad is best eaten immediately.
If you need to prepare food in advance, you can make condiments. The champagne vinaigrette can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
As for storing butter lettuce, if you’re buying whole lettuce, I recommend keeping the roots and core of the lettuce.
Whether you’re a head of lettuce or a leaf, use a damp paper towel (not wet) to place butter lettuce in an airtight container or silicone bag.
I’ve found that butter lettuce stored this way stays fresh for about five days. If you see any yellow, soft, or brown leaves, you can compost or discard them.
Optional element
I’m a little particular about this side salad. It usually consists of lettuce, dressing, salt, and pepper—nothing more, nothing less.
Occasionally, I like adding chopped chives or parsley leaves to my salad.
You can add oregano, chopped basil, chopped mint, chives, parsley, or tarragon to a butter lettuce salad.
If you’re craving a little crunch, breadcrumbs, croutons, vegan candy walnuts, crispy candy pecans, or toasted seeds are all good choices.
What kind of butter lettuce salad should I have with it?
So many things!
This salad goes very well with everything. I often have it with sandwiches for lunch, leaving some leaves to pile on my vegan BLT or pickle and smoked tofu sandwich.
Butter lettuce on a salad is excellent with any vegetarian pasta, soup, or casserole.
If you make a simple vegetarian protein such as:
- Balsamic tofu
- Black beans with lemon pepper
- Best broth white beans
- Smoked tofu
- Slow-cooked tomato and white beans
There are whole wheat dishes, such as:
- Mushroom method
- Lemon dill zucchini chickpeas and rice
- Roasted butternut squash rice
- Cumin-flavored lentils and rice
- Citrus sweet potato dried
Then add this side salad, and you’ll have a well-balanced plate.
I’m sure you’ll come up with a million dishes to go with your salad. Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients
5 oz buttered lettuce leaves (150 g, or about 8 handfuls)
1 batch of simple champagne vinaigrette
Malden salt
Freshly ground pepper (last use)
Optional: Freshly chopped chives, oregano leaves, or chopped parsley, basil, or mint (for serving)
Instructions
- Put the greens in a spacious bowl. Add 1/3 cup / 80 ml vinegar sauce. Gently fold the salad until all the leaves are covered in the salad dressing.
- Continue adding the vinaigrette as needed, but do not overwhelm the delicate lettuce leaves with the dressing. They should be uniform but lightly coated.
- Add freshly chopped chives or herbs if you like.
- Try the salad. Finish with a pinch of Melton’s salt or other sea salt flakes and a little more black pepper as needed. Right away.
Many people crave hearty food more in the winter than in the summer, and for the most part, so do I.
But I’ve noticed that I crave green salads more in the winter than at other times of the year, even though summer is officially labeled salad season.
These cravings are my body’s way of telling me it needs color and freshness, even if the days are short and the yield is limited.
Some local producers produce greenhouse-grown butter lettuce, so I’m lucky to enjoy this crisp, pale green salad all year round.
