Growing Lettuce (And Recipes That Isn’t a Salad!)

Last Updated on May 20, 2022 by BrodNeil

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is an aster family leaf vegetable (Asteraceae). It is a good source of vitamins K and A. However, the nutritional value varies depending on the variety.

Lettuce is most widely associated with salads, although you can also find it in soups, sandwiches, and wraps; you can also grill it.

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Is lettuce a vegetable?

Botanists categorize fruits and vegetables into categories based on the plant section they come from. Given that the tomato is botanically a fruit, how about lettuce? Is lettuce a fruit or a vegetable?

Lettuce is a vegetable, and vegetables are classified according to which parts are consumed. With that in mind, lettuce is classified as a leaf vegetable.

Is lettuce good for you?

All lettuces are excellent for your health. It’s low in calories, cholesterol-free, and sodium-free, and it’s packed with vitamins and minerals that help us stay healthy.

Lettuce variety

Different types of lettuce may add a lot of texture and flavor to whatever you’re creating, whether you use them raw or cooked. If you decide to cook them, do it in a fast sauté or wilting method; anything else will cause the delicate greens to lose their distinct flavor. Also, remember to wash them, especially before eating them raw carefully.

Lettuces are classified into one of the four groups: looseleaf, butterhead, crisphead, and romaine.

Iceberg lettuce is a perfect example of a crisphead: its spherical head comprises densely packed, crunchy leaves. Butterheads have the same circular shape as crispheads, but their leaves are looser and smoother. Romaine’s noteworthy physical qualities are its elongated leaves and robust white rib. As the name implies, looseleaf lettuces are loosely grouped and grow as a rosette, allowing the gardener to take only the leaves rather than the entire plant.

Here are some of the characteristics of famous varieties of lettuce.

Arugula

This Mediterranean green has an earthy, somewhat sour flavor with a powerful, peppery sting. Arugula leaves have rounded edges that undulate from broad to slight, comparable to oakleaf lettuce. However, baby arugula’s edges aren’t as distinct.

Coral lettuce

Coral is a looseleaf plant that comes in various colors, including bright green, deep red, and speckled. The leaves are sturdy and crisp, with tight, frilly curls and a mild flavor.

Cress

All types have a peppery flavor to them. Watercress is sold in bunches and has a stiff, fibrous stem with tiny green leaves (the stems of baby watercress are generally more tender). Because cress commonly grows in sandy soil, make sure to wash it properly.

Endive

Endive is a type of chicory. It’s a terrific complement to any salad because of its unusual oval shape, silky, satiny texture, and moderate bitterness. In addition, its scoop-like form makes it ideal for serving tiny appetizers.

Iceberg lettuce

Iceberg is known for being crisp, refreshing, and watery. Large, closely packed pale-green leaves grow in basketball-sized crowns.

Looseleaf lettuce

Despite the crisp stem, they have a mild flavor and are surprisingly pliable. Their ruffled, uneven surfaces give texture to salads.

Oakleaf lettuce

The leaves of this butter lettuce resemble those of an oak tree, hence the name. From afar, it looks similar to red leaf and green looseleaf lettuce, but closer inspection reveals changes in shape and texture: this type of lettuce has shorter and more squat leaves, and the tops of their leaves have a softer texture than red leaf and green leaf lettuce.

Radicchio

This deep-red-purple vegetable, pronounced “rah-dick-ee-yo,” is marketed as a compact round head or shaped like its relative, endive. It stands out because of its brilliant colors.

Romaine lettuce

This huge leafy lettuce has a prominent middle rib, giving it a nice crunch. However, this lettuce has a slight bitterness because of the rib. This is the lettuce that was first used in the Caesar salad.

Celtuce

While the floppy leaves are edible, the stalk of this lettuce type is the real prize. The leaves, like escarole, can be bitter, but the peeled stem has a nutty, cucumber-like flavor.

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Lettuce nutrition facts

Lettuce is a popular green leafy vegetable all around the world. Its crisp, green/crimson-red leaves are one of the most wonderful suppliers of critical nutrients. It is, without a doubt, one of the most popular greens, whether in crunchy green salads or healthy sandwiches.

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Lettuce calories

Lettuce leaves are one of the low-calorie-dense green veggies. Fresh greens have only 15 calories per 100 g. Despite this, they are a rich source of phytonutrients with health-promoting and disease-preventive characteristics.

Lettuce carbs

According to the USDA National Nutrient database, every 100 g of lettuce has approximately 2.87 g of carbohydrates.

Lettuce fiber

On the other hand, 100 g of lettuce has 1.3 g of dietary fiber.

Growing lettuce

Lettuce is a cool-season crop that thrives in most climates in the spring and fall. This crop is ideal for beginners because it can be planted immediately when the soil can be worked. Because lettuce develops quickly, it’s preferable to grow a limited number of seeds at a time and space them apart.

Lettuces are an excellent leafy green since they grow quickly, produce for a long time, and are low-maintenance as long as the plants are adequately irrigated. Furthermore, lettuce grows well on raised beds, making it an excellent choice for compact spaces. Lettuces also work well in containers and may be used on decks, patios, balconies, and porches.

Growing seedlings

Lettuce prefers to be in the sun for 5 to 6 hours every day, but it can also benefit from afternoon shade if the weather is hot. The soil should be loose, drain well, and moist but not wet. For added fertility, treat the ground with plenty of compost in the weeks leading up to planting. Here are the steps to follow when planting lettuce:

A well-tilled seedbed is crucial because the seed is so tiny. Stones and huge clods of the earth will hamper germination.
Seeds should be planted 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep. However, lettuce seeds require light to germinate, don’t plant them too deeply.
Seed can be sown in single rows or disseminated for planting in broad rows (looseleaf varieties are best). Thin 1- to 2-inch tall seedlings for correct spacing while disseminating.
The variety determines the distance between plants: looseleaf lettuce – 4 inches, romaine & butterhead lettuce – 8-inches, and crisphead lettuce – 16 inches apart.
For a continuing crop, sow new seeds every two weeks.
Place rows of chives or garlic between your lettuce plants to keep pests at bay. They act as lettuce’s “border plants.”
When transplanting or seeding, water generously with a mist nozzle.

Cool the soil in August for a fall crop by moistening it and covering it with a straw bale. After a week, the ground beneath the bale should be a few degrees cooler than the rest of the garden and suitable for planting a 2-foot row of lettuce. Rotate the straw bale around the garden every couple of weeks to repeat the process. Seed as usual for a fall harvest when autumn temperatures fall.

Growing from cuttings

Can you grow lettuce from cuttings? Yes, but you won’t be able to replant a full head of lettuce like you can with green onions or celery. Only a few 2-4 inches long leaves will sprout, enough to make yourself a sandwich.

To regrow lettuce from the stem end, follow these procedures.

Leave about 1 inch from the bottom of the lettuce.
Place the remaining stem in a shallow dish with approximately 1/2 inch water.
Place beneath grow lights or on a window sill.
Every 1 to 2 days, change the water in the bowl.
Keep an eye on your lettuce. You may also observe roots beginning to sprout on the bottom.
Your lettuce will grow as big as it will likely ever be after 10-12 days. It won’t be a full head of lettuce; instead, it will suffice to top a sandwich or make a small salad.

If you wait much longer, your lettuce will grow spindly and bitter as it tries to produce seed. At this stage, eating will be unpleasant. When the leaves turn a blue-green tint or the main stem shoots up, and the leaves become less dense, you’ll know it’s reached this stage.

Planting in containers

Small-space gardeners, such as apartment residents, commonly grow lettuce in containers. Because the pots are taken inside during mild freezes and left outside during early spring days, it allows for an early start. In addition, lettuce is a cool-season crop, and its leaves grow best in cool but not cold conditions. Growing lettuce in containers also makes it easier to control weeds and pests than in a vast garden space, and it provides immediate access to leaves for salads.

If you’re growing lettuce in a pot, make sure it has enough drainage.
Fill the containers with new compost and water thoroughly.
Garden soil or compost from the previous year is not suited.
Make tiny holes in the earth where the plants will go.
You’ll need to leave extra space between plants for heart-shaped cultivars, about eight inches.
You can place them closer together for the variety with only leaves.
Remove a few seeds from the pod and put them in the palm of your hand.
Pinch a few seeds with your other hand and scatter them on the soil. Because lettuce seeds are so tiny, you’re likely to get a couple clumped together.
If feasible, move them about with a thin stick; if not, thin them out afterward.

When to harvest

You can harvest the leaf lettuce approximately twenty-five days after sowing. If you prefer smaller leaves, start earlier.
Always pluck lettuce from the outside of the plant to encourage it to produce additional leaves.
After sowing, the leaf lettuce types will grow for around five to six weeks.
Once they’ve reached maturity, cut the entire plant with a knife.
With one hand, gather the leaves and cut them at the bottom, leaving the roots in the soil.
The plants mature in about six to seven weeks for all heart lettuce kinds.
While it is mature, you can also select some outer leaves.
With a sharp knife, cut the head at the base of the plant.
You won’t disrupt the other plants in the container this way.
When all of the lettuce and other veggies have been gathered, you can remove the remaining roots.

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lettuce cups — Photo by Jatuphon Buraphon

Lettuce recipes

Do you want to eat more healthily? Or you’re trying to incorporate more greens into your diet but don’t know how to prepare lettuce? Worry no longer; here are some delectable recipes to try.

Lettuce sandwich

A lettuce sandwich is a brilliant keto and paleo lunch option. Why use bread when you can wrap your sandwich contents in something far healthier?

Ingredients:

5 lettuce leaves, preferably romaine lettuce, tough ends trimmed
4 slices of deli ham
2 slices of Swiss cheese
1/4 cup of guacamole
3 thin tomato slices
3 thin red onion slices
1 piece of cooked bacon, cut in half

Instructions:

Place a 12-inch piece of parchment paper on your work area. Overlap 4-5 lettuce leaves on top of each other.
Layer the ham and cheese on the lettuce leaves.
On top of the guacamole, layer the tomato, onion, and bacon.
Roll the lettuce wrap sandwich as tightly as possible, using the parchment paper as a guide, similar to how you would make a sushi roll with a sushi mat.
Wrap the parchment paper tightly around the lettuce and tuck it below the roll once it is entirely rolled. Next, cut the lettuce wrap sandwich in half using a serrated knife, then dig in!

lettuce sandwich — Photo from healthyrecipesblogs.com

Lettuce wraps

Lettuce wraps are a delicious and flavorful dish perfect for entertaining or a family lunch. Each person can create their own wonderful, fresh wrap. Make sure you have plates or napkins on hand because the mixture can spill slightly.

Lettuce chicken wraps

Here’s what you need to create the famous lettuce chicken wraps.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon Sriracha, optional
1 (8-ounce) can of whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 head of butter lettuce

Instructions:

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Cook until the ground chicken is browned, about 3-5 minutes, crumbling the chicken as it cooks; drain any excess grease.
Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and Sriracha for about 1-2 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in chestnuts and green onions until soft, about 1-2 minutes.
To serve, pour a few teaspoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf and roll it up like a taco.

chicken lettuce wrap — Photo from damndelicious.net

Lettuce tacos

These Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps will make your nightly tacos healthier! They’re easy to make and packed with flavor thanks to ground turkey and its flavorful spices.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey
16 ounces package of frozen corn
15 ounces of canned black beans
14.5 ounces of canned diced tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning mix (approximately an ounce)
romaine leaves rinsed and dried

Instructions:

Over medium-high heat, heat a large nonstick skillet.
Cook and stir ground turkey in a heated skillet for about 5 to 7 minutes, until browned and crumbly.
Stir in corn, black beans, chopped tomatoes, and taco seasoning.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until well heated.
Fill lettuce leaves with turkey and bean mixture and place on a flat surface.

lettuce taco — Photo from allrecipes.com

Lettuce tea

A new trend from TikTok for people who have insomnia is drinking lettuce tea or water at night.

Steep some lettuce in boiling water as if it were tea leaves; after a few minutes, remove the greens, drink the remaining liquid, and voilà; you’re drowsy and ready to get some restorative rest.

While the trend is harmless, experts warn that it is unlikely to impact it significantly.

According to registered dietician Samantha Cassetty, there has only been basic research on the effects of romaine on sleep. However, compared to other lettuces, one study conducted on mice in South Korea in 2017 found romaine lettuce to be “an interesting and valuable source of sleep-potentiating material.” The study also found that using the extract of green romaine lettuce “significantly reduced sleep latency” and “increased sleep duration” in mice.

Several doctors and other health experts also used TikTok to highlight lettuce water research gaps. For example, several types of lettuces, especially romaine, include lactucin and lactucarium, two chemicals that can aid sleep. They must, however, be present in large quantities, far more than a few lettuce leaves can provide.

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Lettuce vs cabbage

Cabbage and lettuce are low-calorie veggies with a similar look but are unrelated. Cabbage is richer in calories, carbohydrates, and nutritional fiber than broccoli. On the other hand, lettuce is higher in protein and lipids. Lettuce also takes the lead in terms of vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamins B1, B2, and B3, and iron, potassium, copper, and phosphorus. On the other hand, cabbage is substantially higher in vitamin C and B5, vitamin B6, folate, and calcium. In addition, cabbage has a lower salt content.

Cabbage and lettuce are good for cardiovascular health, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. In addition, the antioxidant properties of red cabbage and lettuce are more substantial.

Cabbage and lettuce are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals and are generally healthy. The final choice between the two vegetables depends on personal preference.

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Growing Lettuce (And Recipes That Isn’t a Salad!)

Is lettuce a vegetable?

Is lettuce good for you?