The Slept-On Lettuce Variety That Will Shine In Your Next Salad

For some, lettuce is just lettuce. It adds a splash of green to a burger or serves as the base of a salad. On the other hand, veggie-lovers and chefs know that it goes beyond that. Lettuce varieties each provide a different texture, color, and flavor for whatever fresh greens are called for. A spring lettuce mix or chopped romaine are some of the most commonly used for salads, but be aware you're missing out on many others if these are the only varieties in your repertoire. Little gem and butterleaf lettuce have taken the spotlight in recent years and are two more specialty lettuce varieties, but you might want to consider another: oakleaf lettuce.

Oakleaf lettuce, named after its resemblance to a leaf from an oak tree, is a bright spring green color with springy tender leaves. Red oakleaf lettuce comes tinged with a purply red tip. Like other lettuce types, oakleaf belongs to the Asteraceae family and is most similar to butterleaf. The leaves are rather delicate and have a fresh, sweet, and slightly nutty flavor and buttery texture. It is often sold as a full head of lettuce, which is shaped like a rosette, rather than loose leaf or in a pre-made salad mix. This is not the easiest variety to find in grocery stores — farmers markets or specialty produce stores are going to be the best bet. If you have no luck at either of these locations, purchasing seeds online to be grown at home is possible (you can find 1,000-plus seeds for under $5).

The focus of salads is often the toppings and dressing, and the base is often overlooked. Use oakleaf for a new shape and texture, or use a mix of tender lettuces alongside it. Because the leaves are delicate, they won't hold up as well as other crunchy lettuce types, like romaine or iceberg. If using this specialty lettuce in a salad, prepare the salad close to when you'll eat it and pour dressing on top immediately before to avoid soggy leaves. Don't save a salad with an oakleaf lettuce base in the fridge for later since it will turn into a limp pile of green mush. 

As for salad flavor pairings, go for other delicate, fresh flavors such as stone fruit, apple, herbs, edible flowers, and goat cheese. If you're missing the crunch that comes from other types of lettuce, add in candied nuts or chopped celery. Drizzle on Ina Garten's favorite lemon vinaigrette — or really any vinaigrette — and you'll have yourself a fresh, bright salad with a more thoughtfully selected base.

In cold sandwiches or wraps, oakleaf lettuce can be used for a layer of fresh greens — just remember to add more leaves than you would with other lettuces because this one is thinner and will tend to pack down. This is not the best variety for hot sandwiches or burgers since it will wilt quickly when introduced to heat. You certainly can't grill it like the heartier romaine. For this variety, remember to keep it cool and always eat it raw.