Do You Know Your Salad Greens? A Information to Lettuces, Chicories, and different Leafy Greens

Although it generally will get a foul rap for being a boring or bland dish, a effectively made salad is a factor of magnificence—refreshingly crisp and scrumptious, particularly when thoughtfully ready with an assortment of lettuces and different greens (and purples and reds, for that matter). On the planet of lettuce, there are true lettuces, corresponding to iceberg and romaine, after which there are all of the issues that get lumped underneath the class of salad greens. In that broader class, there are chicories corresponding to endive and radicchio, which carry crunch and a nice bitterness, and leafy greens corresponding to watercress and arugula, which offer a kick of peppery taste. As scrumptious as lettuce is, there’s a lot extra to salad than iceberg and romaine, and figuring out which to make use of when—in addition to tips on how to finest put together them—will enable you to profit from your greens.

In an effort to demystify lettuce and different salad greens, I spoke with Emilie Symons, a chef-instructor who helped develop the plant-based culinary arts program on the Institute for Culinary Training in New York, and Jenn Frymark, the chief inexperienced home officer for Gotham Greens, a Brooklyn-based firm that sells greenhouse-grown salad greens.

What Is True Lettuce?

Although “lettuce” is usually used as a catch-all time period for salad greens, true lettuces come from the Lactuca sativa species, that are a member of the Asteraceae household—often known as the daisy household (which incorporates the flower of the identical title). Egyptians had been reportedly the primary to domesticate the vegetable within the late 2600s. Lettuce then made its option to Greece and Italy, the place, in line with chef Deborah Madison’s cookbook Vegetable Literacy, it was believed to have soporific properties in each nations, earlier than arriving in what’s now the Americas with Christopher Columbus within the 1490s.

In her ebook, Madison notes that in the present day, grocery shops carry “pitifully few” lettuce varieties, a lot of that are “flat and boring.” Although many  individuals consider true lettuces as flavorless they will vary from mildly candy to subtly bitter and grassy, and contemporary lettuces are wealthy in water and have a beautiful crisp texture. Whereas within the U.S. individuals mostly use lettuces uncooked in salads and sandwiches, sturdier lettuces will also be grilled. .Braising is a standard preparation for lettuces in France, and in China, the greens are boiled and seasoned with oyster sauce.

Forms of Lettuce

Iceberg

Look: Giant, spherical heads with thick, tightly packed pale inexperienced leaves 
Texture: Crisp, crunchy 
Taste: Contemporary with a light sweetness
Different Names: Crisphead

With greater than 1.6 million tons of iceberg lettuce grown and harvested annually, the range is without doubt one of the most generally grown salad greens in america. Iceberg lettuce is in practically each main grocery store throughout the nation, probably as a result of its thick, sturdy leaves make it straightforward to move lengthy distances with out vital bruising. Iceberg has excessive water content material and is refreshingly crisp. The versatile inexperienced will be eaten uncooked, and its strong construction helps it stand up to creamy dressings, which is one motive it is so fashionable in sandwiches, burgers, and burritos, in addition to Halal cart–type road meals. Iceberg lettuce can simply be halved or quartered and stay intact, making it the go-to inexperienced for wedge salads.

Romaine

Look: Elongated massive heads with wavy, darkish inexperienced outer leaves and lightweight inexperienced inside leaves
Texture: Crunchy, agency 
Taste: Cool, gentle, with the tiniest trace of earthiness 
Different Names: Cos

Romaine lettuce is a top-selling selection within the U.S. (In accordance with america Division of Agriculture, gross sales of the inexperienced totaled $1.54 billion in 2023.) Like iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce is crunchy and agency, with a excessive water content material. The variability is earthy and barely bitter. Whereas romaine is often served uncooked, its hearts—the lettuce’s tightly packed inside leaves—are sturdy sufficient for a fast kiss on the grill, which imparts a candy, smoky taste. Romaine’s hardiness means it may be tossed with thick, creamy dressings with out simply wilting or breaking, making it a preferred alternative for Caesar and cobb salads.

Butterhead

Look: Loosely fashioned medium-size, spherical heads with vibrant inexperienced, cup-shaped leaves 
Texture: Velvety, buttery, and smooth 
Taste: Delicate, candy, and nutty 
Different Names: Butter, bibb, Boston, Boston bibb

Butterhead lettuce will get its title from the smooth, velvety texture of its leaves. “It is so delicate, I really do not even use utensils after I toss butterhead or Boston,” Symons says. “I simply use my fingers for a extra delicate contact.” Whereas the names Butterhead, bibb, and Boston are sometimes used interchangeably, bibb and Boston are literally subsets of butterhead—the previous is bigger and the latter is extra petite. Butterhead leaves are perfect for delicate salads and wrapping varied fillings, corresponding to spiced floor meat or bean salads Initially native to the Mediterranean basin, butter lettuce is fashionable in French delicacies, the place it’s usually dressed with gentle vinaigrettes for a easy salad or used as the bottom of traditional salade Niçoise. You’ll additionally discover it as a wrapper for Korean ssam, and in Vietnamese delicacies, butterhead is usually used to wrap fried spring rolls and grilled meats and fish.

Little Gem

Look: Small, compact, elongated heads, crisp-tender and pale inexperienced leaves on the surface and greenish yellow leaves on the within 
Texture: Crunchy and crisp however smooth 
Taste: Candy and earthy 
Different Names: Child romaine, child gem

Little gem is just not its personal selection in any respect, however relatively an early harvested romaine, which is why it’s often known as child romaine. Lettuce accommodates lactucin and lactucopicrin, naturally-occurring compounds that give the inexperienced an more and more bitter taste because it matures; as a result of little gem is harvested earlier than these compounds have had an opportunity to totally develop, it  isn’t as bitter as mature romaine. Quite, it’s sweeter and extra gentle, with leaves which can be crunchy but tender. A zesty French dressing might help spotlight the lettuce’s delicate taste, however the inexperienced additionally goes effectively with daring, savory components corresponding to  anchovies, olives, and capers.

Unfastened Leaf

“Unfastened leaf lettuce” is extra of a catch-all time period than a particular selection, and refers to lettuces with leaves that develop right into a unfastened rosette relatively than a decent head. This makes it more easy for farmers to choose particular person leaves: Quite than harvest the entire head, they acquire the mature outer leaves by trimming them off, which leaves the youthful, smaller inside leaves and base intact so the plant can proceed rising. There are three varieties you’re probably to come across within the U.S.

Inexperienced Leaf
Look: Frilly inexperienced, medium-size leaves 
Texture: Calmly crunchy
Taste: Delicate, clear, and contemporary 

Inexperienced leaf is crunchier and a bit extra tough and tumble than butter lettuce, however doesn’t have fairly the identical textural chunk as romaine or iceberg. Its crisp, tender leaves are nonetheless nice for salads and wraps and as an addition to sandwiches and burgers.

Purple Leaf 
Look: Just like inexperienced leaf in dimension and frilliness, with deep burgundy ideas
Texture: Mild with a slight crunch
Taste: Contemporary with only a trace of bitterness

Purple leaf lettuce is similar to inexperienced leaf, simply barely extra bitter because of anthocyanins—pigments that give vegetation vivid blue, purple, and purple hues (it is the identical pigment present in eggplant and berries). Like its cousin, inexperienced leaf lettuce, purple leaf lettuce is nice in salads, as a mattress for sturdy proteins corresponding to hen breasts or salmon filets, and as a garnish. We advocate reaching for purple leaf lettuce anyplace you’d use inexperienced leaf, together with when consuming bánh xèo (crispy Vietnamese rice pancakes) or serving Armenian eetch, a hearty  vegan salad of bulgur, tomatoes, and herbs.

Oakleaf
Look: Leafy inexperienced or purple lobed leaves formed like these on an oak tree
Texture: Tender, generally barely buttery
Taste: Nutty with a mellow bitterness 

Oakleaf will be simply recognized by its distinctive form, which resembles an oak leaf: elongated with wavy edges. Oakleaf lettuce is smooth and delicate, has a mildly nutty taste, and is nice for pairing with different greens and chicories. 

What Is a Chicory?

Chicories are leafy, bitter greens which can be usually lumped along with  lettuces. Although chicories are additionally within the daisy household, they belong to the chicorium genus—not lettuce’s lactuca sativa. Chicories are perennial vegetation that come into season within the late fall, making them a staple in winter salads, soups, and braises. Some chicories, corresponding to radicchio and endive, have thicker leaves, whereas others, like castelfranco, are extra delicate. The roots of frequent chicory (cichorium intybus) are roasted and floor, then mixed with espresso to make New Orleans’ signature chicory espresso.

Forms of Chicories

Frisée

Look: A loosely-packed head of inexperienced curly leaves
Texture: Feathery with a light-weight crunch
Taste: Bitter and peppery 
Different Names: Curly endive

Frisée is thought for its bitter style and fluffy texture. Within the U.S., the inexperienced is frequent in salad mixes, the place its biting taste will be balanced out by different gentle greens. Frisée is the star of French salade Lyonnaise, the place its bitterness cuts by means of the richness of the bacon and poached egg. 

Radicchio

Look: Thick, hearty crimson leaves in a tightly packed spherical or elongated medium-size head
Texture: Crisp and strong, just like cabbage
Taste: Bittersweet 
Different Names: Chioggia, purple chicory, Italian purple chicory 

Few “greens” are as spectacular on a plate as radicchio, because of its majestic burgundy leaves. This member of the chicory household is in season from October to January, and is a vivid spot at winter farmers markets. The sweetness of fruit corresponding to apples, pears, or winter citrus helps lower by means of the bitterness of uncooked radicchio, particularly when balanced with salty cheeses corresponding to  gorgonzola or ricotta salata. Radicchio’s sturdy leaves are nice for roasting and grilling, which brings out the vegetable’s pure sweetness. In Italy, radicchio can also be included into pastas and risottos.

Escarole

Look: Medium inexperienced, wavy-edged leaves in a unfastened, leafy, medium-size bunch
Texture: Crisp leaves; outer leaves are tender however crunchy, with tender inside leaves 
Taste: Bitter with a refined earthiness 
Different Names: Batavian endive, broad-leaf endive

Escarole (or ‘scarole, in case you’re from New Jersey like me), is a winter staple frequent in French and Italian delicacies. Its sturdy leaves make it supreme for braising and simmering, corresponding to  in Italian marriage ceremony soup. When cooked, escarole’s bitterness mellows out considerably. When eaten uncooked, escarole is beautiful  paired with contemporary or dried fruit to stability the vegetable’s bitterness. The inexperienced can also be generally braised with white beans to make “‘scarole and beans,” an Italian traditional. 

Endive

Look: Mild yellow-green, thick, boat formed leaves in an elongated, tightly packed, medium-size head 
Texture: Thick, dense leaves which can be crisp and crunchy 
Taste: Bitterness in outer leaves that mellows out in inside leaves or when cooked 
Different names: Belgian endive 

Like different members of the chicory household, endive is a bitter winter vegetable. In america, dense, crisp Belgian endive is often the range you’ll discover at grocery shops and farmers markets. Its concave leaves make it supreme for scooping up dips and spreads, and the vegetable is very scrumptious when paired with components that stability the vegetable’s bitterness, corresponding to candy, tart fruits and creamy cheeses. Serving endive with deeply savory components corresponding to  anchovies or salt cod can amplify the vegetable’s sweetness, and like radicchio, endive mellows out considerably when cooked. In France and Belgian, it’s usually utilized in creamy gratins or braised.

Different Leafy Greens

Although the next greens aren’t lettuces, they’re usually used as salad greens and, when mixed, can present loads of texture and taste. As Critical Eats editorial director Daniel touched on in his Roman-inspired mixed-green salad recipe, selecting a combination of no matter greens are in season means your salad will all the time be the freshest and most flavorful. So as an alternative of reaching for the bagged stuff, contemplate making your individual customized mix with a number of the greens beneath.

Mesclun Combine

Look: A mixture of child greens usually lower than 5 inches in size, with a combination of rounded, wavy, and frizzy leaves that fluctuate in shade, with some greens, deep reds, and purples.
Texture: Usually smooth and delicate 
Taste: Relies on the combo of greens, however often candy and gentle with pops of spice or bitterness.
Different names: Spring combine, salad combine 

Within the Provençal dialect, “mesclun” means “combination,” and the time period “mesclun combine” actually interprets to “combination combine.” Within the Nineteen Eighties, the chef Alice Waters popularized mesclun—grown by Andrea Crawford, the proprietor of Kenter Canyon Farms in Fillmore, California—at her well-known farm-to-table restaurant in Berkeley, Chez Panisse. (In 2007, the Los Angeles Instances referred to as Crawford the “mesclun magician.”) Since then, mesclun has develop into a preferred prepackaged salad. Mesclun, which additionally goes by spring combine, usually accommodates child greens corresponding to  spinach or kale, alongside arugula, romaine, radicchio, and frisée. The precise mixture, nevertheless, will fluctuate relying on the model or producer. Mesclun’s comfort makes it supreme for fast salads, and its versatility means it goes effectively with quite a lot of mix-ins and dressings.

Tatsoi

Look: Deep inexperienced with rounded leaves and a pronounced, thick stem
Texture: A barely extra delicate bok choy
Taste: Mustardy when uncooked, candy and earthy when cooked 
Different names: Spinach mustard, spoon mustard, rosette bok choy

Tatsoi is native to China and comes from the identical household as bok choy, however has barely thinner stems. Symon says it’s scrumptious each uncooked or cooked: “You possibly can slice it in half and roast it or grill it, however you may also chop it actually finely and make a slaw with it.” That stated, child tatsoi—which is harvested earlier than it’s absolutely mature—is usually the go-to for salads, as its leaves are smaller and have a milder taste.Tatsoi is usually utilized in fast stir-fries, as its candy, earthy taste goes effectively with garlic, ginger, and savory condiments like soy sauce.

Arugula

Look: Small and elongated inexperienced leaves with wavy edges 
Texture: Delicate however chewy 
Taste: Bitter with a peppery kick
Different Names: Rocket, roquette, Italian cress 

Arugula is herbaceous, peppery, and packs a robust punch. In accordance with  The Massive E book of Greens by Jenn Louis arugula was thought of an aphrodisiac in historic Rome, and throughout the Center Ages, monasteries had been forbidden from rising the vegetable. Whereas the inexperienced is usually present in spring combine and is nice in a salad, arugula can be utilized quite a few methods. The vegetable is usually included into Italian pastas and beef carpaccio and potato salads in japanese Europe, and can be utilized alongside (or rather than) spinach in dishes corresponding to  spanakopita or borani-yeh esfenaj, a Persian spinach and yogurt dip. In northern India, arugula seeds are pressed to make taramira oil, which is utilized in pickling. Although arugula is comparatively delicate, its daring taste permits it to shine when it’s cooked, too. Arugula’s spicy taste additionally works effectively in sauces and spreads.

Watercress

Look: Stemmy with small, rounded inexperienced leaves 
Texture: Delicate, nearly herb-like 
Taste: Spicy, mustardy, peppery 
Different Names: Cress 

Symons calls watercress “arugula amplified.” Watercress shares an analogous taste to the opposite mustards within the household, together with wasabi and mustard greens. Whereas not as spicy as wasabi greens, watercress has a kick that helps it punch up salads and dips. Symons recommends trimming the lengthy stems in case you plan on utilizing the inexperienced in a salad, in any other case you might find yourself with what she describes as “watercress dental floss.” She additionally ceaselessly tosses it right into a blender (stems and all) and combines it with crème fraîche, olive oil, and chives to make a dip or unfold for sandwiches or—thinned with slightly water—a dressing for salads.

Kale

Look: Giant ruffled, rounded, or curly leaves; deep inexperienced, blue inexperienced, or purple (relying on the range) with seen veining and a thick stem 
Texture: Agency, fibrous 
Taste: Ranges from deep, nutty, and earthy to bitter, relying on the range

Kale’s powerful leaves will be roasted, air-fried, juiced, sautéed, or stewed, making it a flexible ingredient. Within the U.S., you’re prone to discover curly kale and Lacinato kale, a flat-leaf selection with extra earthiness and fewer bitterness than curly kale. Whereas each are scrumptious uncooked or cooked, curly kale is very nice when massaged with olive oil for salads or changed into kale chips. 

Symons like to show curly kale into kale chips, because the vegetable’s ruffled edges act as nooks and crannies for spices and seasonings. Lacinato kale will be thinly sliced and utilized in salads, however its massive, thick leaves make it significantly good for together with in soups and stews, as its hardiness helps it stand as much as lengthy cooking occasions with out disintegrating fully. It’s what Symons reaches for when making ribollita, Portuguese caldo verde, or a kale Caesar salad. Kale’s strong nature makes it one of many few greens that may stand up to being dressed as much as a day prematurely with out dropping a lot of its integrity. Kale’s powerful exterior additionally makes it a go-to in heat fall or winter salads (when it’s season) wherein it’s paired with hearty greens corresponding to roasted squash and carmelized mushrooms.

Spinach

Look: Broad, oval leaves with pointed ideas in darkish inexperienced, bunches type a medium-size rosette form 
Texture: Gentle and tender 
Taste: Candy, gentle, and grassy

Spinach will be served uncooked or cooked, and its mildness permits it to simply meld into myriad dishes: tacky lasagna, warming chickpea masala, and even inexperienced smoothies. “I type of consider spinach because the gateway inexperienced,” Symons says, explaining that it’s often the primary inexperienced individuals attain for once they begin increasing from iceberg or romaine lettuces. “It is not overwhelming or offensive, and would not have a particularly sturdy taste as in comparison with a few of these different greens.” Spinach is utilized in many cuisines around the globe: In India, it’s used to make palak paneer, and in Korea, it’s blanched and marinated in doenjang, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and spices for banchan. Japanese ohitashi is ready equally. 

As a result of common spinach is harvested when absolutely mature, it’s finest to succeed in for child spinach when making salads, because it’s picked when youthful, with leaves that are typically sweeter, milder, and extra tender. Spinach’s one fault may simply be that it shrinks enormously when cooked, although that is simply solved by selecting frozen spinach in case you want a big quantity for a recipe.

Mache

Look: Small inexperienced, rounded leaves on skinny stems; grows in a tiny bunch 
Texture: Delicate, velvety, just like butter lettuce 
Taste: Barely candy with a little bit of nuttiness
Different names: Lamb’s lettuce, corn salad

Mache is often described as a smaller, extra delicate model of butter lettuce. It has an nearly candy, nutty taste, which is why Symons usually solely eats it uncooked. (It could, nevertheless, be sautéed or steamed.) As a result of the leaves are fragile, Symons recommends utilizing a light-weight French dressing—like a lemon or champagne French dressing—that enables the inexperienced’s pure taste to shine. Mache additionally pairs effectively with the bitter chicories like endive for a extra complicated salad.

Store for Greens

Selecting domestically grown greens is your finest guess, as they are typically brisker. Most lettuce and greens offered in American grocery shops are grown in California and Arizona, however native varieties can simply be discovered at most farmers markets. Whereas bagged and boxed mixes are handy, making your individual mix will end in essentially the most flavorful salad. When selecting your greens, you’ll need to keep away from wilted, discolored greens and ensure that the leaf construction continues to be intact, Frymark says.

Retailer Lettuce

In accordance with the USDA, lettuces and different salad greens must be refrigerated between 32° and 41°F (0° to five°C), and saved farthest from the door in order that they aren’t topic to fluctuating temperatures. Frymark recommends loosely packing greens in a plastic bag, as greens want a damp atmosphere to take care of their freshness. Because the vegetation sit within the bag, they are going to proceed to launch moisture. “The plant itself is creating the humidity as a result of it is nonetheless alive,” Frymark says. “Even after you have lower it, it is nonetheless transpiring and giving off water vapor, so that you need that to be captured in one thing.” 

The smaller the container, the upper the humidity will likely be, sogreens must be sealed in a bath or plastic bag that offers the greens some wiggle room, however doesn’t have a number of further area. (If you happen to’ve completed half a field of greens, she recommends shifting the remaining half to a gallon-size zip-top bag.) In each instances, the container must be absolutely sealed. To forestall extra condensation, you may also add a layer of paper towel to the bag. Whereas most triple washed, packaged varieties don’t have to be washed once more at dwelling, any lettuce or inexperienced you do wash must be completely spun and dried earlier than refrigerating.