15 Different Types of Lettuce to Spice Up Your Salad Recipes

One of the two types of butter lettuce, Bibb lettuce is characterized by small bundles that are no larger than the size of a fist. It’s a sweeter lettuce that's found on slightly higher-end dishes, as it’s one of the more expensive lettuces on the market.

The other type of butter lettuce is Boston lettuce. It has soft leaves that work especially well for creating lettuce cups and wraps. Keep in mind, however, that Boston lettuce bruises and wilts easily, so it’s best to eat when especially fresh.

Not everyone loves the bitter flavor of dandelion greens, but for those who do, there’s nothing like them. They offer a strong flavor that pairs especially well with vinegary dressings. Plus, you can even use them to make tea.

These scooped leaves work especially well with dips or as shells that can be filled with chicken, shrimp, or beef. They’re similar to radicchio, which you’ll learn about below.

Also known as curly endives, frisée is a brightly colored bitter lettuce that's often used as a garnish or salad add-in.

This popular lettuce is found in most pre-mixed salads at the grocery store, thanks to its affordable nature, crisp texture, and subdued flavor.

Exceedingly popular in the past few years, kale is a bitter leafy green that, while not technically a lettuce (it's actually in the cabbage family), is still worth mentioning. It’s a superb source of vitamins, given it’s rich in both vitamins A and C. It’s a great salad base and can even be used as a healthy alternative for chips if you pop it in the oven with olive oil and salt.

This one might seem a little confusing, given all lettuces feature leaves, but leaf lettuce is known for its looser-packed leaves that come in a variety of red and green. In terms of flavor, they range from mild to spicy.

This soft, crunchy lettuce works wonderfully as a wrap. Its light flavors pairs well with all dressings.

These small, dark green leaves come in clusters of four or five. Mix it in with other lettuces for a versatile salad full of flavor.

Mesclun literally means mix. As such, it features a mixture of greens in different shapes, flavors, and sizes. The result is a unique flavor that changes from bite to bite.

This burgundy lettuce is also referred to as Italian chicory. It’s often chopped into small slivers to add crunch and strong flavor throughout a salad. If you prefer a sweeter flavor for your greens, try roasting or grilling radicchio first, then adding to your dish.

These long, sturdy leaves are yet another option for wraps, and the traditional lettuce used for Caesar salad. When chopped up, they make for a hearty base that features satisfying crunch and a slightly bitter flavor. Just be sure to regularly check the status of romaine, as it frequently gets recalled for E. coli contamination.