When you have a large crop of lettuce from the garden or farmstand, you don't have time to casually include it in complicated recipes or to frantically figure out how to use it up before it goes bad without getting sick of it. You want to make the most of your harvest and to actually enjoy it.
Here at Plant to Plate, we like to keep things simple! Here are some of my favorite ways to use or preserve lettuce:
- Make a Simple Salad. A few ideas for Simple Salad pairings with lettuce include:
- Chicken and pear
- Kiwi and pecan
- Grapefruit and avocado
- Cucumber and avocado
- Strawberries and cheese such as gouda, cheddar, or provolone
- Apple and pecan. You can also add chicken and/or feta cheese to this to make it a Waldorf salad.
- Parmesan and croutons with Caesar dressing, especially if using romaine lettuce (Caesar salad)
- Use it as a Base or Partial Base for an Interesting Salad. (Wondering why I capitalized those letters? Read more about Interesting Salads here!)
- Make a lettuce wrap with the lettuce as the exterior wrap. Fill the middle with other veggies and/or meat along with your choice of condiment.
- Use it as part of the filling of tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and burrito bowls.
- Use it as part of the filling of creative tacos along with pineapple and onions. You can also add chicken and/or BBQ sauce if desired.
- Add it to smoothies.
- Add it to sandwiches.
- Add it to soup.
- Dry or dehydrate it in the same way as drying herbs. You can then powder it and use it as a great thickener for stirfry, soup, smoothies, and baked goods later on.
- Freeze it. Due to its high water content, lettuce will not retain its crispness or structure after being frozen, so thawed lettuce is not a great option for salads or sandwiches. But it works seamlessly for soups and smoothies!
Further Reading
Growing lettuce? Check out these quick facts like its best growing conditions, companion plants, and expected yields.
Lettuce is also featured in these articles: