For the best butter lettuce salad, make sure you start by handling the butter lettuce carefully. Butter lettuce has a very soft texture and you don’t want to damage it during the washing process. We’d recommend washing the lettuce by dipping it into a bowl of cold water and then gently arranging on a paper towel to dry. Along with its soft texture, butter lettuce has a more buttery mouthfeel and tender bite than other varieties.
We’ve kept the base of this salad fairly simple, but there are lots of ingredients you can add depending on the flavors and textures you’d like to create. Some recipes will feature crisp and fresh additions such as sliced radishes and cucumber slices, or even olives, to bring a saltier depth to the dish.
For more inspiration on how to use nutrient-rich butter lettuce take a look at our guide, featuring recipe ideas including a summertime butter lettuce strawberry salad. And to learn how to create the perfect salad, we have an entire article outlining the best way to build a salad and which components to consider to create the tastiest dish.
Dressing and Toppings Ideas
In this recipe we’ve included a butter lettuce salad dressing, as a delicate vinaigrette works best with butter lettuce, pairing well with its subtly sweet flavor. But you can adapt the vinaigrette base and try making a stronger dressing like a basil vinaigrette. Or you could add a touch of honey to the lemon vinaigrette dressing in this recipe if you’d like to introduce a sweeter flavor to the salad dressing.
For a classic salad topping, add croutons to this dish. The crunch of the croutons contrasts with the soft texture of the butter lettuce and creaminess of the avocados, adding a welcome crispiness to the recipe. To finish this salad with a tasty garnish, try grating Parmesan cheese over the top, for added indulgence. Or for a creamy and salty cheese, shave manchego over the top of your salad, to add a hint of umami to the dish.
Any leftover vinaigrette should last in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. It’s worth making a little extra than you need for this recipe to keep throughout the week for other salads.
How to Plate It Beautifully
For the best plating results, start with the butter lettuce leaves first. Spread them out over the bottom of the dish, before topping with carefully arranged slices of avocado and chives. The best salads combine color with a variety of textures, so if you do decide to add other ingredients, such as sliced radishes, be sure to arrange these on the top of your salad for the most appetizing visual presentation.
