9 Best Lettuces For Sandwiches
Fans of a loaded, flavorful sandwich will know that the best way to create a deluxe version of this family favorite is to add as many toppings as possible. And in our opinion, no sandwich is complete without a layer of crunchy, juicy lettuce!
But how do you choose the best lettuce for a sandwich? For mild-flavored lettuce with a crisp texture, opt for iceberg or romaine lettuce leaves. Butterhead or lollo rosso lettuces are great options with a softer texture, while arugula or watercress are both great for adding a zingy, peppery flavor to your sandwich.
Have we got your tastebuds tingling for a lettuce-filled sandwich? Let’s take a look at the best lettuces for sandwiches to make sure you get the perfect flavor and texture combination!
Why Put Lettuce In A Sandwich?
A sandwich really is the ultimate convenience food!
Whatever your fillings of choice, a sandwich is a firm favorite in many households.
Just think of those thick slices of soft bread, filled with cheese, turkey, or tuna, topped off with a layer of zingy condiments and perhaps a slice of tomato or two.
But if you’re a sandwich fan, you might be wondering: why it is a good idea to add lettuce to this much-loved snack?
Adding lettuce to any type of sandwich is a great way to create a whole new taste sensation, and with so many different types of lettuce available, the flavor combinations are endless!
Putting the right lettuce in a sandwich will not only add a new dimension of flavor to the sandwich, but also complement the taste of the other sandwich fillings.
And lettuce is also a really healthy choice — it has a low calorie count and is packed full of essential vitamins and minerals.
Some lettuces can work well in a hot grilled sandwich, so don’t shun the green leaves if you’re a fan of a gooey, cheesy stack of toasted deliciousness! You’ll need a variety of lettuce that keeps its flavor even when wilted.
When it comes to adding lettuce to a sandwich, there are many options available.
However, some lettuces work far better with certain fillings than others, so it is good to have a basic idea of which lettuce pairs well with which ingredients in a sandwich.
The final decision will come down to personal taste and what flavor combination you are aiming for, so let’s figure out how to pick the best lettuce for your flavor-packed sandwich!
How To Choose The Best Lettuce For A Sandwich
Lettuce is one of the most versatile sandwich ingredients out there, with numerous different types available.
This popular salad ingredient comes in a huge range of flavors and textures, and picking the right one is vital when it comes to the success of your sandwich!
One of the first things to consider is the strength of flavor of the lettuce. Do you want to taste the lettuce as one of the primary sandwich ingredients, or use it to add a background flavor to the other sandwich fillings?
Some lettuce leaves can be very strong and intense, with a peppery or bitter flavor. Other types of lettuce are very mild and subtle in comparison and taste sweeter and more buttery.
Next, you need to think about texture.
Do you want firm, crunchy lettuce with plenty of bite, or a softer lettuce leaf that molds around the other sandwich fillings? If you’re making a grilled sandwich, is your lettuce robust enough to stand up to this?
Lettuces come in a huge assortment of textures, from smooth and juicy leaves to beautifully ruffled, multicolored leaves.
And finally, take a look at the flavor profile of the lettuce — pale-colored lettuces tend to be sweeter and more buttery in flavor, while dark green leaves are stronger and more peppery.
Basically, when it comes to choosing the best lettuce for your sandwich, the options are virtually endless!
But there are a few classic flavor combinations that people turn to time and again, as they are the perfect blend of lettuce and other fillings.
So, to take the guesswork out of choosing the right lettuce for your sandwich, here are our top selections!
Best Lettuces For Sandwiches
Here are our top picks for the best lettuces for sandwiches, including some classic combinations and some more unusual but surprisingly good options!
1. Iceberg Lettuce
- Description: A crisp, crunchy texture with a mild, sweet flavor.
- Pair With: Iceberg is the classic sandwich lettuce and can be paired with most cold fillings, including a wide variety of meats and cheeses.
When making a salad-filled sandwich, most people reach for the iceberg lettuce, and with good reason!
Iceberg has many properties that make it the perfect sandwich lettuce and it will be included in a whole load of your favorite sandwich recipes.
Iceberg is a variety of crisphead lettuce, with pale green leaves tightly packed on a rounded head. It is famed for its thick, crunchy leaves, that fill your mouth with sweet, juicy flavor as you bite into them.
Iceberg lettuce adds freshness and crunch to your sandwiches, as well as nutrition. This variety of lettuce is normally shredded, but the leaves can also be eaten whole.
The mild taste of iceberg means it works with pretty much any type of sandwich filling, although it is not always a good choice for hot sandwiches.
Some people enjoy shredded iceberg on a sizzling burger, while others find it becomes too mushy and soggy.
2. Butterhead Lettuce
- Description: Thin, delicate leaves with a soft, buttery texture.
- Pair With: Subtle, mild-flavored sandwich fillings such as shrimp or egg.
Butterhead lettuces are the second most common type you will see in the store, normally nestled next to the iceberg!
However, these two lettuce varieties couldn’t be more different when it comes to texture and flavor.
The butterhead lettuce has large, loosely-formed heads of soft, delicate leaves. The texture of the leaves is very fragile, and they will not add much crunch to your sandwich.
However, they have a deliciously delicate and sweet flavor that perfectly complements subtle sandwich fillings such as egg salad and tuna salad.
Butterhead lettuces do not store as well as icebergs and should be eaten as fresh as possible.
There are several different types of butterhead lettuce, and the two most commonly sold in grocery stores are Boston, with large, floppy leaves, and Bibb, with a smaller, more compact head.
You may also find butterhead lettuces with red or variegated leaves, which add a lovely splash of color to your sandwich.
3. Romaine Lettuce
- Description: Long leaves with a thick, juicy stem and crisp outer leaves.
- Pair With: Perfect for a long submarine sandwich filled with delicious ingredients such as meats, cheeses, and spicy condiments.
Romaine lettuce is often overlooked as sandwich lettuce, but it actually has some great properties that make it ideal for this purpose!
Romaine lettuces have elongated, tightly packed heads of large, crisp leaves.
The leaves are easy to separate from the head, making them perfect for using whole in sandwiches. Each leaf has a central stem that is crunchy and juicy, and an outer section of thinner, crispier lettuce.
The great thing about romaine lettuce is that it holds up well under pressure for long periods of time.
This makes it a great choice if you need to make sandwiches in advance for a picnic or brunch, as they will not go soggy by the time you get to eat them!
The leaves are also long enough to fill a substantial sandwich, such as a loaded sub or French baguette. They can be wrapped around other ingredients to hold them in place, or even used to make a bread-free sandwich!
In terms of flavor, romaine lettuce sits in the middle of the range. The leaves are sweet but the stem can be bitter (or bland), so cut this section out if you prefer.
The flavor is robust enough to stand up to strong dressings without overpowering the other ingredients in your sandwich.
4. Arugula Lettuce
- Description: Small, dark green leaves with a pungent, peppery flavor.
- Pair With: Ideal alongside full-flavored cold meats, or served on top of a sizzling steak sandwich.
If you’ve never tried arugula in a sandwich, you don’t know what you’re missing!
This popular salad green consists of small, dark green leaves with a serrated edge, and is normally sold in a loose-leave salad bag.
Arugula is not often included in sandwiches, as the peppery flavor can be quite intense and overpowering.
However, there are some situations where this really works in its favor, such as when you want some salad leaves to add to a spicy pepperoni, salami, or mortadella sandwich.
Arugula also comes into its own when served on a hot sandwich. The leaves will gently wilt yet still retain some of their crunchy texture and pungent flavor.
Our absolute favorite is arugula instead of iceberg on a sizzling burger topped with melted cheese. Add them at the last minute before serving to keep them as fresh as possible!
If you find arugula a bit overpowering, try pairing it with sweet cherry tomatoes to balance out the flavor.
5. Lollo Rosso Lettuce
- Description: Tight, curly red leaves with a crisp texture and fresh flavor.
- Pair With: Great for adding color, volume, and texture while holding dressings and condiments within your sandwich.
Tightly curled lettuces such as lollo rosso are the secret to building a seriously stacked sandwich!
These light yet crisp lettuce leaves hold their shape well in a sandwich and also help to retain mayonnaise and dressings within your lunchtime snack.
Lollo rosso is normally sold as a whole head of lettuce, and the loose leaves are easy to remove as you need them. You may also see this type of lettuce sold in the store as coral lettuce.
The flavor of lollo rosso is quite similar to butterhead lettuces, but the texture is firmer and more crunchy. It will retain its texture well and can be paired with most sandwich fillings, whether strong or mild in flavor.
6. Mixed Salad Leaves
- Description: A mix of small salad leaves from a range of different types of lettuce.
- Pair With: Great for adding that artisan touch to your homemade sandwiches!
This might seem like a bit of a cheat, but those pre-packaged bags of salad leaves sold at the store are also perfect as a sandwich filling!
We love the convenience of these bags of mixed salad leaves, as it eliminates the need to buy several different types of lettuce.
You know when you go to the deli counter for a sandwich, and you walk away wondering how the lettuce always tastes so good?
You may not realize that many artisan sandwiches will contain mixed salad leaves, to give a range of different flavors and textures!
The great thing about mixed salad leaves is that you can pick a bag that suits your requirements.
Making a spicy pastrami sandwich on a seeded rye roll? Go for the spicy salad leaves with watercress, arugula, and frisee.
For a more subtle salad leaf mix to pair with toppings such as shrimp or egg salad, opt for a sweeter baby salad leaf bag that contains oak leaf lettuce, spinach, and red chard.
7. Watercress
- Description: Small, rounded peppery leaves with a crunchy texture.
- Pair With: The traditional partner for egg salad sandwiches!
Watercress is very similar to arugula in terms of flavor, although the texture is crunchier and denser.
As the name suggests, these salad leaves grow in water, and you might be lucky enough to find them growing wild. If not, most stores sell bags of fresh watercress, either alone or as part of a bag of mixed salad leaves.
The peppery flavor of watercress means it can withstand spicy, robust flavors, but it also works surprisingly well with sweet sandwich fillings such as apples.
It is traditionally served as part of an egg salad sandwich, along with cucumber and mustard.
Watercress is so packed full of flavor that many people enjoy it in a sandwich on its own, with just a twist of salt and pepper!
8. Radicchio
- Description: Thick, crunchy red and white leaves with a slightly bitter flavor.
- Pair With: Sear the leaves on a griddle and pair them with strong cheeses such as gorgonzola.
If you’re getting bored with the same old lettuce sandwiches, radicchio is an unusual salad leaf that brings a whole new range of options to your lunchtime snacks!
Radicchio is a type of chicory that forms tight heads of red and white leaves. The leaves are thick and crunchy, and their bitter flavor means that they are not commonly eaten alone.
However, quickly searing whole radicchio leaves on a hot griddle gives them a deliciously caramelized sweetness, making it the ideal partner for strong, salty sandwich fillings!
When prepared in this way, radicchio can be paired with pastrami, gorgonzola, or pulled pork. Add a bit of sweetness and crunch with chopped apple or nuts, and you’ve got yourself a gourmet artisan sandwich!
9. Frisee
- Description: Fine, curly salad leaves with a tender texture.
- Pair With: Savory grilled sandwiches, including breakfast versions with eggs and cheddar!
Frisee is another type of chicory that can be a great addition to many sandwich fillings.
It is not as bitter as most members of the chicory family and has a tender, sweet flavor and texture.
This delicate-looking salad leaf is robust enough to withstand some heat and is often included as part of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.
It also soaks up other flavors well, particularly oils and dressings. Try using frisee instead of iceberg on your next BLT — you may be pleasantly surprised!
