Butter lettuce
Lactuca sativa var. capitata
Mildly sweet, delicate, no bitterness; the most neutral lettuce flavor profile.
About Butter
Butter lettuce — including Boston, Bibb, and butterhead varieties — is the soft-textured, mildly sweet lettuce with loose rosette heads. The leaves are notably tender (almost buttery, hence the name) with a delicate flavor that doesn't compete with delicate dressings or fillings. French cuisine traditionally uses butter lettuce for fine salads with simple vinaigrettes; American culinary use favors it for elegant green-salad presentations and as lettuce-cup vehicles (Asian-inspired lettuce wraps). Hydroponically-grown 'living lettuce' (sold with roots attached in clamshell containers) is typically butter lettuce — extends shelf life because the plant continues producing.
Variety profile
Common uses
- French salad with light vinaigrette
- Lettuce wraps (Asian)
- Tea sandwiches
- Salad garnish
- BLT alternative to romaine
Editorial notes
Living butter lettuce (with roots intact, refrigerated water bath) stays fresh 7-10 days vs 3-5 for cut butter lettuce. Worth the price differential for sporadic use.