When it comes to salad greens, iceberg lettuce doesn't get a lot of love these days. People have moved on to—arugula, frisée, radicchio, and other get the credit while iceberg is relegated to topping sandwiches. That's not fair. Sure, iceberg lettuce isn't an especially complex vegetable, but it's comforting. Cooling and crunchy, iceberg lettuce is a green that deserves a spot in your crisper. Here are our favorite iceberg lettuce recipes.
The wedge salad is so far out of fashion that it's becoming cool again. It doesn't get more simple than a retro salad of an iceberg wedge topped with a creamy, tangy thousand island dressing. For something a little fancier, try a wedge salad with cucumber, red onion, and grape tomatoes topped with blue cheese and Italian dressings.
Another classic in Cobb salad. Invented in 1937, this salad is strewn with myriad toppings, including bacon, hard-boiled eggs, chicken, and avocado.
Crisp, refreshing lettuce is a natural pairing to shrimp. Grilled shrimp marinated with red Thai chiles, lemongrass, and ginger is perfect served in lettuce cups. Or try a classic rémoulade—a white, mayonnaise-y blend of Creole mustard, horseradish, cayenne, and white pepper served a bed of iceberg.
Find these recipes and more in our collection of our best iceberg lettuce recipes.
Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Cups
Iceberg lettuce leaves make great vessels for eating marinated grilled shrimp. For added kick, drizzle with sweet chile sauce. Get the recipe for Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Cups »
Iceberg Lettuce with Thousand Island Dressing
Thousand Island—mayonnaise flavored with chili sauce, onion, pickle, chives, and more—is a classic dressing for a crisp wedge of iceberg lettuce.
Iceberg Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
When making the vinaigrette for this salad, use a crumbly blue cheese like Cabrales or Valdeón from Spain.
Cajun Crawfish Salad
Cooked and chopped shrimp can be used in place of crawfish for this Cajun salad dressed with mayonnaise and Creole mustard.
Galatoire's Rémoulade Blanc
Inspired by a rémoulade served in New Orleans’ Galatoire’s, this white, mayonnaise-y blend of Creole mustard, horseradish, cayenne, and white pepper is rooted in the classic French recipe.
Blue Cheese Wedge Salad
Both blue cheese and Italian dressings adorn the classic iceberg wedge salad. Get the recipe for Blue Cheese Wedge Salad »
New Jersey Fattoush
Helen Rosner’s mother-in-law is Palestinian, but over forty years of living in the U.S., her fattoush has evolved into something decidedly (and deliciously) Americanized: crushed pita chips, a dressing of lime juice and dried mint, and crisp, sweet iceberg lettuce. Get the recipe for New Jersey Fattoush »
Cobb Salad
Los Angeles’s Brown Derby closed its doors long ago, but this classic salad, invented in 1937 by the restaurant’s owner, Robert H. Cobb, lives on.
Keep Reading
Continue to Next Story
