My butter lettuce salad recipe is made with shallot vinaigrette. The perfect side dish to all our meals.

We love salad in our family. Ever since I can remember I have enjoyed crispy butter lettuce with a vinaigrette.

The finished butter lettuce salad recipe with shallots vinaigrette.

It was one of the first recipes that my dad taught me to make. And he took the process very seriously. It had to have the perfect balance.

A ritual that I have cherished and continued with my family.

Butter lettuce, also called Boston or bibb lettuce, has the most tender leaves among all types of lettuce.

Butter lettuce leaves are very easy to damage. A gentle wash and dry with soft paper towels will be perfect.

With all vinaigrettes, you must enjoy them as soon as you mix them with the salad. The vinegar will burn to the salad, and you will have a wilted salad to enjoy.

In France, we make it at the last minute, mix it at the table, and serve it fresh.

In this Article

What is Butter Lettuce?

Butter lettuce differs from other lettuces in that it is soft and has a buttery texture. The leaves are incredibly tender, making them a delight to eat and a favorite choice for salads and sandwiches.

The flavor of butter lettuce is mild and slightly sweet, with a subtle nuttiness that adds a pleasant taste to dishes.

It has a mild flavor and pairs well with many ingredients and dressings, making it a versatile option for cooking.

Butter lettuce leaves are very easy to bruise. A gentle wash in a large bowl with plenty of cold water, then drying with soft paper towels, will be perfect.

How to buy the perfect lettuce?

Look for a large, firm, light green, perfectly round head of lettuce.

The center should be nearly white, and the leaves should be tightly packed rather than spread out.

When you pick your lettuce, it should feel firm to your bare hands. If not, it is already too old, and you will not be able to enjoy it as much.

=Also, the leaves will be a bit tougher to eat.

The salad served in a white bowl with servings forks.

Butter Lettuce Salad Dressing

This vinaigrette is the perfect dressing for butter lettuce salad. A simple sauce made with vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper is perfect for butter lettuce.

Of course, you can add shallots, fine herbs such as thyme, tarragon, or chives, or cooked eggs. You can also replace the vinegar with fresh lemon juice.

Why not make Roasted Baby Beets with Salad and Feta Cheese instead? Light, healthy, and super delicious.

Adding shallots to salad dressing gives it a tangy flavor. Shallots are commonly used in salads in the South of France. This addition also reminds you of the South of France.

What else can you make with this?

Do you have leftover chicken? Turn your butter salad into delicious chicken lettuce wraps.

Make a gluten-free wrap with ground chicken, treating it like a taco and wrapping it with the leaves.

Light and quite delicious lettuce wrap recipe.

The salad sitting on a tablecloth.

Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients

This is a short introduction. The ingredient list is also short. It includes essential items that you may already have in your pantry. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.

Sea salt: Only use sea salt as it is at the purest level and not chemically processed.

Red wine vinegar: Rich in flavor and high in acidity, it brings this butter lettuce recipe to a new level. A must in a pantry as you will be able to use it with most French cooking and more.

Dijon mustard: Another layer of acidity added to your bib lettuce salad. Mixed with the olive oil it creates a beautiful creamy dressing.

Shallot: Diced in very small cubes, bring so much flavor to your recipe butter lettuce.

Butter lettuce: The star of this recipe. Rinse it well with cold water, especially in the lower areas where dust might still be trapped.

Black pepper: Just a couple of grinds of your pepper mill add a nice touch to your butter lettuce salad dressing.

Olive oil: I prefer light olive oil. However, if you only have extra-virgin olive oil, use one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil instead. Taste it and add more if necessary. I found EVOO very intense, and sometimes it interferes with the food.

Equipment needed

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A large bowl, large enough to hold your salad, where you can mix it at ease.

Salad serving spoons I like to use spoons versus forks so I do not add some extra bruising to the salad.

Whisk to mix your shallot dressing. 

The salad in a white bowl with spoons in the background.

Cooking tips and step-by-step instructions

For all my recipes, please gather all the ingredients before you start cooking or baking, and I will guide you every step of the way.

  • Always dissolve the salt with the vinegar in a large salad bowl. Vinegar’s acidity dissolves salt, preventing big crunchy salt pieces in your mouth while eating.
  • Once the salt has dissolved, add the olive oil. The rule is always one tablespoon of vinegar and two tablespoons of olive oil. Whisk them together until a smooth sauce forms.
  • At this juncture, you can add the shallots and herbs you wish to enjoy with your butter lettuce.
  • Mix the salad with the vinaigrette just before serving to avoid wilting from the vinegar if left for too long. Gently fold as not to bruise the salad.
  • When storing the butter lettuce, please place it in a clean plastic bag. I usually wrap a paper towel around it so the outer leaves are not bruised.
A white bowl full of the salad sitting on the table.

Substitutions

  • Keeping the same ratios: 1 acidity to 3 olive oil, you can replace the vinegar with mustard or lemon.
  • Mustard is a perfect complement to any spinach or kale. Vinegar is refreshing. Lemon brings a light summer flair to it.
  • Add some chives, shallots, and voila, and a new savory salad is added to your repertoire.
  • Finely chopped water chestnuts add a touch to your salad.

I told you it was a ritual.

Don’t use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar for this recipe, even though they are popular choices. Both are excellent, but not with this recipe.

Storage

Mixing the salad with vinegar starts the cooking process, making the salad wilt faster and the leaves become limp and lifeless.

They also turn color, which is not appealing.

Therefore, we suggest enjoying it as soon as you mix the dressing with it.

Check out these flavorful recipes:

Cucumber And Orange Salad

Tomato Salad With Mint

Easy Mushroom Salad With Herbs

VIDEO: COOK ALONG WITH ME

More Favorites from Giangi’s Kitchen

Butter Lettuce Salad Recipe with Shallots Vinaigrette

5 from 14 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Giangi Townsend
This delicious salad recipe with butter lettuce, is simple to prepare, and so delicious compliment to your dinner.
Print Pin

Ingredients 

  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon mustard
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 head of butter lettuce
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  • In a large bowl add the salt and vinegar. Mix well with a fork until the salt is dissolved. Add the mustard, pepper, shallots and blend well.
    Add the olive oil, slowly and steady and whisk until smooth. 
  • Wash the butter lettuce. Torn into pieces and add it to the vinaigrette and gently fold the lettuce until all the leaves are covered.

Notes

As soon as you mix your butter lettuce or Boston Bibb salad, enjoy immediately. 

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 20mg | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.

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