7 Best Lettuce for Burgers: Check our Nº1 Choice

What is the best type of lettuce to use in burgers? I have 7 excellent choices for you!

While everyone has their own preferences for food, a few types of lettuce stick out in terms of the best to put on a burger.

When biting in a sultry burger, the typical want in a juicy burger, but you also want a great crunch for contrast in textures and tastes. Most vegetables included in a burger are onions, tomatoes, pickles, and of course, lettuce. 

There are a few types of lettuce that go best with a burger that vary in terms of crunch, nutritional value, and taste. The seven top picks are iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, green leaf lettuce, bibb lettuce, radicchio lettuce, summer crisp, and arugula. 

7 Best Lettuce for Burgers

1) Iceberg Lettuce

Iceberg lettuce is known for being a cheaper option for lettuce, but great on the crunch factor. Most restaurants use iceberg lettuce for this reason but are careful about checking for any rotten pieced.

Iceberg lettuce tends to rot a bit faster than its other counterparts.

This type of lettuce is also a bit more watery than others, so it would be beneficial to pat down the lettuce before putting it on the burger, so it does not get soggy.

Iceberg lettuce does not have great nutritional value compared to other types of lettuce either. However, there are a few health benefits. These include Vitamin K, which is great for people with blood clotting problems. There is also a healthy amount of Vitamin (great for eye health), and folic acid.

This seems great, but again, compared to others is not the best option in terms of nutritional value.

However, since there are not that many nutrients, there are not that many calories either. This is great for people who want a burger but may not want the bread for extra calories. Instead, they can use a wrap made out of iceberg lettuce. 

2) Romaine Lettuce

Romaine lettuce is a great alternative to iceberg and other lettuces as well because of its hardy nutritional value. The Romaine lettuce is also crisp, has more flavoring than iceberg lettuce, and is less watery, which means fewer chances of a soggy burger. 

In terms of nutrition, Romain lettuce offers higher folate, potassium, beta carotene, vitamin C, and lutein count per cup of lettuce than other lettuce. There is also a high number of antioxidants in romaine lettuce and is said to be the lettuce with the most nutritional value.

Romain lettuce is also darker, which is not only visibly appealing on a burger, but also means the higher number of vitamins the lettuce holds. On a spectrum, iceberg lettuce is very light (almost white) and romaine is much darker.

Romaine lettuce is also a bit more bitter compared to the flavorless iceberg, but pairs well with the flavors of a good burger.

3) Green Leaf Lettuce

Green leaf lettuce is also another great option for a topping on your burger. Keep in mind that is it also darker than iceberg lettuce, which means a higher nutritional content per serving size.

Green leaf lettuce contains a high amount if vitamin K, niacin, riboflavin, carotene, vitamin E, and high-water content. While the nutritional value is solid, the flavor is a bit bland compared to romaine lettuce, which is bitter. 

The leaves are very thin, but the stem does give a crunch. For a burger, this is a solid option, but since it has no flavoring, Romaine is a better option.

Green leaf lettuce also goes by the name of loose-leaf lettuce, Batavia lettuce, or red leaf lettuce (the red version). The leaves are larger, so it is also a great option for a lettuce wrap burger if you are not interested in having a bun. 

4) Bibb Lettuce

Also known as Boston lettuce, butterhead, or limestone lettuce, bibb lettuce is a smaller type of lettuce, but has immense flavor. Bibb lettuce has a very distinctive, creamy flavor, but is also very crisp. However, bibb lettuce is a bit more expensive than other varieties as well. This type of lettuce bruises very easily and spoils quite fast.

Therefore, it may not be the best option if you are planning on cooking burgers on the grill for a large crowd. 

In terms of nutritional value, bibb lettuce has a high content of folate, iron, potassium, and vitamin A.

However, even though it has a high nutritional content, the flavoring may be a turn-off for some people. The lettuce tastes like a rich butter when eaten alone, but the taste can be overpowered by other condiments if necessary.

This is not a great option for someone who prefers a plainer burger that will not like that buttery taste. 

5) Radicchio Lettuce

Radicchio lettuce is a type of red lettuce that looks more like the head of cabbage. It has thicker leaves which makes it a good option for holding thicker condiments in the burger.

However, with that being said, the leaves do have a bitter taste. It can be overpowered by some condiments, but again, if you like simple burgers without a lot of condiments, this may not be the best for you; particularly if you do not like bitter foods. 

The nutritional value of radicchio is tough to beat. It is low in sodium but has a large amount of vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, and potassium. It is also low in caloric content.

However, as mentioned, it does have a very strong and bitter taste which may not be suitable for all burgers. On top of that, while radicchio is included in most pre-mixed salads, most of the time it is cooked to mild out some of the flavorings. Radicchio is commonly found in salad bags and does have the thickness of cabbage as well.

6) Summer Crisp 

Summer crisp lettuce, also called Batavia lettuce or French crisp, is a great option for burgers. This lettuce is extremely crisp, like Romain lettuce, but has a bit of a sweeter taste than Romaine.

This is perfect for the person who loves things on the sweeter side and would pair well with bread and butter pickles in the burger. There is absolutely no bitter taste and may be a great option for a kids’ burger as well. 

The nutritional value of summer crisp lettuce is beneficial as well. There is a good amount of vitamins C and E, folic acid and more. Again, this is a great lettuce if you prefer a sweeter, crisp, yet nutty flavoring.

The taste pairs well alone or with other condiments such as a sweeter barbeque sauce. Another benefit of this lettuce is that it is easy to grow at home if you are looking for ways to save money.

7) Arugula

Arugula is becoming more and more popular because of its great nutritional components and different flavoring. In some aspects, it is classified as lettuce, while in other ways is related to a mustard plant or other herb.

Arugula has a peppery taste and is more on the bitter side. This is not a great option if you like a simple burger, or if you are not a fan of pepper. Arugula is also found in salad mixes. This may not be a good fit if you are making a burger for someone who does not a spicy taste or children.

Arugula has great nutritional benefits even though it is an acquired taste.

Arugula is jam-packed with antioxidants and glucosinolates that are actually beneficial to protect against certain types of cancers. It also has vitamin K. However, if you are on blood-clotting medicines too much vitamin K can reverse the effects of the blood thinners. 

Do Different Burgers Require Different Types of Lettuce?

Different burgers do not technically need different types of lettuce. It all depends on an individual’s taste. However, there are some better options for each taste bud.

For instance, if you have a sweeter burger, such as a barbeque burger, then a summer crisp may be the best option.

However, let’s say you are having a pepper jack burger, arugula may be a good fit because of the peppery taste. Summer crisp is the perfect fit if you like a sweeter tasting lettuce that may be appealing to children as well.

Also, if you are more concerned about the nutritional value of what you are eating, romaine would be the best pick over the iceberg lettuce.

Final Words

There are certain lettuces that are a better fit for each person. The type of lettuce you choose can depend on the nutritional value, cost of the lettuce (particularly if you are feeding a crowd), the taste of the lettuce, and also how well the lettuce holds up in a burger (no one wants a soggy burger that is falling apart).

Overall, iceberg lettuce is a great option if you do not want the taste of the lettuce to overpower the taste of the burger and love the extra crunch. Romaine lettuce is a great option if you like the leafy type of lettuce that has nutritional benefits. Happy eating!

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