Treat yourself to this refreshing Butter Lettuce Salad with Lemon Chive Dressing. Full of fresh veggies and Parmesan crisps, each bite is light and tangy. It’s the perfect side to any meal!
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Fresh and vibrant flavors are plentiful in this Butter Lettuce Salad with Lemon Chive Dressing. Layers of crisp radishes and cucumber pair perfectly with Parmesan crisps and the homemade salad dressing. It’s an easy salad recipe you can whip up before a hearty steak dinner or on the side of brunch.
This is clean eating at its finest, as all of the ingredients are gluten-free, keto, vegetarian, and low-carb. Butter lettuce, radishes, cucumber, and Parmesan cheese tossed together in the simple lemon herb dressing creates bursts of flavor without messing with your budget.
What is butter lettuce?
Butter lettuce, also known as Bibb or Boston lettuce, has vibrant green leaves that are round, smooth, and loose. It has a sweet and tender bite, making it the perfect choice for refreshing spring or summer salads. You can even use the large leaves as a replacement for pita bread or tortillas when you want to enjoy a healthy appetizer or lunch.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this butter lettuce salad recipe
- Butter lettuce – This vibrant and hearty lettuce isn’t only great for lettuce cups. Butter lettuce has round, thick, and vibrant green leaves. It has a tender and crisp taste that has a little more substance than iceberg or romaine lettuce.
- Toppings – Thinly sliced cucumbers and radishes are fresh, light, and crisp. They’re all you need for this simple yet delicious salad, but you’re welcome to add sliced avocado, croutons, baked chicken breast, or hard-boiled eggs to make it a little more hearty.
- Parmesan crisps – So easy to make at home! All you need is shredded Parmesan cheese and a hot oven. If you’re in a rush, just substitute them with shaved Parmesan. If you want to try the one I am using, get a bag or two of these ParmCrisps Everything.
- Lemon chive dressing – This is a simple homemade dressing made with lemon juice, fresh chives, oil, and dijon mustard. You can keep a batch of this dressing in the fridge to use with a Mediterranean salad or even fish.
How to make this salad with homemade lemon dressing
- Make the lemon dressing: Add all of the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake well to combine.
- Prepare the veggies: Wash and dry the lettuce before adding it to a large bowl or platter. Slice the radishes and cucumber using a mandolin or a sharp knife. Keep the radishes in a bowl with cold water until everything is prepared.
- To make homemade parmesan crisps: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spoon small piles of shredded Parmesan onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and pat each one down slightly. Bake for around 5 minutes or until each pile of cheese is golden and crisp.
- Assemble the salad: Pat the radishes dry and add them to the lettuce and cucumbers in the bowl. When the homemade Parmesan crisps are cool, add them in as well. Finish by drizzling on the dressing and serve with your favorite meal!
Tips and substitutions
- I recommend using a mandolin to create paper-thin veggies. If you don’t have one, slicing the veggies carefully with a sharp knife will work as well.
- Letting the sliced radishes sit in cold water while you prep will keep them nice and crisp.
- Can’t find butter lettuce? Replace it with another large, green leaf lettuce like romaine.
- Serve the salad with a creamy dressing instead. Both Caesar and ranch dressing would go well on this simple salad.
- If you can’t find fresh chives, you can use dried chives or dill as a replacement.
What goes well with butter lettuce salad?
You can serve this fresh simple salad with a heavy or light dinner, lunch, or on the side of brunch. It’s a refreshing side dish next to a ribeye with chimichurri sauce or a buttery slice of prime rib roast. If you want to keep things on the lighter side, serve the salad next to a baked chicken breast, keto crusted salmon, or a creamy bowl of pasta.
More salad recipes
Add some color to your meal with these vibrant and tasty salads:
- Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Keto Thai Steak Salad
- Loaded Chicken Salad With Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
- Delicata Squash Salad With Persimmons
Did you try this Butter Lettuce Salad with Lemon Chive Dressing? Let me know what you think and leave a comment below! Don’t forget to also take a picture of your recreation and tag me on Instagram. I love to see all of your photos!
Butter Lettuce Salad with Lemon Chive Dressing
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head butter lettuce washed, patted dry, and torn
- 3 small cucumbers thinly sliced
- 4 radishes thinly sliced
- ½ cup parmesan crisps or substitute with shaved parmesan
Lemon Chive Dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ lemon juiced
- 3 tbsp chives finely chopped
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
Lemon Chive Dressing
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small jar with a lid and shake well to combine.
Butter Lettuce Salad
- Wash the lettuce and dry it using a clean kitchen down or a salad spinner. Add to a large serving platter or bowl.
- Use a mandolin to thinly slice the radishes. Keep them in a bowl with cold water until everything else is prepared. When ready to serve, dry the radishes and add to the platter.
- Use a mandolin to thinly slice the cucumber.
- Add cucumbers in clusters to the platter with the lettuce. Then add radishes in clusters too.
- Top the salad with parmesan crisps or shaved parmesan, drizzle with dressing, and serve.
Notes
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Spoon small piles of shredded Parmesan onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and pat each one down slightly. Add a sprinkle of everything but the bagel seasoning if you’d like.
- Bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until each pile of cheese is golden and crisp.
- Let cool and enjoy.
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