Healthy Lettuce Side Dish Recipes

Find healthy, delicious lettuce side dish recipes including lettuce cups and lettuce wraps. Healthier recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Salad of Avocado & Romaine with Black Olive Dressing

Rating: 5 stars
1
John Willoughby helped to launch Cooks Illustrated, was executive editor at Gourmet and has authored several cookbooks, including Big Flavors of the Hot Sun, from which this salad was adapted for a March/April 1995 EatingWell story about olives. It's one of the favorites--chosen from more than 1,000 salad recipes--that we revisited in our 30th anniversary issue.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

Rating: 5 stars
2
Stuff crisp lettuce leaves with a savory filling inspired by PF Chang's famous lettuce wraps. These low-carb wraps made with tofu, mushrooms and daikon radish are an easy vegetarian dinner that beats takeout! Garnish the wraps with julienned carrots for added crunch.
By Carolyn Casner

Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps

We love the retro vibe of these egg salad lettuce wraps. Iceberg lettuce makes a perfect low-carb swap for bread to serve the egg salad.
By Katie Webster

Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

These chicken lettuce wraps are crunchy, light and perfect for a flavorful meal. The sweet, anise-like flavor of Thai basil pairs well with the bold taste of the peanut sauce, but regular basil—or even mint or cilantro—works well too.
By Hilary Meyer

Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps

Rating: 4.31 stars
19
Based on a popular Chinese dish, these fun wraps also make appealing appetizers for entertaining. Make it a meal: Serve with chile-garlic sauce and rice vinegar for extra zip; toss diced mango and strawberries with lime juice for a quick dessert.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Korean BBQ Short Ribs (Galbi)

The longer you marinate these Korean sweet-and-savory ribs, the better. Look for flanken-cut short ribs in the meat department or ask your butcher to cut them for you. If you can't find perilla or shiso leaves, try using mint instead.
By Judy Joo

Little Gem Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese & Herb Dressing

Little Gem lettuce is like a cross between romaine and butterhead. It's perfect for making an updated take on the wedge salad in this healthy recipe. If you can't find Little Gem, use half a romaine heart for each serving. You can order Point Reyes Original blue cheese online from pointreyescheese.com or substitute another raw-milk blue cheese.
By Lisa Weiss

Spring Salad with Pickled Shallot & Avocado

Quick-pickling the shallot tames its sharpness while preserving its crunch. Instead of pouring the pickling liquid down the drain, we use it to make a flavorful vinaigrette for this spring salad.
By Bill Millholland

Kale Turkey Wraps

Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy turkey lunch recipe low-calorie. If you can't find lacinato, also known as Tuscan kale, try cabbage for your wrap.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Endive with Goat Cheese, Strawberries & Walnuts

Rating: 5 stars
2
Vary this quick-to-assemble vegetarian appetizer recipe with the season. Try sliced nectarines in place of the strawberries in the summer and halved grapes in the fall. Chopped pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts are all delicious in place of the walnuts as well.
By Seamus Mullen

Peanut-Chicken Cabbage Wraps

Cabbage is a tasty low-calorie stand-in for buns or bread in this healthy chicken lettuce wrap recipe. Don't limit yourself to cabbage for this Thai-inspired recipe--any fresh green that's sturdy enough to wrap around 1/2 cup of filling works.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Waldorf Salad Lettuce Wraps

This Waldorf Salad recipe uses fat-free Greek yogurt for the sauce. Wrap up all the ingredients in a Bibb lettuce leaf for a very healthy meal.
By Diabetic Living Magazine
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Inspiration and Ideas

Green Salad with Tropical Fruit

Green Salad with Tropical Fruit
In this healthy side salad recipe, hearts of palm bring balance to the flavors of this pleasantly sweet tropical fruit salad with pineapple, grapefruit and bananas. Serve alongside grilled chicken or coconut-crusted fish.
Mixed Lettuce Salad with Cucumber Herb Vinaigrette

Mixed Lettuce Salad with Cucumber Herb Vinaigrette
Rating: Unrated
1
Oak leaf and baby romaine lettuces are so tender they're best eaten straight from the garden or at least within a day or two of picking. Mild and delicate, they pair wonderfully with peppery radishes and chopped hard-boiled eggs in this easy salad.
Korean Beef Lettuce Rolls

Korean Beef Lettuce Rolls
Strawberry & Bean Sprout Salad with Spiced Potatoes

Strawberry & Bean Sprout Salad with Spiced Potatoes
Vietnamese Shrimp & Mango Lettuce Wraps

Vietnamese Shrimp & Mango Lettuce Wraps
Rating: Unrated
1
BLT Salad

BLT Salad
Rating: Unrated
3

Barbecue Chicken Kale Wraps

Smooth, lacinato kale (aka dinosaur kale) is topped with barbecue chicken, carrots and cabbage in this healthy, gluten-free lettuce wrap recipe. Try them for a low-carb dinner or light lunch.

All Healthy Lettuce Side Dish Recipes

Fattoush

Rating: 4 stars
1
Toasting the pita adds crunch to this bright-tasting salad, and a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of ground sumac--the berry of a bush that grows wild all over Lebanon--add depth. Letting the salad sit for a bit before eating allows the pita to soak up the lemony dressing.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Chopped Salad

Crunchy vegetables and tangy blue cheese combine in this simple, delicious salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken Taco Lettuce Cups

This fun kid-friendly snack is easy to make with leftover chicken, and the protein gives it plenty of staying power.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Snow Pea & Carrot Salad with Miso-Tamari Dressing

Perk up your dinner salad by tossing greens with snow peas, carrots and a tangy dressing.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Potato and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette

In this hearty salad, we toss Brussels sprouts, potatoes, chickpeas and tender greens together in a citrusy vinaigrette. Topped with makes for a hearty and delicious salad.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Lettuce Wraps with Spiced Pork

Rating: 3 stars
2
Serve this quick stir-fry family-style: set out a bowl of stir-fried pork and the lettuce leaves and let people make their own wraps.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spring Salad with Peas & Frizzled Shallots

This simple spring salad recipe combines red leaf lettuce and frisee with fresh peas and crispy fried shallots tossed with a light tarragon-infused vinaigrette dressing. The fried shallots give this salad an out-of-this-world flavor. And compared with store-bought fried onions, they have half the calories and a fraction of the saturated fat and sodium.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Caesar Salad

Our Caesar salad dressing substitutes flavor-packed pureed roasted garlic for the considerable amount of oil and egg yolks normally found in the classic dressing without losing any of the richness you expect in a Caesar. Add some grilled chicken breast to this salad and you've got a complete meal.
By Patsy Jamieson

Chopped Salad with Black-Eyed Peas & Hot Sauce Vinaigrette

Black-eyed peas' earthy, nutty sweetness gets oomph from tangy hot sauce. In this recipe, they're mixed with plenty of crunchy vegetables for a satisfying vegetarian salad.
By Genevieve Ko

Romaine Salad (Marouli Salata)

Romaine or Cos lettuce may have originated on the island of Cos.
By Susie Jacobs

Salad of Boston Lettuce with Creamy Orange-Shallot Dressing

Rating: 5 stars
1
Light mayonnaise makes a velvety base for this zesty dressing, which can easily be doubled if you want enough for another meal later in the week.
By Jim Romanoff

Peas & Lettuce

A lovely exaggeration of the French technique of cooking peas with a little lettuce, this light springtime dish goes well with mildly seasoned seafood or chicken.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Orange & Black Olive Salad

Mint and coriander infuse this orange and black olive salad with Mediterranean flavors.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Strawberry Fields Lettuce Cups

This healthy side dish is delicious and beautiful! Fresh strawberries, toasted pecans and basil are served with creamy goat cheese and dressed with a Dijon vinaigrette.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Asparagus & Carrots with Asian Vinaigrette

Quick-chilling the asparagus and carrots in ice water is an important step in this recipe. It stops the cooking process of the vegetables so they don't overcook and go limp.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Islander Salad (Insalata isolana)

Rating: 4 stars
1
Here, crisp lettuce is tossed with ripe tomatoes, potatoes, capers, basil and olives. Tomato juice is the secret ingredient in the dressing.
By G. Franco Romagnoli

Fresh Herb & Snap Pea Salad

Quickly cooked snap peas retain their distinctive crunch, becoming the star in this simple green salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Romaine Salad with Garlic Dressing

This garlicky dressing is terrific simply tossed with romaine lettuce, but any sturdy lettuce you have on hand will do--particularly radicchio or escarole.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chickpea & Red Onion Salad

Slivered red onions, canned chickpeas and capers combine in a delightful Mediterranean-inspired salad. Make it a meal: Delightful served alongside grilled chicken thighs or shrimp kebobs.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spring Green Salad with Rouille Dressing

Fresh spring greens are set off by a dressing that takes its cue from the classic bouillabaisse flavoring, a nutty, creamy, garlicky mélange that's stirred into the soup just before it's served.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

The EatingWell Diet House Salad

Rating: 3 stars
1
Starting a meal with a “garden” or “house” salad at restaurants is a winning appetite-cutting strategy that works just as well at home. This everyday side salad is a breeze to make; try it with soup or a sandwich for lunch, or for your first course at dinner.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sichuan Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Stuff low-carb lettuce wraps with Asian-inspired bang-bang chicken for an easy weeknight dinner that beats takeout! Sichuan peppercorns aren't peppers--they're the dried berries of the Chinese prickly ash bush. Don't have any on hand? Substitute 1/2 tsp. each crushed red pepper and five-spice powder for the Sichuan pepper.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Grilled Romaine with Feta

Next time you're preparing meat or fish on the grill, try this grilled salad recipe. Romaine lettuce is a perfect choice for grilling and it's ready in just a few minutes. Slightly charred and wilted, the taste is enhanced with a simple lemon dressing and a sprinkling of feta cheese.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Pizza Lettuce Wraps

Rating: 5 stars
1
Go light and fresh when you're craving pizza: these easy lettuce wraps have all the taste with fewer carbs and calories.
By Diabetic Living Magazine
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