Best Lettuce for Burgers

What really is the best lettuce for burgers?

Some folks do not mind having a soggy or limp lettuce leaf in their burger. But get the right lettuce in your burger not only will it make your burger look inviting you will also get crunch or what some call texture as well as taste.

What, on the other hand, is really the perfect and best lettuce to put in a burger? The best lettuce to put in a burger is Romaine lettuce. It provides a great deal of crunch and is robust enough to keep it from becoming soggy. The flavor of romaine lettuce is not too strong and does not overpower the burger’s overall flavor. But it does have a subtle peppery taste which enhances the overall burger flavor.

Other articles about burgers that you may be interested are

Plus we have a handy table rating each lettuce in burger suitability.

Continue reading to discover why Romaine lettuce is the greatest lettuce for burgers. But we will also cover a number of other lettuce choices like an iceberg which is also a very good option for lettuces in a juicy burger.

How To Choose The Best Lettuce For A Burger

How do you choose the best lettuce for a burger The key to choosing is to look at the leaves. They should be firm and not limp.

NFT Burger and Lettuce
NFT Burger and Lettuce

If they feel soft, then better not buy that lettuce, choose another one from the store. Also, it’s important to wash them thoroughly before using them.

Let’s also consider some other lettuce properties we look at when we will rate the burgerability of lettuce.

How Much Crunch Does a Lettuce Have

This is one of the most important factors that determine whether lettuce is suitable for use in a burger.

Lettuce with more crunch means that it will provide more bite to the burger.

The crunchier the lettuce, the more likely it is to stay intact while being eaten. Further, it will add texture to the burger

What lettuce is best for BLTS
What lettuce is best for BLTS – Iceberg is usually best for a BLT it enhances the bacon flavor

Lettuce Burger Crunch Table

  • Romaine Lettuce has a 9 on the lettuce crunch scale (especially if you use the romaine hearts)
  • Iceberg Lettuce Ca crunch of 8 on the lettuce crunch scale
  • Green Leaf Lettuce has a Crunch of 6 on the lettuce crunch scale
  • Butterhead (Bibb) lettuce has a 5 on the lettuce crunch scale
  • Radicchio Lettuce has a 4 on the lettuce crunch scale 

This table above gives you a crunch measurement for each lettuce and you can choose which lettuce you want on your burger depending on how crunchy you want it.

How much Taste Does a Lettuce Have

The Most Important Thing to Consider Here Is What Kind of Flavor You Want to Impart Into Your Burger. Taste is a little 

Lettuce Burger Taste Table

  • Romaine Lettuce has a 7 on the lettuce taste scale. They are slightly peppery.
  • Iceberg Lettuce has taste of 5 on the lettuce scale.  It is a neutral flavor.
  • Green Leaf Lettuce has a taste of 5 on the lettuce taste scale – it has a mild taste
  • Butterhead (Bibb) lettuce has a taste of 6 on the lettuce taste scale – they are slightly buttery.
  • Radicchio Lettuce has a strong taste and is rated 9 on the lettuce taste scale. The taste of Radicchio is a spicy and bitter flavor giving the burger a refreshing taste. They pair well with onions and tomatoes.

What Is the Best Lettuce for Taste on A Burger?

Which leaf is used in burgers?
Which leaf is used in burgers? – Leaf for Burger came from dressing a gourmet burger to enhance its color, taste, and texture. See our Lettuce burger table below for taste of the lettuce leaf.

The Radicchio lettuce has the best taste for a burger because it has a bitter taste that complements the flavors of a burger.

It is also a bit spicy so it pairs well with other ingredients such as onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc

If You Like Sweet Flavors, then you should probably avoid both romaine and radicchio lettuce because they do contribute to the overall taste of the burger.

If you prefer savory flavors, then you might want to try Arugula Instead. It Has a Peppery Bite to It, but It Doesn’t Overpower the Rest of The Ingredients.

Heat Tolerance

All lettuce will wilt when heat is applied so the main tip is to put the lettuce on last so they are afresh when you bite into the burger. Moreover, make sure that you don’t over cook the burger or let it rest for 5 minutes before adding the lettuce.

Also use the thicker, or heart ends of the lettuce and it will hold its shape better.

Is romaine lettuce good for burgers?
Is romaine lettuce good for burgers? Romaine Lettuce gets the top rating for burgers in crunch and taste.

Romaine Lettuce

Romaine Lettuce Is the best lettuce choice for a  burger because it holds up better than than the others and does not overpower the flavor of the burger. They are also easy to buy and keep fresh.

They are a good option for those who like their burgers very juicy.

Iceberg Lettuce

The Iceberg Lettuce is also an excellent choice because it doesn’t take away from the flavor of the burger and it is easier to eat.

However, this type of lettuce tends to get soggy quickly.

Radicchio

The Radicchio Leaves Are Bitter, but They Give a Great Crunch to The Burger.

How do you prepare lettuce for burgers?
How do you prepare lettuce for burgers? Wash and dry them thoroughly

A Better Option than Lettuce?

For Those Who Want Something Crunchy without Having to Add Lettuce, Try Adding Some Crumbled Bacon. It Gives a Great Flavor Boost to Any Burger.

Cheeseburger Lettuce Wraps

A Great Way to Add a Bit of Crunch to Your Burger Is by Using Lettuce Wraps Instead of Bread. They’re Easy to Eat and They Keep the Burgers Together Nicely.

What Lettuce Is Used for Lettuce Wraps?

Lettuce Is Generally Used for Its Leaves, but You Can Also Use Romaine Hearts (the Heart of The Head) or Iceberg Lettuce.

Double It Up

A Double Patty Will Give You Twice the Amount of Meat, Which Means Twice the Protein and Twice the Taste – remember put the lettuce on last.