It’s no secret in Australia and New Zealand that the price of lettuce has lost the plot.. $7.50 – $12 for a whole lettuce or $7 a bag 150gram mixed leaves. Now, obviously, this varies from place to place but these 18 substitutes for lettuce will allow you to have salad and sandwich greens all year round! You may already have some of these growing in your garden.
Many of these 18 lettuce substitutes have more nutrients and multiple uses so you can get more out of the food you grow. Lettuce is often used in sandwiches and salads so for today’s lettuce alternatives I will share which ones are best for these two main uses.
1 Asian Greens/ Bok Choy, Tatsoi, Choy Sum
Asian greens such as Bok Choy are great additions to your edible garden because they grow fast, can be harvested multiple times from each plant and are versatile in the kitchen. Use the softy leafy ends in salads and sandwiches and the thicker stems in soups or stir-fries.
Dandelions are another edible weed. Choose young dandelion greens to add to salads and sandwiches as a substitute for lettuce. Always make sure you identify weeds correctly and only forage from places you know have not been sprayed with chemicals.
Sweet Violet
Sweet violets are known for their delicate purple or white flowers and beautiful fragrant scent. The sweet violet leaves are also edible and can be added to salads and sandwiches. They do have a bitter flavour so it can be a good idea to mix a few with other greens.
Rainbow chard is a fantastic versatile green to grow during the colder months of the year. Baby rainbow chard leaves can be picked and used in salads and sandwiches. Larger leaves contain more oxalic acid so it is recommended to blanch them first.
Celery is a fresh, crunchy and hydrating vegetable just like lettuce. Celery leaves and stalks can be used in both salads and sandwiches.
Cabbage is a great all-around vegetable that has many culinary uses. Finely sliced cabbage is a deliciously fresh and crunchy substitute for lettuce. A little bit of Cabbage goes a long way so it is a very economical vegetable.
When you replace Lettuce with Cabbage
Can you substitute cabbage for lettuce?
To substitute cabbage for lettuce in recipes, you will often need to shred, pickle, or soften the cabbage slightly by blanching or grilling it to compensate for the differences. Although cabbage and lettuce are both green, leafy vegetables, they have different tastes and textures.
Which is better, red cabbage or green cabbage?
Both types of cabbage are healthy and have nutritional benefits. However, red cabbage, like all vegetables in this color, is very rich in antioxidants, and therefore gains an advantage compared to green.
What can I substitute for cabbage?
And if you don’t have cabbage, there is no need to panic. You can use other similar foods to replace your cabbage in your recipe. The best substitutes for cabbage are Kale, Bok Choy, Kohlrabi, Choy sum, Savoy cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Napa cabbage, Celery, Endives, Iceberg lettuce and Green beans.
Can you replace cabbage with cauliflower?
You can easily replace cabbage with cauliflower as it shares more or less the same textures too – in some cases, it’s even better than cabbage! Fried cauliflower is a great example because this vegetable retains some cooking oil which adds to its flavor and succulent crunchiness! Cauliflower is also fairly firm and can handle high heat very easily.