What is bibb lettuce? Well, this is a green that has a very mild taste, which makes it great for use as a filling in burgers or in a mixed salad along with much stronger leaves.
But one of the downsides of having this delicious leaf is the fact that it does tend to wilt after a very short period of time.
This means that you’ll have to eat your bibb lettuce very quickly before you’ll have to throw out half the packet.
But who has the time or the money to do that? Are there any other substitutes for this lettuce that will last you a little longer? Well, you’re in luck, as we’ve scoured the internet to find you the best bibb lettuce substitutes.
Why Choose Bibb Lettuce?
Lettuce, like a lot of other green foods, is simply packed full of nutrients, which is why people include them in their burgers and salads.
Bibb lettuce is very easy for you to grow, which is what accounts for its availability in stores up and down the country. However, bibb lettuce is very different from other breeds of lettuce.
This type of lettuce is also known as the ‘butter lettuce’ simply because it has a very mild and almost creamy flavor and texture.
You can even have this lettuce leaf grilled, which makes it a great substitute for a burger bun. However, you can also use it in your burger, which will give the whole thing that extra healthy feel.
You can store your bibb lettuce for upwards of 5 days. You should be careful to store this properly, putting it in a sealed plastic container before putting it in the fridge. This will reduce the risk of bacteria spreading.
5 Best Bibb Lettuce Substitutes
1. Romaine Lettuce
First up, we have another popular lettuce, similar in flavor to bibb lettuce and coming with that vibrant green coloring. Romaine lettuce is used in mixed salads and burgers all the time.
However, this kind of lettuce comes boosted with even more nutrients, which you’ll be able to tell by this lettuce leaf’s much darker coloring.
This leaf is also very crunchy, coming with a certain firmness that some people love putting in a salad. You can often see this leaf used as a key ingredient in a caesar salad.
This leaf will also last you a little longer than bibb lettuce, probably owing to its much sturdier and hardier constitution.
If you don’t like that much crunch in your leaf, then you can always remove the central stalk – which is like the whiter backbone running through the leaf – and simply use the two leaves on either side.
2. Iceberg Lettuce
When it comes to crunchy and refreshing lettuce, then you can’t go wrong with the iceberg. This is mainly white lettuce, which is what accounts for its name.
The other great thing about this type of lettuce is its availability. If you are grocery shopping and you want to buy some lettuce, you’ll find that iceberg is the one that is most commonly available.
This is because the iceberg lettuce has an extremely mild taste. It is often used in burgers and salads more as padding than anything else. However, the texture of this lettuce is as cool and refreshing as an iceberg too.
But this is very similar to bibb lettuce in terms of texture and taste, which is why it is so commonly used as a substitute. This lettuce also has green coloring and sometimes even comes with flecks of red at the tips.
When it comes to storage, this will also last you a longer time than bibb lettuce as it is not as soft. You can be sure that iceberg lettuce will last you up to a week, provided that it is kept in the refrigerator and properly wrapped.
3. Loose-Leaf Lettuce
Now we have another very popular choice which you can find chopped and bagged, ready to consume, in most supermarkets.
This is another very healthy lettuce, which is great if you are looking for something that is full of nutrients.
This might not be as crisp as the bibb lettuce, but if you don’t mind that softness in your salad, then we would certainly recommend that you buy some loose-leaf lettuce.
If you are ever in an expensive upscale restaurant and you order a salad, more than likely that the main ingredient will be loose leaf lettuce.
The difference in the taste of this lettuce leaf is the fact that it has a slightly bitter taste, however, this will often not dominate the taste of the whole salad. Some people like to at this on its own, but it is also great to grill.
You can mix this lettuce leaf with bibb lettuce to form a mixed-leaf salad. This is great if you are looking for something that will form the basis of a Ceasar or three-bean salad.
4. Napa Cabbage
If you want something that has the same texture but comes with a subtle departure in taste from bibb lettuce, then you might want to try some napa cabbage.
But don’t be mistaken into thinking that this type of leaf is the same as other cabbages which are often bitter and can only be eaten boiled.
This has the same crunch as a bibb lettuce with a touch of sweetness that will not overwhelm whatever dish you are adding it to.
This cabbage is mainly found in Asian food markets. This might it difficult to acquire from your local supermarket.
You can mix this in with a host of vegetables and not have to worry about it overwhelming their flavor of them. We would recommend this one as the basis for a lot of heftier salads.
This leaf is slightly more durable than the bibb lettuce, which will lead to a much longer lifespan. This one will last over a week and even longer if it is wrapped in cellophane and kept in the fridge.
This comes with the same nutritional properties as a leaf such as kale or spinach. This comes with a deep green color, which means that it is more nutrient-dense.
5. Boston Lettuce
Finally, we have something a little different, but one that might elevate your salad to the premier league. This might look and taste the same as your bibb lettuce, but it does not have the same nutritional profile.
This lettuce has a very unique shape, which makes it amazing for making a salad look much healthier. You can certainly expect to fill a lot more of your plate with a Boston lettuce.
This is very mild lettuce, so you might want to add a little, salt, vinegar or even lemon to this leaf to give it that extra kick.
This is also used in a lot of restaurant-quality dishes, which is why you’ll often find it in a lot of high-end restaurants.
If you want to store this one, then you should place it in the refrigerator, either wrapped in tin foil or cellophane.
Because of the broadness of this leaf, you might want to chop it up first before putting it on your plate. This will go double so if you are putting it in a bun with your burger.
You can store this lettuce leaf for about the same amount of time as bibb lettuce. It will only last a few days before starting to wilt.
Conclusion
We hope that our list of alternatives for bibb lettuce has helped you to better decide which one you’re going to use in your salad or as a garnish on your burger.
Remember to consider the flavor as well as the texture of these leaves as some are far more bitter than others.
What Can I Have Instead Of Bibb Lettuce? The 5 Substitutes You Simply Must Try
You might not be a fan of the floppy texture or mild taste of bibb lettuce. So what other options are there? Well, take a look at our 5 top alternatives.
Ingredients
Romaine Lettuce
Iceberg Lettuce
Loose-Leaf Lettuce
Napa Cabbage
Boston Lettuce
Directions
- Decided on what substitute you need
- Pick a substitute from the list above
- Read what you need to substitute with
- Create the recipe and enjoy
Recipe Video
Cooking is great for your mental, physical, and emotional health. What’s the worst that could happen? Find a recipe that you like the sound of and cook it along with me. You might even unlock a new passion!
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