Iceberg lettuce was bred in 1894 to survive cross-country shipping—its crisp cells actually hold dressing better than leafy greens.
Life-Changing Lettuce Salad
Elevate your meal with this zesty Lettuce Delight Salad! Crisp iceberg lettuce gets a burst of flavor from a tangy lemon-garlic vinaigrette, drizzled with rich olive oil and a splash of white vinegar. It’s the perfect refreshing side dish that’s as easy to whip up as it is to devour!
Prep
10
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This stripped-down salad traces back to 1960s Lebanese immigrants in Detroit who discovered Americans' bizarre obsession with iceberg lettuce—they took their traditional fattoush, binned the tomatoes and sumac, kept the lemon-garlic-olive oil trinity, and created what Lebanese grandmothers call 'American salata' with the kind of eye-roll reserved for watching someone put ketchup on hummus.
Regional Twist
In Sicily's Trapani province, they muddle the garlic with coarse sea salt before adding it to the iceberg lettuce, then swap white vinegar for aged balsamic and finish with torn mint leaves.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 whole lemon
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- garlic (to taste)
- iceberg lettuce (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- white vinegar (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Chop the iceberg lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.
- 2
Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the lettuce, being careful not to measure.
- 3
Drizzle two circles of olive oil over the salad.
- 4
Add half a teaspoon of salt and one clove of minced garlic.
- 5
Add a splash of white vinegar to taste.
- 6
Mix thoroughly to ensure the garlic is evenly distributed.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Wash and completely dry lettuce before cutting because even 5% residual moisture dilutes dressing and prevents proper coating of leaves.technique5% residual moisture
- ✓Salt the lettuce and let it sit for 3-5 minutes to draw out cellular water through osmosis, concentrating flavors and creating better dressing adhesion.timing3-5 minutes
- ✓Microplane or finely mince garlic and let it sit in lemon juice for 2-3 minutes to mellow the allicin compounds that cause harsh bite.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of lemon juice to vinegar because the citric acid (6-8% in lemons) provides brightness while acetic acid (5% in vinegar) adds depth.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Add olive oil last and toss with hands rather than utensils to create proper emulsion through gentle agitation without bruising delicate lettuce cell walls.technique
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Iceberg lettuce was bred in 1894 to survive cross-country shipping—its crisp cells actually hold dressing better than leafy greens.
Life-Changing Lettuce Salad
Elevate your meal with this zesty Lettuce Delight Salad! Crisp iceberg lettuce gets a burst of flavor from a tangy lemon-garlic vinaigrette, drizzled with rich olive oil and a splash of white vinegar. It’s the perfect refreshing side dish that’s as easy to whip up as it is to devour!
The Story
This stripped-down salad traces back to 1960s Lebanese immigrants in Detroit who discovered Americans' bizarre obsession with iceberg lettuce—they took their traditional fattoush, binned the tomatoes and sumac, kept the lemon-garlic-olive oil trinity, and created what Lebanese grandmothers call 'American salata' with the kind of eye-roll reserved for watching someone put ketchup on hummus.
Regional Twist
In Sicily's Trapani province, they muddle the garlic with coarse sea salt before adding it to the iceberg lettuce, then swap white vinegar for aged balsamic and finish with torn mint leaves.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 whole lemon
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- garlic (to taste)
- iceberg lettuce (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- white vinegar (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Chop the iceberg lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.
- 2
Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the lettuce, being careful not to measure.
- 3
Drizzle two circles of olive oil over the salad.
- 4
Add half a teaspoon of salt and one clove of minced garlic.
- 5
Add a splash of white vinegar to taste.
- 6
Mix thoroughly to ensure the garlic is evenly distributed.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Wash and completely dry lettuce before cutting because even 5% residual moisture dilutes dressing and prevents proper coating of leaves.technique5% residual moisture
- ✓Salt the lettuce and let it sit for 3-5 minutes to draw out cellular water through osmosis, concentrating flavors and creating better dressing adhesion.timing3-5 minutes
- ✓Microplane or finely mince garlic and let it sit in lemon juice for 2-3 minutes to mellow the allicin compounds that cause harsh bite.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of lemon juice to vinegar because the citric acid (6-8% in lemons) provides brightness while acetic acid (5% in vinegar) adds depth.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Add olive oil last and toss with hands rather than utensils to create proper emulsion through gentle agitation without bruising delicate lettuce cell walls.technique