The title of this post just doesn't cover it. I know it's good to be brief, but what I really want to call this is Butter Lettuce Salad with Creamy Meyer Lemon Dressing, Hazelnuts, Pecorino and Mint. But, wait - there are chives too! Never mind.
With so many flavors and textures every bite can be different. And in this particular combination, no one flavor overtakes the whole. The Meyer lemon and sour cream make a light, silky dressing. The pecorino is salty and buttery; the mint and carrots are fresh and sweet; the butter lettuce and hazelnuts add crunch.
This is the kind of salad that can be a meal in itself - especially if you pair it with some crusty bread and a glass of wine or prosecco, which I highly recommend. For a heartier meal, pair it with anything you're grilling: Chicken Kabobs, Grilled Chicken Thighs, Grilled Lamb Chops or Lamb Kabobs, Spicy Grilled Shrimp, and Grilled Cauliflower Steaks are all good options.
More Must Try Salads
Butter Lettuce Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup sour cream
- juice of one small Meyer lemon
- 1 ounce finely shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
- 5 ounces butter lettuce leaves washed, dried and torn into bite size pieces
- 1 carrot shaved into thin ribbons
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
- 2 ounces toasted hazelnuts coarsely chopped
- several shavings Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- To make the dressing, whisk together sour cream, lemon juice, cheese and chives. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour into the bottom of a large salad bowl. Add butter lettuce leaves and toss until leaves are coated with dressing.
- Transfer dressed lettuce to serving platter. Top with remaining ingredients and serve.
I took a menu writing class in culinary school and we learned that the title should be a good description of what's in the dish. This was a long time ago and now as you said, it's all about being brief, but my first instinct is to give recipes super long names listing all of their delicious contents. Speaking of not being brief, moving on . . . what a beautiful salad -- the carrot ribbons pop and I love it. And I'm currently obsessed with Pecorino. (We just got back from Tuscany and had enjoyed it daily!) 🙂 ~Valentina
I'm a bit jealous that you just got back from Tuscany, Valentina! Thanks so much for your sweet comment.
This lettuce salad looks absolutely amazing! I love the combination of all the flavors. Perfect for a summer dinner!
Thanks so much, Katherine!
I love the combination of ingredients in this salad Marissa! And that meyer lemon dressing sounds perfect. I'm all about salads during the summer, so I'll be adding this one to my list!
Yay! I hope that you and your family love it, Mary Ann!
Haha, I really love the long name version - while Google might not be happy about it, that's something that could easily be on the fancy restaurant menu. Excellent combination of flavours and textures in this exciting salad!
Thanks so much, Ben!
I love all the delicious ingredients here, especially the hazelnuts. Bet they add such a lovely texture and flavour. And that dressing sounds so so good! We've been enjoying so many salads lately and this one looks like it needs to happen soon! YUM!
Thanks, Dawn! I do love hazelnuts in salads for extra crunch!
What a fun salad idea! I agree that some recipes are just difficult to name. That's ok. What really matters is what goes into the recipe, and this salad sounds quite fantastic. The pecorino and hazelnuts add such a unique twist here!
Thank you, David!
I am making this for dinner tonight. The salad is beautiful and I know it will be delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Wonderful! Let me know how it turns out...xo
Hi Marissa! I am making this salad tonight for the second time. I made this back in May (see above) and my husband and I loved it. Can't wait to have it again. The flavors are fantastic and it is an easy dinner to prepare. We like it with a good bakery bread and a nice white wine. Thanks for a great recipe.
That's wonderful, Sharon. So thoughtful of you to come back to let me know. Thank you!
Hahaha - long titles are something I suffer from too! I want to make this salad ASAP! I think you're right - every ingredient deserves a spotlight because they all play an important role. Can't wait to try this one!
Thanks, Sarah! Good to know I'm not alone in that malady. 🙂
It happens so often, the long title! But this salad is awesome, very fitting for your spring and my fall. Google doesn't 'like' very long titles my SEO plugin says...or too short ones for that matter! Very temperamental, jaja
Marissa, this salad is gorgeous!!! I used to be the same way with my titles. . you should install the Yoast plug-in. . which helps with SEO and search and also helps you limit your title length so it's easily picked up by search engines!!!
haha! Thanks, Alice. Yes, I have that plugin and pay attention to it most of the time... 😉
Such simple ingredients in this salad, Marissa, but it looks really elegant. In my experience these are often the tastiest and most satisfying kinds of salads!
So true, Helen! xo