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Home Recipe Index Sides & Salads Salads

Wilted Lettuce Salad

★★★★★ 5 /5
Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe
Rachel Tiemeyer
By: Rachel TiemeyerPosted: 3/16/21Updated: 10/24/22

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Ever heard of hot lettuce or wilted lettuce? Seriously, it’s awesome! This simple wilted lettuce recipe and our homemade dressing makes for a quick, healthy, and simply GOOD addition to your favorite meal.

Wilted Lettuce Salad with dressing being poured on top

Several years ago, a friend from church sent my husband home with two bags of fresh garden lettuce and a recipe called “Wilted Lettuce Salad (so simple, so good).”  We didn’t realize until later that night what a gift this was!

Hands holding lettuce salad greens

How to Make Wilted Lettuce

This is one of THE simplest salad recipes around. And you likely have all the dressing ingredients in your pantry.

1. Rinse and dry your lettuce.

Our lettuce-grower friend’s instructions, which I’ve heard numerous times on Food Network, said to rinse the greens under cold water and then dry them in a salad spinner.  This method makes for a crisp, rather than wet and limp, salad.

lettuce in salad spinner

2. Tear Lettuce

Then, either cut up or tear up the lettuce, if needed.  A chef will probably tell you to tear it by hand to avoid bruising. Baby lettuce may not need any tearing up at all, but the idea is to make the lettuce bite-sized.

Wilted Lettuce Salad in a bowl with dressing nearby

3. Make the Dressing

Next, you’ll mix up a simple dressing that only requires four ingredients: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Kosher salt, and sugar. Or, if you’re someone who saves bacon drippings, I’m telling you right now–this is the time to use it! Swap out the olive oil for the bacon drippings. Place the dressing ingredients in a glass mason jar or glass dressing container. Microwave until it’s boiling (maybe 30 seconds).

This simple salad and its homemade dressing makes for a simple, delicious addition to your favorite meal.

4. Toss Lettuce with the Dressing

Dump the hot dressing on the greens and toss. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Wilted Lettuce Salad with dressing being poured on top

Is Hot Lettuce Any Good?

“Hot lettuce?” you cry! Friends, I’m here to tell you that this is a thing and this is a very good thing. The hot lettuce wilts down a little and absorbs all the flavor of the hot dressing. The resulting sweetness and tanginess of the salad makes it go down like a spoonful of sugar. 🙂

Wilted Lettuce Salad in a bowl with a fork

If you want to get a little fancier, add some freshly grated Parmesan and/or some feta or blue cheese crumbles, thinly sliced or diced apples, and toasted pecans to take this wilted lettuce salad over the top. Doesn’t that sound amazing??

More Salads Recipes

If you like this one, you’ll love these other salad recipes from our site…

Autumn Chopped Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Cobb Salad with Savory Dressing

Strawberry Avocado Salad with Balsamic Honey Dressing

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

Wilted Lettuce Salad in a bowl with a fork
★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Wilted Lettuce Salad (AKA Hot Lettuce)

Hot lettuce is amazing! This simple wilted lettuce salad and its homemade dressing makes for a delicious addition to your favorite meal.

Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
Prep: 4 minutesCook: 1 minutesTotal: 5 minutes
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Ingredients

  • About 4–6 cups of lettuce (tender, fresh garden lettuce is the best!)
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or bacon drippings)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

  1. Rinse and dry the salad in a salad spinner. (Or rinse in a colander and let dry on a towel on the counter.) Tear into bite-sized pieces into a large serving bowl.
  2. Combine oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a microwave-safe glass jar or bowl.
  3. Microwave for about 30 seconds, or until boiling.
  4. Immediately pour hot dressing over the large bowl of salad. Toss and taste. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired.
  5. Serving suggestion ideas: Add freshly grated Parmesan, feta or Gorgonzola crumbles, thinly sliced or diced apples, and toasted pecans.
© Author: Thriving Home
Cuisine: American Method: No Cook

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Rachel Tiemeyer

Rachel Tiemeyer

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!

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  1. Avatarbarbara Loh says

    Posted on 8/8/22 at 2:31 pm

    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have not had this since a little kid. Was sure recipe no longer existed. Loved it then and now.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Polly ConnerPolly Conner says

      Posted on 8/8/22 at 2:49 pm

      Wonderful!

      Reply
  2. AvatarSherri says

    Posted on 7/16/22 at 2:49 pm

    Used mostly baby spinach,and a little romaine, bacon grease just a pinch of sugar and brought back memories from when my grandma would make it when I was little. Loved it then and now.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Rachel TiemeyerRachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 7/17/22 at 2:35 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it and it brought sweet memories. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Avatarshammer says

    Posted on 8/31/19 at 5:32 pm

    Wilted lettuce was always a summer favorite on the farm. I absolutely loved it; however, ours was made with hot bacon grease (our salad had crumbled bacon bits also). Poured it over garden lettuce with chopped green onions and sliced hard-boiled eggs. Yum!

    Reply
    • RachelRachel says

      Posted on 9/1/19 at 8:14 am

      That sounds absolutely delicious! How can bacon grease be bad? 🙂

      Reply
  4. RachelRachel says

    Posted on 5/8/12 at 8:02 pm

    Sweet, Beth. Glad to know someone else likes it as much as we do. Hope your fam is doing well!

    Reply
  5. Avatarbeth says

    Posted on 5/8/12 at 12:29 pm

    I grew up on this salad as a kid! Our garden produced so much lettuce I think we had it just about every single night. I didn’t like it as a kid (so picky!), but love it now as an adult. Great recipe to share!

    Reply

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