Our stunningly beautiful Lettuce Salad with Strawberries is unbelievably delicious. Full of sweet summer strawberries and soft butter lettuce and topped with a punchy lime vinaigrette. It makes a perfect summertime side for festive occasions.

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Lettuce salad with strawberries in a white salad platter with lime garnish in portrait view.

This salad is best made during spring and summer when strawberries are at their peak. The butter lettuce here is tender and soft which makes it a perfect base for the juicy and sweet strawberries perfumed beautifully with a lime, raspberry vinaigrette. An impressive side for summertime entertaining.

If our Strawberry Salad with Lettuce is not what you had in mind for your festive table then why not try our Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberries and Almonds or even our Persian Watermelon & Feta Salad, they are both great alternatives.

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Ingredients and Substitutions

Butter Lettuce - added here as a, base for its soft buttery flavour. You can replace it with baby spinach as it also has soft leaves or if your prefer some crispness then try romaine/cos lettuce.
Fresh Strawberries - the star of this salad show and add fruity sweetness and bright colour. You can substitute it with other berries, such as raspberries or blueberries. You could also try red grapes or even kiwis for an all-green salad version.
Red Onion - here for its pungent flavour and bright magenta colour; try a green onion or French shallot instead or leave it out altogether if you prefer. (The girls are not a fan of onion, so I gave it a miss this time).
Sunflower Seeds - for some crunch and mild nuttiness, you can try bright green pepitas, poppy seeds, roasted almonds, pecans, walnuts or macadamias instead.
Salad Dressing - all I can say is WOW, this Lime Raspberry vinaigrette is amazing and full of punchy flavour. If you are in a hurry you can replace it with a simple balsamic vinegar dressing instead or try our poppy seed dressing instead.

Labelled ingredients needed to make lettuce salad with strawberries.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Start With the Dressing

We are going to start with the dressing to allow the flavours to develop for a much tastier salad. Add all the dressing ingredients to a glass jar and shake until emulsified.

📝 Cook's Note: Make the dressing the day before and keep it in a glass jar in the fridge; this will allow the oils and vinegar to absorb all the wonderful aromatic flavour from the makrut/kaffir lime leaves.

Step 2 - Prep Your Ingredients

Cut off the roots and core of your butter lettuce, then wash it carefully under cold running water.

Either gently pat the leaves dry with a towel or spin them dry in a salad spinner. Gently tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

Hands chopping the root ends from butter lettuce on a wooden board.

WASHING BUTTER LETTUCE LEAVES UNDER COLD WATER

Wash your berries first, then hull and cut them in half, as they have a tendency to become waterlogged.

Remove the papery skin from the onion, cut off the top and bottom, and then dice finely. (The onion is optional, and I did not add it in this version as the girls don't like it).

washing the strawberries for berry salad

Step 3 - Assemble Your Salad

Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl, pour the dressing over the salad and season with salt and pepper; mix well, taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.

Lettuce salad with strawberries in a white bowl.

Tossing lettuce salad with strawberries in a white bowl with tongs.

💡 Top Tip: To avoid limp salad leaves, dress the salad in a separate bowl, then transfer it to a serving platter leaving behind the excess dressing.

Arrange on a platter and serve immediately; garnish with the extra strawberries and lime slices. Serve and enjoy.

Lettuce salad with strawberries in a white salad platter with lime garnish in landscape view. — ARRANGE IN A PLATTER & GARNISH

Serving Suggestions 🍽

Our Lettuce Salad with Strawberries is a light and a refreshing summer salad and quite delicate, so it would be best served with poultry or seafood.

I first made this salad for a summer Christmas lunch it was the perfect side for our Christmas turkey. You could also try it with some poached chicken or with whole roasted salmon.

Common Questions

Are Butter, Boston and Bibb the Same Lettuce?

Also known as butterheads they are all soft lettuce varieties originating from the Mediterranean basin.
They have loose, round-shaped heads and loosely coiled leaves. They are tender and sweet with a mild flavour. They are grown hydroponically and sold with roots attached in plastic sleeves to preserve their freshness.
The two most popular varieties - Boston and Bibb are hybrids from the original butter lettuces. Boston's leaves are wider and lighter green than Bibb's. Bibb is smaller and also has red varieties that are tastier and oh-so-pretty.

What can I use instead of raspberry vinegar?

You should be able to find raspberry vinegar in the vinegar aisle of your supermarket (I find it in Coles in Australia or you can get it online at Walmarts in the US). My preferred brand is Colavita, honestly the best and cheapest!
If you can't find it then you can swap it for some sherry vinegar or a good quality red wine vinegar with a teaspoon or two of maple syrup to sweeten it.
But, you won't get that extra layer of raspberry deliciousness.

Can I Make It Ahead?

Soft lettuce varieties are pretty delicate, so once the dressing has been added, then this salad really needs to be eaten straight away.
Strawberries should really be prepared on the day you plan on eating them, as water will add moisture and lead to berry spoilage.
If you absolutely HAVE TO prepare them the day before, make sure that they are completely dry and store them in a closed airtight container in the crisper section of your fridge.
The vinaigrette can be made one or two days before to allow the flavours to develop. Take it out of the fridge an hour or so in advance to allow it to come to room temperature, and give it a good shake before using.
Dress the salad and toss just before serving.

What Can I Do With the Leftovers?

Our Lettuce Salad with Strawberries is meant to be enjoyed on the day you make it.
You can discard the leaves and just store the berries, sunflower seeds and dressing to add to fresh greens the following day.
Alternatively, blitz the leftovers (without the lettuce), then add to some vanilla ice cream or Greek yoghurt or honey.

What Diets is It Suitable For?

This salad suits most eating styles - dairy-free; gluten-free; low-carb; paleo; vegan and vegetarian diets.
Each serving contains 246 calories with a net carb count of eight grams.
^{(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)}

Lettuce Salad with Strawberries and Lime

Ingredients and Substitutions