23 Salads That Won't Wilt in Summer Heat (No Lettuce Required)

What to Use Instead of Lettuce in a Salad

• Cabbage. The obvious one, and honestly the best one. Green, purple, napa - it doesn't matter, it all holds up for days in the fridge and actually improves as it sits in dressing. If you only take one swap from this list, make it this.
• Kale, but massaged. Raw kale is tough enough to survive heat that would kill lettuce in minutes, as long as you rub the leaves with a little oil and salt first to break down the fibers. Skip that step and you'll be chewing on cardboard.
• Cooked grains - farro, quinoa, orzo, couscous. These give you something to actually build a salad around instead of just filling space, and they don't wilt because there's nothing to wilt.
• Beans and lentils. Cheap, filling, hold their shape for as long as you need them to. A can of chickpeas has never once wilted on anyone.
• Cucumber and tomato as the base itself, Greek-salad style. No greens at all, just vegetables that are sturdy enough to sit in vinaigrette without falling apart.
• Roasted or grilled vegetables - zucchini, corn, bell peppers, eggplant. Serve warm, room temp, or cold, and they somehow taste better the next day.
• Potato or pasta salad as the base, if you want something heartier. Neither one cares how hot it is outside.
• Shaved raw broccoli or cauliflower. Sounds strange until you try it - it's crunchy, it takes on dressing well, and it will genuinely never wilt on you.
• Watermelon, peaches, or other sturdy fruit. Not a substitute in the literal sense, but a base that works the same way lettuce is supposed to - just cooler and actually enjoyable in the heat.
• Herbs in bulk, tabbouleh-style - mostly parsley with just enough grain to hold it together. Different texture than a typical salad, but it's the least heat-sensitive thing on this list by far.