A classic way to serve Nüsslisalat (nut lettuce) in Switzerland is with crispy bacon and hard-boiled eggs. You can find this fresh winter salad in Swiss restaurants and in home kitchens. Paired with some crusty bread, it makes a super-easy and satisfying meal that everyone can enjoy.
What is Nüsslisalat?
I had never tasted Nüsslisalat until I moved from the United States to Switzerland in 2012. This lettuce has a season that generally runs from about September to mid-April. Although, these days you can find it year-round at Swiss supermarkets.
These little green leaves go by many different names. In French-speaking Switzerland, I know them as Doucette, Rampon or Mâche. You would likely call them Feldsalat (field salad) in Germany. In Italian, it’s Formentino or Valerianella. Lamb’s lettuce is another name because it’s said that the rounded leaves resemble a lamb’s tongue. I have also seen them referred to as Corn Salad.
You may also know Nüsslisalat as Rapunzel lettuce. This name matches that of the main character in the famous fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. When Rapunzel’s mother was pregnant, the story goes that she had an obsessive craving for the delectable green leaves in her neighbor’s garden. As time went on, her health began to decline because she couldn’t fulfill this insatiable desire. Desperate to help, her husband snuck into the garden and stole some of the Rapunzel lettuce. The neighbor, who turned out to be a witch, discovered the theft and demanded the couple turn over their newborn baby in repayment for the stolen leaves. That’s some special lettuce!
Finally, you can feel good about eating Nüsslisalat because it has a high number of vitamins and nutrients, including Vitamins A, B9, C and E, as well as potassium. Perhaps that’s why Rapunzel’s mother wanted them so badly!
Nüsslisalat with Bacon and Eggs
INGREDIENTS
- Nüsslisalat, washed and the tip of their stems trimmed
- Bacon, baked in the oven at 200°C / 400°F for about 10-20 minutes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and then crumbled
- Hard-boiled eggs, halved or quartered
- Sunflower seeds, toasted for a few minutes in a frying pan over medium-high heat
Super-quick vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk together all the vinaigrette ingredients. Toss the salad dressing with the freshly washed Nüsslisalat. Place the dressed lettuce on a platter and layer the remaining salad ingredients on top.
Categories: Lunch/dinner, Meat, Recipes, Salad, Swiss, Swiss food, Switzerland, Vegetables
Looks beautiful and sounds good. Do the greens taste somewhat like arugula?
More like a delicate spinach.
Yes! Exactly. Apparently some people cook it in a little butter, just until wilted. I have yet to try this!
Hi Carol! Thanks for your message. It’s more like spinach, but with a mild flavor. I’ve heard you can find it in the US at Trader Joe’s and perhaps other smaller markets or specialty stores? Perhaps under the name, Mâche. Best wishes, and Happy New Year to you and your family!!
Thanks, Heddi. Makes me homesick for Switzerland. Nussli salad is one of the first things I eat when I revisit Switzerland. I’ve never seen it here in Virginia
Do you have Trader Joe’s? They sell it. Higher end grocery stores do too. It’s also easy to grow yourself.
Thanks for sharing this!
It’s just so popular here! I wonder why it hasn’t caught on in the US? We have it quite often in the winter time. Thanks for your nice message. Best wishes!
As an American growing up in Washington State with a Swiss father, I grew up eating Nüslisalat in just this way. We couldn’t find it in any store of course, so we grew it ourselves, which is easy. The best part is having a wonderful, fresh, leafy green salad in the middle of winter. What a gift!
There are many places now where you can get it in the U.S., usually under it’s French name of Mache. Trader Joe’s has it. It’s showing up more often in restaurants as well.
I would love to try growing this myself. It’s such a nice winter lettuce. Thanks for sharing this additional information.
Sounds tasty! By the way, I just found your book on Amazon.co.uk – here if you want to link it at all https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/2940481792/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 – and have bought a copy. Looking forward to trying it out.
Thanks so much, Stella!!! I really appreciate this. If you have any questions about my recipes, please don’t hesitate to contact me! Best wishes, and have a great weekend. -Heddi
I would put it all between slices of tasty bread.
In ancient Egypt lettuce was seen as a fertility symbol and aphrodisiac of the gods.
No kidding! I had to look this up and found some crazy articles on this very subject. Sounds like this applies particularly to romaine lettuce. Totally bizarre!