Cabbage vs. Lettuce — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 20, 2023
Cabbage is a dense-leaved vegetable from the Brassica family, while lettuce, a member of the Asteraceae family, has loose, crisp leaves primarily used in salads.
Difference Between Cabbage and Lettuce
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
. Cabbage is a versatile vegetable, a member of the Brassica family, known for its dense and layered leaves. On the contrary, lettuce is a leafy green from the Asteraceae family, recognized for its tender and crisp leaves.
Cabbage comes in various colors, including green, red, and purple, and has a more robust flavor profile. Lettuce, predominantly green, offers a milder, often slightly bitter taste.
While cabbage can be eaten raw, it's also commonly cooked, sautéed, or fermented as in dishes like sauerkraut. Lettuce is primarily consumed raw in salads, wraps, and sandwiches.
Both cabbage and lettuce offer a range of nutritional benefits, but cabbage tends to have a higher vitamin and mineral content. In contrast, lettuce is often celebrated for its refreshing texture and hydrating qualities.
Comparison Chart
Family
Brassica
Asteraceae
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Texture
Dense and layered leaves
Loose, crisp leaves
Common Usage
Raw, sautéed, cooked, or fermented
Primarily raw in salads, wraps, and sandwiches
Taste
Robust and slightly peppery
Milder, often slightly bitter
Nutritional Content
Higher in vitamins and minerals
Lower in vitamins but refreshing and hydrating
Compare with Definitions
Cabbage
To steal or pilfer.
Someone cabbaged my favorite pen!
Lettuce
A cold-hardy plant grown as a winter salad crop.
The winter lettuce survived the early frost.
Cabbage
The terminal bud of some palm trees used as food.
The heart of palm is essentially the cabbage of the tree.
Lettuce
Paper money, especially the dollar.
He earned a lot of lettuce from that gig.
Cabbage
A term referring to money, especially paper money.
He made some good cabbage from that deal.
Lettuce
A green leafy vegetable, commonly used in salads.
She topped her burger with fresh lettuce.
Cabbage
A dull or mentally slow person.
Don't be such a cabbage; it's just a joke.
Lettuce
A mild exclamation or statement of surprise.
Lettuce be! I didn't see that coming.
Cabbage
Cabbage (comprising several cultivars of Brassica oleracea) is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage (B. oleracea var.
Lettuce
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is an annual plant of the daisy family, Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable, but sometimes for its stem and seeds.
Cabbage
Any of several forms of a vegetable (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) of the mustard family, having a globose head consisting of a short stem and tightly overlapping green to purplish leaves.
Lettuce
Any of various plants of the genus Lactuca of the composite family, especially L. sativa, cultivated for its edible leaves.
Cabbage
Any of several similar or related plants, such as Chinese cabbage.
Lettuce
The leaves of L. sativa, used especially in salads.
Cabbage
The terminal bud of several species of palm, eaten as a vegetable.
Lettuce
(Slang) Paper money.
Cabbage
(Slang) Money, especially in the form of bills.
Lettuce
An edible plant, Lactuca sativa and its close relatives, having a head of green and/or purple leaves.
Cabbage
(Informal) Sweetheart; dear. Used as a term of endearment.
Lettuce
(uncountable) The leaves of the lettuce plant, eaten as a vegetable; as a dish often mixed with other ingredients, dressing etc.
I’ll have a ham sandwich with lettuce and tomato.
Cabbage
An edible plant (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) having a head of green leaves.
Lettuce
United States paper currency; dollars.
Twenty dollars an hour? That's a lot of lettuce!
Cabbage
(uncountable) The leaves of this plant eaten as a vegetable.
Cabbage is good for you.
Lettuce
A strong yellow-green colour, like that of lettuce (also called lettuce green).
Cabbage
A person with severely reduced mental capacities due to brain damage.
After the car crash, he became a cabbage.
Lettuce
Weed or marijuana
Cabbage
Used as a term of endearment.
Lettuce
Long hair, as worn by an exemplar of bro culture
Cabbage
Money.
Lettuce
A composite plant of the genus Lactuca (Lactuca sativa), the leaves of which are used as salad. Plants of this genus yield a milky juice, from which lactucarium is obtained. The commonest wild lettuce of the United States is Lactuca Canadensis.
Cabbage
Marijuana leaf, the part that is not smoked but from which cannabutter can be extracted.
Lettuce
United States currency; dollar bills; greenbacks.
Cabbage
The terminal bud of certain palm trees, used for food.
Lettuce
Informal terms for money
Cabbage
The cabbage palmetto (Sabal palmetto), a palm of the southeastern US coasts and nearby islands.
Lettuce
Any of various plants of the genus Lactuca
Cabbage
Leftover scraps of fabric.
Lettuce
Leaves of any of various plants of Lactuca sativa
Cabbage
Scraps of cloth which are left after a garment has been cut out, which tailors traditionally kept.
Lettuce
A term of endearment or pet name.
Hey lettuce, how was your day?
Cabbage
(intransitive) To form a head like that of the cabbage.
To make lettuce cabbage
Cabbage
To do nothing; to idle; veg out.
Cabbage
(transitive) To purloin or embezzle; to pilfer, to steal.
Cabbage
An esculent vegetable of many varieties, derived from the wild Brassica oleracea of Europe. The common cabbage has a compact head of leaves. The cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc., are sometimes classed as cabbages.
Cabbage
The terminal bud of certain palm trees, used, like, cabbage, for food. See Cabbage tree, below.
Cabbage
The cabbage palmetto. See below.
Cabbage
Cloth or clippings cabbaged or purloined by one who cuts out garments.
Cabbage
To form a head like that the cabbage; as, to make lettuce cabbage.
Cabbage
To purloin or embezzle, as the pieces of cloth remaining after cutting out a garment; to pilfer.
Your tailor . . . cabbages whole yards of cloth.
Cabbage
Any of various types of cabbage
Cabbage
Informal terms for money
Cabbage
Any of various cultivars of the genus Brassica oleracea grown for their edible leaves or flowers
Cabbage
Make off with belongings of others
Cabbage
A leafy green or purple plant from the Brassica family.
She added chopped cabbage to the stir-fry.
Common Curiosities
What is the primary difference between cabbage and lettuce?
Cabbage has dense, layered leaves and belongs to the Brassica family, while lettuce has loose, crisp leaves and is from the Asteraceae family.
Can both cabbage and lettuce be used in salads?
Yes, both can be used in salads, but lettuce is more common.
Which is crunchier, cabbage or lettuce?
Both can be crunchy, but iceberg lettuce and certain cabbage varieties are especially crunchy.
Which lasts longer in the fridge, cabbage or lettuce?
Cabbage typically has a longer shelf life than lettuce.
Are cabbage and lettuce interchangeable in recipes?
Not always, due to differences in texture and taste, but some salads and wraps can use both.
Are there different colors of cabbage and lettuce?
Yes, cabbage can be green, red, or purple, while lettuce is primarily green but can have red or purple hues.
What's the best way to store cabbage and lettuce?
Both should be refrigerated. Keep cabbage in a dry plastic bag and lettuce in a slightly damp one.
Do cabbage and lettuce have flowers?
Both can flower, but the parts commonly eaten are the leaves.
Can you cook lettuce like you do with cabbage?
While cabbage is commonly cooked, lettuce is usually eaten raw, though some varieties can be grilled or wilted.
Can you make juice from cabbage and lettuce?
Yes, both can be juiced, often for health drinks.
Which has more nutritional value, cabbage or lettuce?
Cabbage generally has higher vitamin and mineral content, while lettuce is more hydrating.
Are cabbage rolls made with lettuce?
No, cabbage rolls use cabbage leaves, but lettuce wraps are a similar concept using lettuce.
Which is more popular in coleslaw, cabbage or lettuce?
Cabbage is the primary ingredient in coleslaw.
Is iceberg a type of cabbage?
No, iceberg is a type of lettuce.
In gardening, which requires more space, cabbage or lettuce?
Cabbage typically requires more space than lettuce.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
