Lettuce, collards, cabbage and chard are the unsung heroes of the wrap

Let the scoffs and eye rolls at the humble lettuce wrap cease. Sure, you may enjoy the standard lunch wrap, where all too often the tortilla becomes a squishy, sad vehicle for the tasty treasures inside.

But deep down, we all know the truth: Lettuce makes for a better wrapper.

So cast your incredulity aside, and read on for our finest greens-wrapped victories, fresh from our recipe archives.

Hot Chicken Lettuce Wrap, above. Crispy chicken doused in a spicy sauce — it’s bliss. Make each bite even better with cool, crispy lettuce as an ideal foil. This recipe is featured in our 12-week Meal Plan of Action newsletter series. Sign up here.

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Jamaican-Spiced Beef Collard Wraps. Collards are known for being a fibrous vegetable. And you know what? That means they can hold all the fillings of these rice-and-beef wraps without tearing or getting soggy. You can make these days ahead of time, and you can stick the whole thing in the microwave to reheat without ruining the wrapper.

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Spicy Mango Chili Wraps. Cabbage is another strong, crunchy leaf that can hold what you want. Spicy-sweet chili and chopped veggies here have a home in crunchy purple cabbage.

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Chard-Wrapped Cod With Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade. Sit down to dinner with cod wrapped up in chard that’s guaranteed to keep the fish nice and tender.

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