The firm head is tightly packed with broad, thick, and crisp leaves that are concentrated with a high-water content. The leaves vary in colour depending on the particular cultivar, but the outer leaves are typically light green while the inner leaves range from pale yellow to a translucent white. Iceberg lettuce is crunchy and juicy with a mild, sweet flavour.

Iceberg lettuce is a good source of potassium, iron, calcium, fiber and vitamins A, C, and K. Iceberg lettuce is best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as braising and stir-frying. It is most well-known for its use in a cold wedge salad with Roquefort or blue cheese dressings, but it can also be shredded as a garnish, layered in sandwiches, used as a lettuce cup for fillings such as taco meat, shrimp, or chicken, or used to wrap burgers for a low-carb main dish.