Description
Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps: Flavorful beef cooked with fresh veggies, wrapped in crisp lettuce – a quick, healthy, and crowd-pleasing dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454g) ground beef (85-90% lean)
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon (6g) fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce (low-sodium preferred)
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) sesame oil
- 1–2 teaspoons (5-10g) sriracha or chili sauce (optional, to taste)
- 1 medium carrot (about 50g), finely diced
- 8 ounces (226g) water chestnuts, drained and chopped
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 head butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce (about 12–16 large leaves)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare The Lettuce Carefully separate the lettuce leaves from the head, keeping them intact. Gently wash each leaf and pat dry with paper towels. For especially crisp wraps, place the dried leaves in the refrigerator while preparing the filling. This extra step ensures your ground beef lettuce wraps maintain that satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with the warm filling.
- Step 2: Cook The Aromatics Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, stirring constantly for 30-45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. This brief cooking process releases the essential oils in these aromatics, creating the foundation of flavor for your beef filling.
- Step 3: Brown The Beef Add the ground beef to the aromatic base, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes until no pink remains and the meat has developed some caramelized edges. Drain excess fat if necessary, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan to carry flavor. The fine texture of the beef ensures it will distribute evenly in your ground beef lettuce wraps.
- Step 4: Add Sauce And Vegetables Reduce heat to medium and pour in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha if using. Stir to combine, allowing the meat to absorb these flavors for about 1 minute. Add the diced carrots and water chestnuts, cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the carrots slightly soften but retain some crunch.
- Step 5: Finish The Filling Remove the pan from heat and stir in most of the sliced green onions, reserving some for garnish. Let the mixture cool slightly – about 3-5 minutes – which not only prevents burning your mouth but also allows the flavors to meld and intensify, creating more flavorful beef lettuce cups.
- Step 6: Assemble And Serve Place a generous spoonful (about 2-3 tablespoons) of the beef mixture into each lettuce leaf. Garnish with the reserved green onions and additional toppings if desired. Serve immediately, allowing each person to create their own perfect wrap with their preferred amount of filling.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lettuce wrap
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 70mg