This is one of my personal chef clients favorite dishes. Delicious Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps are just like the ones at your favorite Asian restaurant, but even better. Browned ground beef and vegetables are seasoned with Asian flavors and served in lettuce leaves with fluffy rice.
Are you like me and like to have a few tried-and-true recipes to take the stress out of dinner time? Along with Mom's meatloaf on Monday, shrimp tacos on Tuesday, and spaghetti with bolognese on Wednesday menu, I like to add an easy meal with an Asian twist. This one is a winner ~ Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps.
If you're a fan of Asian lettuce cups, you'll love this quick and easy dinner recipe. Sauteed ground beef and veggies and fluffy rice fill the lettuce leaves which serve as edible plates. It's a complete meal the whole family will love.
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Why you'll love this lettuce wrap recipe
This is one of my favorite recipes to make when I rushed to get dinner on the table. There are many reasons to love this great recipe.
- Easy to make ~ Some chopping and sauteing is all that's needed to make this 30 minute meal.
- Restaurant quality ~ A home chef can make copycat Asian style recipes like these beef lettuce wraps in their own kitchen. A few ingredients like hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, water chestnuts and pickled ginger are readily available at the grocery store and add restaurant quality flavor.
- Versatile ~ If beef isn't your favorite meat, use ground turkey, pork or chicken instead. Also substitute your favorite veggies like corn, onion, asparagus or broccoli.
- Make in advance ~ The filling and rice for the lettuce wraps can be prepped and cooked up to 2 days in advance. When ready to serve, just heat and fill the lettuce leaves.
Ingredients & substitutions
Gather some fresh and pantry ingredients for this recipe. If substitute ingredient options can be made to the recipe, they're listed. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.
- Peanut oil ~ Avocado, canola, or olive oil are also options.
- Lean ground beef ~ I use 93% lean ground beef for the recipe. Ground pork, turkey or chicken are also options.
- Red bell pepper ~ Green, yellow or orange peppers are alternatives.
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Mushrooms
- Hoisin sauce ~ This slightly spicy Asian barbecue sauce packs a flavor punch. Substitute regular barbecue sauce in a pinch.
- Reduced sodium soy sauce ~ Regular soy sauce can be salty. I substitute the lower sodium version.
- Rice wine vinegar ~ I use white rice wine vinegar, but a seasoned one can be a substitute.
- Chili garlic sauce ~ A staple in spicy Asian cooking, chili garlic sauce is made from chili peppers, vinegar and garlic. Substitutes include chili garlic paste, sriracha, sambal oelek, harissa paste or hot sauce.
- Water chestnuts ~ Bean sprouts or bamboo shoots are also options.
- Lettuce ~ Iceberg, romaine, and Boston bibb lettuce are all tasty options.
- Cooked hot rice ~ I like jasmine rice with Korean beef lettuce wraps. Basmati or brown rice are delicious alternatives.
- Pickled ginger
- Green onions
- Cashews
- Sesame seeds
Hint
Having Asian ingredients on hand makes preparing easy recipes that are super flavorful and a breeze. They also have a long shelf life either in the pantry or refrigerator.
How to make ground beef lettuce wraps
Here's a brief overview of the recipe. Complete instructions are included in the recipe card.
- Step 1: In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same pan, sauté the vegetables and combine with the cooked beef.
- Step 3: Add the seasonings and the water chestnuts. Cook until heated through. The water chestnuts add an extra crunch and a crisp, cool component to the recipe.
- Step 4: To serve, pile the cooked rice, beef mixture on separate lettuce leaves. Top with green onions, pickled ginger, cashews and sesame seeds.
Can you make beef lettuce wraps in advance?
YES! That's just one reason I love this recipe! Not only is it beyond delicious, but you can meal prep it entirely in advance. Here are the steps to make lettuce wraps ahead of time.
- Prepare the beef and vegetable filling as directed in the recipe.
- Make a pot of rice.
- Cool the filling and rice and store separately in airtight containers the refrigerator for up to 2 days. These are my favorite meal prep containers.
- Wash and dry each lettuce leaf. Wrap in a paper towel and store in a resealable plastic bag.
- When it's dinner time (or any time you get hungry for lettuce wraps) heat the beef and vegetable filling and the rice and spoon into cool lettuce leaves. Top with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, chopped pickled ginger and cashews.
Frequently asked questions
Butter lettuce is the classic wrap choice. As it's thin, you may want to double up the leaves before filling. Also try romaine, green leaf, or iceberg lettuce.
Try serving this recipe as rice bowls or as loaded salad bowls. To assemble, in individual bowls add chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce. Top with the warm rice and beef and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with sliced green onions, pickled ginger, chopped cashews and sesame seeds. Drizzle with soy sauce and garlic chili sauce if desired.
One more thing
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below. Share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.
Thanks ~ Amy
Recipe
Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93% fat free
- 1 medium red pepper diced
- 1 medium zucchini diced
- 2 cups of mushrooms diced
- 2 cups of baby spinach packed
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or more to taste
- 1 8 ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
- 12 Boston butter romaine or green leaf lettuce leaves, washed and dried
- Cooked rice about 3 cups (use my foolproof recipe for fluffy rice)
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- Pickled ginger chopped
- Roasted and salted cashews chopped
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Brown the beef: Heat a large sauté pan to medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the ground beef. Sauté for 4 to 6 minutes breaking the meat into small pieces. When the meat is browned, remove it from the pan to a plate. Drain off any fat.
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the red pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes or until just beginning to soften and becoming golden brown. Add the spinach and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cooked ground beef and stir to combine.
- Add the seasonings: Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, and chili garlic sauce. Stir to combine.
- Add the water chestnuts: Stir in the water chestnuts. Continue cooking until heated through, about 2 minutes.
- Serving: Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, spoon some of the rice and a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Sprinkle with the green onions, pickled ginger, cashews and sesame seeds.
FOODHEAL says
I love making lettuce wraps! What a great way to bring a family together! This is a really fun way of eating, besides it's healthy. Beautiful recipe.
Amy Casey says
Thanks! It's a favorite recipe at our house and with my personal chef clients.
Heidy Linn says
All I have to say is WOW, these Cashew Beef and Rice Lettuce Wraps were wonderful. I loved the flavors and textures of them and was pleasantly surprised the kids ate them without a complaint. I think I finally found a way for them to eat beets!
Have a great day!
Heidy
Donna says
This was so great for something a bit different, we love lettuce wraps, so it was great to change up from the regular!
Amy Casey says
So true! Love that they are beef instead of chicken.
Tristin says
This is the perfect meal to make on those busy weekdays. Came out tasting amazing! Adding this one into the rotation.
Amy Casey says
Awesome Tristin!
allyssa says
Super easy and tasty recipe! Thanks a lot for sharing this, will surely make it again!
Amy Casey says
So glad to hear that Allysa!
Kate says
Was a delicious simple recipe, perfect for a hot humid day!