Asian Lettuce Wraps
If you’re looking for something fancy and flavorful without all the fuss of slaving away in the kitchen, you must try this Asian lettuce wraps recipe. It’s like a burrito but healthier! And it serves as a wholesome meal with fewer calories and more nutrition.
Asian lettuce wraps are great for family meals, where everyone can build their own wraps. These wraps can also serve as a quick afternoon snack for the kids or something to take to a party or make for an intimate gathering at home.
Not to forget, it’s quick and easy to make yet tastes delicious and is fulfilling.
Why We Love Asian Lettuce Wraps?
Asian lettuce wraps are healthy, tasty, quick, and the best alternative to a burrito! There’s nothing about them that you cannot love! From the lettuce and the turkey, all the way to the sauce and toppings, it is bursting with flavor and nutrition.
This Asian lettuce wraps recipe uses ground turkey, which is higher in protein and minerals with fewer calories than chicken or beef. The sauce mixture in which we cook the turkey is made of soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, sriracha, ginger, and red pepper flakes, the combination of which gives it a tangy and spicy flavor.
We use the best butter lettuce brimming with vitamins, calcium, and iron for the wrap. As for the toppings, we have used a variety of vegetables, including cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots, green onions, and radish. However, you can use any vegetable or topping of your choice to add more flavor to the recipe.
The Asian lettuce wraps recipe takes hardly 30 minutes to prepare, including the assembling, making it a quick meal option for hectic and lazy days.
Ingredients for Asian Lettuce Wraps Recipe
- 15 butter lettuce leaves: Butter lettuce is quite nutritious; however, you can use iceberg lettuce also.
- 1 lb ground turkey: I used ground turkey, but you can also use ground chicken or beef.
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil: To cook the ground turkey.
- 3 cloves of garlic: Mince the cloves to extract more flavor.
- ¼ cup soy sauce: The main ingredient of the sauce mixture for extra flavor.
- 2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce: For a strong salty, sweet umami base for the sauce.
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar: For a sweet mellow taste to even out the saltiness of the sauce.
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce: A tangy sauce is always good for wraps!
- ¼ teaspoon ginger: Use fresh, finely chopped ginger for enhanced flavor.
- ½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes: For that extra burst of spice and savoriness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common queries regarding the Asian lettuce wraps recipe:
Q. What can we use instead of butter lettuce?
If you don’t have butter lettuce, you can use iceberg lettuce, Romaine lettuce, or green leaf lettuce too.
Q. How to cut the lettuce for the wraps?
To cut the lettuce for wraps, remove the head of the lettuce and then peel off each leaf. Wash and dry the leaves before serving.
Q. How do I utilize the leftover ground turkey filling?
The leftover ground turkey filling can be served with rice, over noodles, or as a salad with veggies and lettuce.
Q. What can I use in place of rice vinegar?
Rice vinegar and white vinegar taste almost the same. So, you can switch rice vinegar with regular vinegar easily. There won’t be any change in the flavor.
Q. Is this lettuce wrap recipe good for Keto?
If you’re on keto, I would suggest leaving out the Hoisin sauce or reducing its quantity.
Q. How to store the leftover filling?
Store the leftover ground turkey filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store it in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the fridge to serve the next day in fresh lettuce cups.
Tips and Tricks
Here are some valuable tips and tricks to help you with the recipe:
1. Keep the wraps, filling, sauce, and toppings separately when serving for a fun meal option where everyone can make their own wraps with their preferred toppings.
2. You can use radish, green onions, rice, ramen, raw chow mien noodles, cabbage, carrots, sesame seeds, and peanuts as extra topping options.
3. Make sure the vegetables for the topping are diced very small, preferably chopped using a food processor, so that each bite bursts with texture and flavor.
More Easy Recipes To Enjoy
- Peanut Thai Noodle Salad
- Instant Pot Thai Green Curry
- Cucumber Salad Wrap Recipe
- Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken
- Puff Pastry Tomato Tarts
- Turkey Francaise Recipe
Asian Lettuce Wraps
Asian lettuce wraps are great for family meals, where everyone can build their own wraps. These wraps can also serve as a quick afternoon snack for the kids or something to take to a party or make for an intimate gathering at home.
Ingredients
- 15 Butter Lettuce Leaves
- 1 lb Ground Turkey (or chicken/ground beef)
- 2 teaspoons Vegetable Oil
- 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha Sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili Pepper Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- In a small pyrex measuring cup combine the soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, sriracha, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Give it a good stir to combine the ingredients and set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add in the minced garlic to the pan and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add in the ground turkey to the pan and cook halfway through before adding in half of the soy sauce mixture you previously made. Make sure to save half of the sauce for later.
- Continue to cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until there are no pink spots left in the meat. Once cooked, add in the sesame oil. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Put the remaining sauce in the microwave and heat in 20 second intervals. Make sure to stir well in between each 20 second interval; this is to thicken the sauce. It should take roughly 4-5 intervals to reach the desired consistency.
- Assemble your lettuce wraps with the veggies and toppings you desire. Then drizzle your sauce over top and sprinkle on some sesame seeds.
Notes
Topping ideas: Radish, Green onions, rice, ramen, raw chow mien noodles, cabbage, carrots, sesame seeds, peanuts
Toppings used in photos: Shredded coleslaw mix (cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots), green onions, radish
Substitute for rice vinegar: You can use white vinegar; it tastes similar.
If making keto: Leave out or reduce the amount of hoisin sauce.