Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps are filled with beef and vegetables that are seasoned with a very flavorful, homemade Asian sauce. They can be served as appetizers or as the main dish.
This post contains affiliate links. See our Disclosure Statement for more information.
Lettuce wraps have become a super popular appetizer in recent years.
You might be surprised how easy they are to make at home!
Sesame oil is a staple ingredient in a lot Asian-inspired. dishes. In this recipe, the vegetables and ground beef are cooked in sesame oil so that the flavor comes through in every single bite.
Vegetables used in these wraps include diced shallot, carrots, and water chestnuts. They not only add flavor, but texture and crunch.
Then there is the sauce. It’s so good. It’s made from a simple combination of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lots of garlic and ginger.
Why This Recipe Works
Ground beef lettuce wraps are quick and easy to make.
You can serve them as an appetizer, side dish, or even as the main meal.
These wraps are incredibly flavorful and family-friendly, but you can drizzle on some sriracha if you like them a little spicy.
How to Make Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
Prep!
Dice the shallot, carrots, and water chestnuts. Mince the garlic and ginger.
Create!
Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the shallot, carrots, and water chestnuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and add to the pan.
Cook, breaking up, until the meat is no longer pink in the center, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the pan.
If you are using a lean beef or turkey, you can likely skip draining the grease, as there won’t be much at all.
In a separate bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Mix well.
Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
Present!
Serve by filling leaves of lettuce with the ground beef mixture and top with sriracha, sesame seeds, and/or slices of green onions, if desired.
Tips and Techniques for the Best Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
- Use ground turkey to make these wraps a bit healthier. You can also use ground pork or chicken, if you prefer.
- You can drizzle on sriracha, if you prefer them to be spicier.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
FAQ’s
- What kind of lettuce do you use for lettuce wraps? You can use Romaine (as pictured in this post), iceberg, or butter lettuce.
- Can you make lettuce wraps ahead of time? You can make the filling for the lettuce wraps ahead of time and store it, tightly covered, in the refrigerator until needed. It is not recommended to fill the lettuce wraps until you are ready to serve them.
More Asian Inspired Recipes to Try
If you love the flavors in these lettuce wraps, then you may also love this recipe for Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon and Vegetables.
Some other Asian-inspired recipes to check out are Vegetable Stir Fry, Mongolian Beef, and Vegetable Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce.
Love this Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps recipe? Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more!
Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 shallot (diced small)
- 1 carrot (diced small or grated)
- 8 ounces water chestnuts (diced small)
- 1.5 pounds ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons pickled ginger (minced)
- 1 head lettuce leaves
- sriracha (optional)
- sesame seeds (optional)
- green onion (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat.1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Add the shallot, carrots, and water chestnuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes.1 shallot, 1 carrot, 8 ounces water chestnuts
- Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and add to the pan.1.5 pounds ground beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Cook, breaking up, until the meat is no longer pink in the center, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the pan.
- In a separate bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Mix well.1/2 cup hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons pickled ginger
- Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
- Serve by filling leaves of lettuce with the ground beef mixture and top with sriracha, sesame seeds, and/or slices of green onions, if desired.1 head lettuce leaves, sriracha, sesame seeds, green onion
Notes
Tips and Techniques for the Best Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
- Use ground turkey to make these wraps a bit healthier. You can also use ground pork or chicken, if you prefer.
- You can drizzle on sriracha, if you prefer them to be spicier.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on August 31, 2016. It was updated with new images, an updated recipe with more thorough instructions, tips, techniques, and FAQ’s in February 2020.
