Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps

These quick-to-make ground beef lettuce wraps are loaded with savory ground beef and nutritious veggies doused in an umami-rich Asian-style soy ginger sauce! You can enjoy them with the beef filling nestled in crunchy lettuce as appetizers or snacks, or make them substantial enough for lunch or dinner by adding rice or grains. A fast ground beef dinner idea to add to you meal repertoire, the lettuce wraps come together in only 25 minutes, can be prepared ahead of time, and are easily made gluten free, too! 

The juicy flavorful beef filling paired with the crunch of the crispy lettuce is downright dreamy. This easy ground beef dinner idea is light and healthy but still comforting in the way only good Asian-inspired dishes can be. Serve these as a tasty appetizer or a full on meal, the choice is up to you.

It’s tossed in a flavorful sauce made with real Asian condiments like sesame oil, gochujang, and mirin to give it a nice umami tangy flavor with just enough spice. While using gochujang may make these seem like Korean beef lettuce wraps, they really are an Asian fusion recipe since mirin is from Japan and other ingredients are borrowed from all over the continent. While it might not be the most authentic recipe on the planet, they’re still absolutely delicious.

I specialize in easy and quick dinners and this one is a goodie. I have lots more 30 minute meal ideas to explore to help you save time in the kitchen and I still keep coming back to this one. Having a quick dinner idea with ground beef on the meal plan keeps weeknight dinners satisfying and flavorful.

The ground beef filling is cooked using one pan and will only take you 15 minutes to make. It’s very similar to my juicy ground beef bulgogi recipe so if you like cooking with beef and want more inspiration, definitely check it out.

You can also try filling your lettuce wraps with coconut rice instead of plain steamed rice to double up on flavor. I like stacking mine with kimchi and cucumbers but you can choose whatever you want to accompany yours or simply serve them as is.

What you’ll need

If you cannot find the Asian condiments needed to make the sauce, don’t worry. I included alternatives that you can use for these Asian lettuce wraps. I always stock sesame oil, mirin, gochujang, and other Asian seasonings and condiments because they are easy to store for long periods. This is also the perfect recipe to use up leftover vegetables in your fridge!

Here are a few notes on the key ingredients:

• Vegetables– diced onion and red bell pepper, grated carrots and chopped water chestnuts, cilantro, and green onions. The combination of textures, taste, and colors comes together amazingly! You can use other vegetables like shallots, ginger, mushrooms, bean sprouts, parsley, and peas.
• Ground beef– I used 85% lean. It has the ideal fat-to-meat ratio for a juicy and flavorful filling. You can use ground chicken, bison, turkey or even pork if you prefer but you may need to add more or less soy sauce or tamari if using a different kind of meat.
• Lettuce– I’ve tested multiple types and recommend butter lettuce (aka Boston or bib) or red or green leaf. Romaine lettuce is ok but kind of oversized and iceberg lettuce breaks too easily and makes a mess.
• The sauce – As far as seasonings go, you can use jarred minced ginger and garlic to keep it simple. Use a gluten-free gochujang and tamari instead of soy sauce if you need to make the recipe gluten free. The rest of the ingredients are self explanatory and as always, if you have any questions, leave a comment so I can help you out!

How to Make Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps

If you have an Asian food obsession like me, you know the pull restaurants can have on you. You don’t have to go to PF Chang’s to enjoy lettuce wraps when you can make this easy dinner at home though!

Preparations:

• Separate lettuce leaves, rinse and pat the leaves dry or use a salad spinner. Set aside.
• Dice, chop and grate the veggies.

Steps:

1. Make the Sauce. Add all sauce ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and whisk together.
2. Sauté the Aromatics. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add avocado oil. When oil is warm, add chopped pepper and onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until starting to sear.
3. Cook the Ground Beef. Add beef and brown, breaking it up with a spatula into small pieces as it cooks.
4. Add the Sauce. Once the beef is browned, add about half of the sauce to the ground beef mixture and stir in letting the beef cook another 2 minutes while you continue to break it into small pieces.
5. Add the vegetables. Add the grated carrot, water chestnuts, and remaining sauce to the meat mixture. Let cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring to mix sauce evenly in.
6. Garnish and Serve. Stir in green onion and cilantro and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with lettuce on its own or with white rice, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice as a low carb option to make it more filling. You can also serve with kimchi or any other toppings you’d like. To eat, spoon beef filling into a lettuce leaf. Add any other filling desired, fold in the edges and eat it like a taco.
   

Helpful tips

Make-ahead and storing notes

You can do all of the chopping ahead of time and store it in airtight containers in the fridge. You can also make the Asian-style sauce in advance and store it in the fridge for a few days. It may even taste better stored overnight to allow the flavors to mellow and blend together. 

While it’s best served fresh, the ground beef filling can also be made ahead of time and will keep well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days at the most. All you need to do is microwave or heat the meat stovetop and assemble the wraps when you’re ready. This dish is ideal for meal prepping and leftovers would be great to bring to work for lunch!