Asian Style Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Delicious and flavorful Asian Style Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps featuring a savory-sweet sauce with fresh ginger, garlic, and crisp vegetables, perfect for a light and satisfying meal served in crisp Boston Bibb lettuce cups.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 wraps without rice, 12 wraps with rice 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Scale
Lettuce Wrap Sauce
- ¼ cup maple syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar
- ¼ cup coconut aminos, tamari, or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 teaspoon arrowroot powder, or cornstarch
Ground Beef Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 4 whole green onions, sliced into 1” pieces
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Ground pepper, to taste
- Sesame seeds, to taste, for garnish
- Boston Bibb lettuce, for wrapping
- Steamed white rice or sautéed cauliflower rice, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Make the sauce: Combine the maple syrup, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a measuring cup. Whisk until combined. Add the arrowroot powder and whisk again until fully incorporated.
- Cook the ground beef: Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add aromatics: Stir in the minced garlic and grated fresh ginger, cooking continuously until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Sauté vegetables: Add the finely diced red bell pepper and shredded carrots to the skillet. Cook until tender-crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
- Combine with sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the beef and vegetables in the skillet. Stir well to combine, then simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with kosher salt and ground pepper as needed.
- Finish with green onions: Stir in the sliced green onions just before removing from heat.
- Serve: Spoon the savory beef mixture into Boston Bibb lettuce leaves. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with steamed white rice or sautéed cauliflower rice if desired. Makes 8 wraps without rice or 12 wraps with rice.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, substitute ground beef with cooked lentils or plant-based mince.
- Adjust red pepper flakes based on preferred spice level or omit for a milder flavor.
- Arrowroot powder is used to thicken the sauce; cornstarch can be used as an alternative.
- Serve immediately to maintain the crispness of the lettuce wraps.
- Boston Bibb lettuce is ideal for wraps due to its soft but sturdy leaves; butter lettuce or romaine can also be used.
Keywords: Asian ground beef lettuce wraps, easy lettuce wraps, low carb Asian recipe, quick Asian dinner, healthy ground beef recipes, sesame beef wraps
