This is one of my personal chef clients’ favorite dishes. Delicious Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps taste like the ones at your favorite Asian restaurant — but even better. Browned ground beef and vegetables are seasoned with Asian flavors, then served in crisp lettuce leaves with fluffy rice.
If you like to keep a few reliable recipes on hand to make dinner simple, this one is a winner. Alongside classics like Mom’s meatloaf on Monday, shrimp tacos on Tuesday, and spaghetti Bolognese on Wednesday, I often add an easy Asian-inspired meal — Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps.
If you’re a fan of lettuce cups, you’ll love how quick and satisfying this recipe is. Sautéed ground beef and vegetables combine with savory sauces and fluffy rice, then get tucked into lettuce leaves for a handheld dinner the whole family will enjoy.
Why you’ll love this lettuce wrap recipe
These lettuce wraps are a go-to for busy weeknights. Here are a few reasons they stand out:
- Easy to make — Minimal chopping and a quick sauté make this a 30-minute meal.
- Restaurant-quality flavor — With pantry staples like hoisin, chili garlic sauce, water chestnuts and pickled ginger, you can create bold Asian flavors at home.
- Versatile — Swap the beef for ground turkey, pork, or chicken, and use your preferred vegetables such as corn, onion, asparagus or broccoli.
- Make ahead — The filling and rice can be cooked up to 2 days ahead. Reheat and assemble when you’re ready to serve.
Ingredients & substitutions
Gather fresh produce and a few pantry staples. Substitutions are included where appropriate. Scroll to the recipe card for exact quantities.
- Peanut oil — You can use avocado, canola, or olive oil instead.
- Lean ground beef — I use 93% lean; ground pork, turkey, or chicken work well too.
- Red bell pepper — Green, yellow or orange peppers are fine.
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Mushrooms
- Hoisin sauce — A slightly sweet, savory Asian-style sauce; regular barbecue sauce can be used in a pinch.
- Reduced sodium soy sauce — Regular soy sauce is saltier; choose low-sodium if you prefer.
- Rice wine vinegar — White rice wine vinegar is my choice; seasoned rice vinegar is an acceptable substitute.
- Chili garlic sauce — Offers heat and garlic flavor; alternatives include sriracha, sambal oelek, or other chili pastes.
- Water chestnuts — For crunch; bean sprouts or bamboo shoots can be substituted.
- Lettuce — Boston butter, romaine, or green leaf are all good options.
- Cooked hot rice — Jasmine is lovely here; basmati or brown rice are good alternatives.
- Pickled ginger
- Green onions
- Cashews
- Sesame seeds
Hint
Keeping key Asian condiments on hand makes it easy to prepare flavorful meals quickly. Many of these ingredients store well in the pantry or refrigerator.
How to make ground beef lettuce wraps
Here’s a brief overview of the process. Complete instructions and quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then remove and drain any excess fat.
- Step 2: In the same pan, sauté the red pepper, zucchini and mushrooms until beginning to soften, then add the spinach and cook briefly. Return the beef to the pan and combine.
- Step 3: Stir in soy sauce, hoisin, rice wine vinegar and chili garlic sauce, then add chopped water chestnuts. Cook until everything is heated through.
- Step 4: To serve, spoon rice and the beef mixture into lettuce leaves. Top with sliced green onions, pickled ginger, chopped cashews and sesame seeds.
Can you make beef lettuce wraps in advance?
Yes. This recipe is excellent for meal prep. Follow these steps to prepare ahead:
- Cook the beef and vegetables as directed.
- Prepare a pot of rice and let it cool slightly.
- Store the cooled filling and rice separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Wash and dry lettuce leaves, wrap them in paper towels, and keep them in a resealable bag in the crisper.
- When ready to serve, reheat the filling and rice, then assemble the wraps and garnish as desired.
Frequently asked questions
Butter (Boston) lettuce is the classic choice because of its tenderness and shape; you may double up the leaves if they feel thin. Romaine, green leaf or iceberg also work well.
You can turn this into a rice bowl or a loaded salad bowl. Add chopped romaine or iceberg to a bowl, top with warm rice and the beef-vegetable mixture, then finish with green onions, pickled ginger, chopped cashews and sesame seeds. Add soy sauce or chili garlic sauce to taste.
More recipes like this one
- Baked Teriyaki Glazed Salmon
- Beef Negimaki
- Easy Pork Pot Stickers
- Sizzling Hibachi Shrimp and Vegetables
- Spicy Jalapeno Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Beef and Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry
One more thing
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below. Share your photos on social media and tag the creator if you like.
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 mushrooms diced
- 2 cups baby spinach packed
- 2 tablespoons 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
- 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 and add 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil shimmers, add the ground beef and sauté 4 to 6 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces. When browned, remove to a plate and drain any excess fat.
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Sauté the vegetables: In the same pan, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the red pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes until beginning to soften and lightly browned. Add the spinach and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Return the cooked ground beef and stir to combine.
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Add the seasonings: Stir in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, and chili garlic sauce until well combined.
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Add the water chestnuts: Stir in the chopped water chestnuts and continue cooking until heated through, about 2 minutes.
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Serving: Arrange lettuce leaves around a platter and pile the meat mixture in the center. To serve, spoon rice and a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf and top with green onions, pickled ginger, chopped cashews and sesame seeds.
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate based on the ingredients and methods used in this recipe.