Asian-Style Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
These Asian-style ground beef lettuce wraps come together in 30 minutes with a savory-sweet sauce, crunchy water chestnuts, and cold butter lettuce. The two-stage sauce trick keeps the filling moist and flavorful. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something fast that doesn't taste fast.
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet or wok
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Small Bowl
- Chef's Knife and Cutting Board
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low-sodium, or tamari for GF)
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- cracked black pepper, to taste
For the Filling
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado or canola)
- 1 lb ground beef, 85/15
- 1 can (8 oz) water chestnuts, drained and diced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
For Serving
- 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
- sliced green onions (optional)
- fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
- toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and black pepper. Set aside. Gently wash and dry the butter lettuce leaves; arrange on a serving platter.
- Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Let it sit undisturbed for the first minute to get good browning.
- Carefully drain all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Return to medium heat. Add diced water chestnuts, ginger, and garlic; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour half the prepared sauce into the pan and stir to coat everything. Cook for about 1 minute until sauce thickens and clings to the meat.
- Transfer filling to a serving bowl. Drizzle remaining sauce over the top and toss gently. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt or splash of lime if needed.
- Spoon warm filling into lettuce cups. Top with green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, and squeeze of lime. Serve immediately while filling is hot and lettuce is cold.
Notes
Storage: Store filling and lettuce separately in airtight containers. Filling keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Reheat filling in a skillet with a splash of water.
Make it your own: For gluten-free, use tamari. For spicy, add sriracha or chili crisp to the sauce. For milder, reduce ginger and omit cilantro. Ground turkey or chicken works perfectly – add a little extra oil.
Pro tip: Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan for 90 seconds – it makes all the difference.
Make it your own: For gluten-free, use tamari. For spicy, add sriracha or chili crisp to the sauce. For milder, reduce ginger and omit cilantro. Ground turkey or chicken works perfectly – add a little extra oil.
Pro tip: Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan for 90 seconds – it makes all the difference.