Home > Dinner > Beef Lettuce Wraps Beef Lettuce Wraps May 26, 2019 | 6 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. 30-minute Beef Lettuce Wraps with coconut-lime jasmine rice, veggies, and quick “pickled” shallots. The beef and rice for these wraps can be made or prepped ahead of time. Pair these wraps with an easy cucumber salad or Panzanella salad. We’ve been on a bit of a lettuce wrap kick the last few weeks. I’ve been working on variations with beef, ground turkey, ground chicken and even a vegetarian version. I can’t believe in the five years I’ve been sharing recipes, I’ve never shared a lettuce wrap recipe! So I thought it was time to remedy that and make it up to you in the form of several lettuce wrap recipes over the next few weeks. I’m starting with beef lettuce wraps. These are for the meat lovers in your family because while they’re wrapped in lettuce, they deliver a satisfying, meat-packed filling. Ingredients in Beef Lettuce Wraps Rice: To make the lettuce wraps more flavorful and filling without being overwhelmed with too much meat, we add a base of coconut-lime rice. The rice is cooked in coconut milk instead of water, which infuses it with a delicious flavor. Beef: The ground beef is cooked with garlic, ginger, carrot, and green onion. After everything is cooked through and tender, we add an addictive sauce to the filling. The sauce is simple to make with standard ingredients. Toppings: After the rice and saucy beef is added to the lettuce, we add on the toppings — quick pickled shallots, crushed nuts and herbs (cilantro and green onion). QUICK TIP How lean is lean ground beef? The USDA defines lean beef as containing no more than 10 percent fat, which means it is 90 percent lean. Those are the numbers behind that 90/10 designation on a package of lean beef. Fat adds juiciness and flavor, which explains why ground turkey and chicken sometimes dry out. The same applies to ground beef; super-lean ground beef (like 96/4 beef) tends to be drier than 80/20 ground beef. Obviously, all the ingredients we just discussed are integral to filling the beef lettuce wrap, but let’s talk about the wrapper: lettuce! Which lettuce is best for wraps? Iceberg, green leaf and butter lettuce (also called Boston or Bibb) are used the most for wraps. Iceberg tends to be a favorite for Asian-style wraps because it has a nice crispness. However, iceberg lettuce is more difficult to wrap without breaking. My personal favorite is butter lettuce. It has a nice flavor, good amount of crispness, and rolls up nicely. Now that we’ve discussed lettuce and filling, let’s talk about what’s going on the side of the plate! While I think Beef Lettuce Wraps are a nice inclusive meal (veggies, protein, carbs all in one), below are my suggestions for good side dishes. What is a good side dish for Beef Lettuce Wraps? Quinoa and kale salad Fruit Salad Roasted Vegetables (or Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Brussels Sprouts) Chicken Chow Mein (leave out the chicken to make it more of a side dish) Substitutions While I personally haven’t tried any meat substitutions for this recipe, I would imagine ground pork or ground turkey would work well. If using ground chicken, I’d swap the beef stock out for chicken stock. (Here are some considerations when using ground chicken). When interchanging meats, there are a few things to consider. Ground turkey has a milder flavor, so you may need to add a bit extra salt, pepper or sauce. Ground turkey also has a lower fat content, so if it’s cooked too long, it gets dry, crumbly, and flavorless. More 30-minute dinner recipes Chicken Ramen Blackberry Basil Pizza Beef Chow Mein Pineapple Chicken Salad Coconut Chicken Curry FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Beef Lettuce Wraps 4.72 from 7 votes - Review this recipe Easy 30-minute Beef Lettuce Wraps with coconut-lime jasmine rice, veggies, and quick "pickled" shallots. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Beef Lettuce Wraps 4.72 from 7 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Easy 30-minute Beef Lettuce Wraps with coconut-lime jasmine rice, veggies, and quick "pickled" shallots. Course Dinner, Main Course Cuisine American Keyword beef lettuce wraps Prep Time 20 minutes minutes Cook Time 10 minutes minutes Total Time 30 minutes minutes Servings 2 -4 servings Chelsea Lords Calories 725kcal Author Chelsea Lords Ingredients▢ 3/4 cup jasmine rice▢ 1 can (15 ounces) Lite coconut milk▢ Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper▢ 2-3 juicy limes separated ▢ 1 small shallot cut into thin rings▢ 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar▢ 1 teaspoon each: minced ginger & minced garlic▢ 1 head Boston lettuce▢ 1 large carrot, diced (heaping 1/2 cup diced)▢ 2-3 green onions, separated▢ 1 pound lean (93/7) ground beef▢ 1 tablespoon canola oil▢ 1 and 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch▢ 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon beef stock, or broth, divided▢ 2 tablespoons each: lite soy sauce, oyster sauce▢ 1 teaspoon sesame oil ▢ 1 teaspoon light brown sugar (lightly packed)▢ Garnish with: roasted and salted peanuts or cashews (coarsely chopped), finely chopped cilantroUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsRICE and SHALLOT: In a small pot, combine rice, coconut milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the milk is fully absorbed, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the rice stand (still covered) for 10 minutes or until everything else is ready to eat. Fluff the rice with a fork; stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice. Thinly slice the shallot into rings, place in a small bowl and add in rice vinegar. Set aside, stirring occasionally.PREPARE VEGGIES: Mince garlic and peel the ginger and mince to get 1 packed teaspoon of each. Use fresh ginger and garlic so it doesn't burn over the high heat like jarred garlic/tube ginger will. Rinse lettuce and thoroughly dry. Peel carrot and dice into small pieces. Thinly slice green onions and separate the white sections from the darker green. Pat ground beef dry with a paper towel.COOK: Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add ginger and garlic and saute, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute (being careful to not let it burn). Add in the beef and season to taste (I use about 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper). Increase heat to high; cook and break up until browned on the outside (about 5 minutes). While the beef is cooking, whisk together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon beef stock in a small bowl. Once smooth, add in the remaining 1/4 cup beef stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar. Whisk until smooth. COOK CONT.: To the beef, add the carrot and white sections of the green onions. Stir for another 2-3 minutes or until tender. Drain off any fat (or dab it off with a paper towel) if needed. Add in the sauce and stir for about 1 to 1 and 1/2 minutes or until it thickens and coats the beef.ASSEMBLE: Lay out lettuce leaves and fill with even amounts of rice. Add the saucy beef mixture on top. Garnish wraps with crushed peanuts or cashews and the shallots (drain and discard excess liquid). Garnish with the green onion tops and chopped cilantro. Add plenty of lime wedges to the plates and be sure to drizzle that on before eating. Nutrition FactsCalories: 725kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1758mg | Potassium: 1355mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 8833IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 8mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
This was really yummy! I’ve never done a lettuce wrap sandwich before, but now I’m convinced. The coconut lime rice and the cool lettuce was perfect with the spicy beef. I usually use up red onions by pickling them, cooking up some cider vinegar with water, sugar and a few peppercorns and parking it in the fridge for at least a few hours. We found the shallots a bit harsh so I might use this technique with them next time to mellow them and do them the night before. It won’t be a true 30 minute recipe then, but that’s ok. This is a winner and will be on the rotation at my house this summer for sure! Reply
Thank you so much for your comment and review Cynde! 🙂 I’m so happy you liked these wraps, and I think you’re idea to use pickled red onions for a less harsh bite next time sounds perfect! 🙂 Reply
Absolutely wonderful. I used double the carrots (and used rainbow ones!) to get a little more vegetables in. Boston lettuce was a perfect wrap! Loved the chopped cashews too! Reply
Hi there, I love these, what a nice late summer meal that fills you up without loading you up with carbs. I do add one diced red pepper and I use all the green onions (I add the white parts like you mentioned ) and then top my lettuce wraps with the additional green onion, cilantro, fresh squeezed lime juice & chopped cashews. Reply
