Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps are savory, salty-sweet and crunchy all at once: lean ground beef, onion and grated carrots simmered in a quick soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar and ginger sauce, then spooned into soft, cup-shaped butter lettuce leaves and finished with green onions and sesame seeds. Make them for a busy weeknight dinner or set them out as a party appetizer. The recipe serves 6.
How to make it: Brown the beef to 160°F and drain it, cook the onion, carrots and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, then stir in the sauce and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon the filling into the lettuce, add the toppings, and dinner is on the table in half an hour.
Why You’ll Love It
- Ready in 30 minutes: the whole filling cooks in one large skillet.
- Pantry sauce: soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar and ground ginger, all everyday staples.
- Warm and crisp: hot, savory beef against cool, crunchy lettuce in every bite.
- Party-friendly: small leaves make neat bites for a platter, and big leaves hold a dinner-size portion.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: Use lean ground beef; 85% lean, 90/10 or even 95/5 all work, and you still drain whatever fat is left after browning.
Soy sauce: Half a cup seasons the full 2 pounds of beef. Reduced-sodium soy sauce can go in its place, and coconut aminos or tamari make the wraps gluten-free.
Brown sugar and rice vinegar: Two tablespoons of brown sugar and one tablespoon of rice vinegar give the sauce its sweet and tangy side.
Ginger and garlic: A quarter teaspoon of ground ginger keeps this a spice-cabinet sauce, though fresh ginger works too. The garlic is 2 teaspoons, minced.
Carrots and onion: Half a cup of grated carrots and half an onion, diced. Cut the onion into even pieces so everything cooks at the same rate.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/2 cup grated carrots
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 heads butter lettuce or Bibb lettuce, leaves separated
How to Make Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
1. Brown the beef. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart as it cooks, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F on a food thermometer. Drain any excess grease.
2. Cook the vegetables. Add the diced onion, grated carrots and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is soft.
3. Add the sauce. Stir in the black pepper, ground ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar.
4. Simmer. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is combined and heated through.
5. Fill the lettuce cups. Let the filling cool slightly, then spoon it into the butter lettuce leaves.
6. Garnish and serve. Top with the sliced green onions and sesame seeds and serve right away.
How to Keep Lettuce Wraps from Falling Apart
Drain the grease. Pour off the fat as soon as the beef is browned. Excess grease makes soggy wraps, and a drained pan lets the sauce coat the beef evenly.
Keep the crumbles small. Break the beef into small pieces with your spatula as it browns, and keep breaking it up after the sauce goes in.
Cool the filling slightly. Take the skillet off the heat and give the filling a moment before you spoon it into the leaves.
Wash and dry the leaves well. Rinse each leaf under cold running water, then pat it dry with paper towels before you fill it.
Double up the leaves. Butter lettuce leaves vary in size. If yours are small, use two leaves per wrap to give it more structure.
Fold it like a taco. Spoon the filling down the middle of the leaf, fold in the edges and eat it like a taco.
Tips for Success
How do I make the sauce thicker?
Stir 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into 2 teaspoons of cold water and pour it into the skillet after the sauce goes in. Cook and stir for a few more minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
How do I get more sauce in each wrap?
Whisk the black pepper, ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar together in a small bowl before they go into the skillet, and hold back 2 tablespoons. Drizzle that reserved sauce over the filled wraps just before serving.
Variations
- More crunch: add an 8-ounce can of water chestnuts, roughly chopped, with the carrots. Chopped red bell pepper or shredded zucchini fit in well, too.
- Spicy: drizzle the wraps with sriracha, add a pinch of red pepper flakes, or whisk 2 tablespoons of gochujang into the sauce.
- Sesame and honey: add 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil to the sauce, or use honey in place of the brown sugar. If your honey has crystallized, set the bottle in a bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes before you measure it.
- Taco night: leave out the soy sauce, ginger and rice vinegar and season the beef with taco seasoning instead.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover filling on its own and keep the lettuce separate. USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Freeze only the filling, since lettuce does not freeze well. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat it covered in a skillet or the microwave until it reaches 165°F. If it looks dry, stir in a dash of soy sauce or broth. Do not reheat it in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
To make the wraps more filling, spoon a little steamed white rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice into each leaf under the beef, or serve them next to a skillet of egg fried rice. For more Asian-inspired dinners, try 15-minute Mongolian ground beef noodles, slow cooker ground beef chow mein, Chinese beef and onion stir fry, beef and broccoli ramen stir fry or Asian pork made in the crock pot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you put in a ground beef lettuce wrap?
Start with the soy and ginger beef filling in a butter lettuce leaf, topped with green onions and sesame seeds. From there, add shredded carrots, chopped cilantro or chives, or a spoonful of kimchi.
What kind of lettuce is best for lettuce wraps?
Butter lettuce or Bibb lettuce, because the leaves form natural cups. Romaine or iceberg also work. Plan on two heads of butter lettuce for 6 servings.
Can I make ground beef lettuce wraps ahead of time?
Yes. Cook the filling up to 3 to 4 days ahead and portion it into containers for the week. Wash the lettuce and fill the leaves right before you eat, for the best texture.
Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef?
Yes. Ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork or venison all work in the same sauce. Cook ground turkey or chicken to 165°F, as USDA FSIS advises for ground poultry.
Final Notes
Set the filling, the leaves and the toppings out on the table and let everyone build their own. If you make these, tell me how they turned out in the comments.
Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef lean
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1/2 cup carrots grated
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds for garnish
- 2 heads butter lettuce or Bibb lettuce, leaves separated
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart as it cooks, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F on a food thermometer. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the diced onion, grated carrots and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is soft.
- Stir in the black pepper, ground ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is combined and heated through.
- Let the filling cool slightly, then spoon it into the butter lettuce leaves.
- Top with the sliced green onions and sesame seeds and serve right away.
