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Living far away from where I grew up in Asia, I sometimes find myself missing home.
When these bouts of homesickness hit me, I turn to the next best alternative – cooking and indulging in Asian food.
Spicy ground beef lettuce wraps is an amazingly delicious cure for my homesick blues.
Apart from that, they’re also high in protein and low in carbs as well, which make them a wonderful option for a healthy meal.
You don’t need to worry about your waistline with these wraps – you can enjoy the taste of Asian flavors without the carbs that usually come with them!
Better still, this recipe comes together in under 30 minutes from start to finish.
You just need to cook the meat, mix it with chopped vegetables, and then fill the lettuce leaves.
Garnish them with some red chili and spring onions for a pop of color and contrast, and you’ve got a tasty handheld meal!
Ready to tuck into these mouthwatering wraps now? Let’s head straight to the recipe!
The Recipe
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 2 servings | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 15 minutes | 5 minutes |
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Savory and delicious, yet low-carb and high in protein, these spicy ground beef lettuce wraps are the perfect option for a healthy meal. Now on Foodal.
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- 1 head Romaine lettuce
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger peeled and grated
- 3 spring onions finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup peanuts roughly chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- fresh red chili thinly sliced
- fresh cilantro or parsley chopped
- Wash and dry the large outer leaves of the romaine lettuce, removing them carefully from the core so they do not tear. Reserve the heart for another use. Set the prepped leaves aside.
- Mix the ground beef with the hoisin sauce and soy sauce and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
- Heat up the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, swirling the skillet to coat it thoroughly.
- Brown the beef, then add the ginger, spring onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and peanuts. Cook for another minute, mixing with a wooden spoon until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Allow the meat to cool for a moment before spooning into the lettuce leaves and garnishing with the spring onions, red chili, and parsley.
Recipe by Lorna Kring
Nutritional Information*
Cooking by the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prepare the Ingredients
Peel the leaves of the romaine lettuce, then wash and dry them before setting aside.
Measure out the amounts of ground beef, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vegetable oil, and red pepper flakes that you’ll need.
Grate the ginger, mince the garlic, and chop the peanuts. Remove stems, and chop the cilantro or parsley. Thinly slice the red chili pepper.
Chop the scallions, and reserve the green portion from one of them for garnish.
Step 2 – Marinate the Meat
In a large mixing bowl, mix the beef with the hoisin sauce and soy sauce.
Place it in the refrigerator and allow it to marinate for at least 10 minutes, or longer if you have the time.
Marinating for at least a couple hours or overnight will allow the beef to more fully absorb all of the flavors.
Step 3 – Brown the Meat
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure to swirl well so the entire surface of the skillet is covered with oil.
Begin by browning the beef, mixing with a wooden spoon to ensure that all of the meat cooks evenly. This will take about 5 minutes.
Add the ginger, garlic, spring onions, red pepper flakes, and peanuts. Let it cook for another minute, stirring well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4 – Fill and Garnish
Once the meat has cooled slightly, spoon it into the prepared lettuce leaves and garnish with the red chili, spring onions, and fresh cilantro or parsley.
Tuck in and enjoy!
A Savory Taste of Home
I feel like I’m right at home every time I make this simple recipe for Asian spicy beef lettuce wraps!
Make it from scratch in just 30 minutes, and both your taste buds and your waistline will thank you for this high-protein, low-carb meal.
For an additional Asian-inspired meal with lots of meat and veggies, try my fried bee hoon dish. It’s another tasty meal that takes me back home.
Looking for other healthy meals that you can whip up in no time? Check out our article for fast and tasty summer meals to enjoy every day of the week!
We love carrying on the veggie wrap theme with our Vegan Collard Greens Wraps and our Chicken Waldorf Wraps.
And for more ground beef action, you’ll want to make another fun finger food: crunchy beef tacos!
Have you made lettuce wraps before? What’s your favorite filling? Share your own handheld recipe ideas in the comments below.
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Photos by Felicia Lim, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details.
*Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Felicia Lim
Felicia Lim is a Singaporean who moved to Argentina for love. Based in Buenos Aires, also known as “the Paris of South America,” she fills her days with freelance writing, recipe development, and food photography – three passions that give her endless joy. When she isn’t typing away at her computer, cooking in the kitchen, or shooting in her balcony-studio, you can probably find her curled up on the couch, lost in the pages of a good book.
