Beef Lettuce Wraps Hoisin (Printable version)
Ground beef and vegetables in a hoisin sauce wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves for a vibrant, easy dish.
# What you need:
→ Beef Mixture
01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
03 - 1 small onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
06 - 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
07 - 1/2 cup water chestnuts, chopped
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
→ Sauce
09 - 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
13 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili sauce (optional)
14 - 1 teaspoon brown sugar
→ To Serve
15 - 1 head butter or iceberg lettuce, leaves separated, washed, and dried
16 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)
17 - Extra sliced green onions or cilantro for garnish (optional)
# How To:
01 - Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha (if using), and brown sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Add diced onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger to the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and onion is translucent.
04 - Stir in diced red bell pepper and chopped water chestnuts. Continue cooking for 2 minutes until vegetables are tender but still crisp.
05 - Pour the prepared sauce over the beef mixture and stir well to coat. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until heated through.
06 - Remove the skillet from heat and mix in sliced green onions.
07 - Spoon the beef mixture into individual lettuce leaves. Garnish with peanuts, extra green onions, or cilantro as desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in thirty minutes, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a chore.
- The contrast of warm, saucy beef against cool, snappy lettuce is genuinely addictive.
- It's naturally dairy-free and low-carb if you care about those things, but honestly, it just tastes too good to worry about it.
02 -
- Don't skip drying the lettuce leaves—any excess water makes them wilt and fall apart as you're trying to fill them.
- If the beef releases a lot of fat after browning, drain it off; the sauce brings all the richness you need.
03 -
- Mise en place matters here—chop everything before you start cooking, because once the beef hits the pan, you're moving fast.
- If you're serving a crowd, set out all the components and toppings separately so people can build their own wraps exactly how they like them.