Beef Lettuce Wraps Hoisin (Printable)
Ground beef cooked with ginger and hoisin sauce, served in crisp lettuce cups with fresh veggies.
# What You'll Need:
→ Protein
01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
→ Aromatics & Vegetables
02 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
03 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 4 scallions, thinly sliced (whites and greens separated)
06 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 medium carrot, grated
08 - 8 oz canned water chestnuts, drained and chopped
→ Sauce
09 - 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
10 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
13 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
→ For Serving
14 - 12 large iceberg or butter lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry
15 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
16 - Extra sliced scallion greens
# How to Make It:
01 - In a small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and chili flakes; set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart until fully browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.
03 - Add grated ginger, minced garlic, and the white parts of scallions to the skillet; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in diced red bell pepper, grated carrot, and chopped water chestnuts. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are slightly softened.
05 - Pour the prepared sauce over the beef and vegetables. Stir thoroughly to coat everything evenly and simmer for 2 minutes to meld flavors.
06 - Remove the skillet from heat and fold in the scallion greens.
07 - Spoon the beef mixture into lettuce leaves. Garnish with sesame seeds and additional scallion greens as desired.
08 - Serve immediately and enjoy fresh.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- They come together in under 30 minutes, which means you can serve something that tastes like you spent all day cooking.
- The lettuce cups stay naturally gluten-free if you use the right soy sauce, perfect for guests with dietary restrictions.
- Each bite is its own little package of texture and flavor, crispy, savory, and somehow both satisfying and refreshingly light.
02 -
- Don't skip draining excess fat from the beef after browning; even lean ground beef releases more than you'd expect, and it changes the texture of the final dish.
- The moment you add the sauce is the moment you stop cooking; any longer and the vegetables turn to mush and the beef toughens up.
- Room-temperature or chilled lettuce leaves against hot filling is the entire point, so refrigerate your lettuce cups while everything cooks.
03 -
- Make your sauce ahead of time, even hours before you cook; the flavors actually deepen while they sit together in the bowl.
- If you're cooking for a crowd, you can brown the beef and prepare all your vegetables earlier in the day, then finish everything in just 10 minutes when guests arrive.