Very tasty, quick, and simple to make is this Thai-inspired Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps. Perfect as appetizers or as a main dish served with Jasmine rice. Gluten-free and paleo-friendly, too.
Naturally, I love cooking Asian food as that’s what I grew up with. I love that any typical Asian dish from the Philippines, China, Thailand, or any other parts of Asia is not only loaded with tasty seasonings but offers delicious complexity – it can be sweet, spicy, tangy, and salty.
My taste buds are tickled indeed with all these nuanced yet harmonious flavors! So good!
Thus, I was inspired to make this Thai-inspired ground beef dish that embodies all these yummy Asian flavors that I love. Freshly grated ginger adds a mild spicy kick while the lime juice gives it that extra tangy taste and the fish sauce enhances the overall flavor.
You can substitute the fish sauce with soy sauce if you can’t find it or don’t fancy it at all. Certainly, feel free to adjust the seasonings to your taste.
You can serve this with rice as a main dish or as delicious appetizers wrapped in lettuce leaves. Let your guests make their own rolls or wrap for extra fun!
This recipe is also paleo-friendly and naturally gluten-free, too. Enjoy!
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FOR FULL RECIPE & INSTRUCTIONS and to PRINT, SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW.
By: Manila Spoon
Published: 06/09/2016
Very tasty, quick, and simple to make is this Thai-inspired Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps. Perfect as an appetizer or a main dish served with Jasmine rice.
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR ASIAN BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS?
- 1 lb lean ground Beef
- 1 Tablespoon freshly grated Ginger
- 2 Tablespoons fresh Lime juice, or to taste
- 2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce, or to taste
- 2 Tablespoons Vegetable or Coconut Oil (the latter for Paleo)
- 1 medium to large Onion, finely chopped
- 4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Sweet Chili Sauce, or to taste (use Paleo-friendly one if is doing the diet)
- 10 fresh Basil leaves, coarsely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste (if needed)
- Butter Lettuce or Bibb Lettuce leaves, as needed rinsed and dried
HOW DO YOU MAKE ASIAN BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS?
1. In a bowl, mix the ground beef with the grated ginger, lime juice, and fish sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onions are beginning to soften and starting to brown about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the mixed ground beef to the onion and garlic and cook until nicely browned and fully cooked about 15 minutes. Stir in the sweet chili sauce and chopped basil and cook for another 2 minutes. Taste and season with a little pepper and salt, if desired. I sometimes add a little sugar instead (a teaspoon or less) to further enhance the flavor and balance it out. If doing paleo, use a paleo-friendly sweetener.
4. Arrange the individual lettuce leaves around the edge of a large serving platter and pile the meat mixture in the center. Roll to make a wrap. You may garnish with some chopped dried red Thai chili peppers and fresh Basil or Cilantro before serving. Alternatively, serve it with some green veggies and rice on the side.
TIPS & TRICKS
If you wish to make this spicier, add a couple of red Thai Chilies, deseeded and chopped, with the beef as you stir-fry it. I made this mild because my children don’t like spicy food much but feel free to tweak the spice level to your liking.
To further elevate this dish, make a Vietnamese-style dipping sauce and serve it with lettuce wraps! If you wish to do that, please find the recipe for the dipping sauce here.
Yield: 8-10 Servings
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.
Cook time: 00 hrs. 20 mins.
Total time: 30 mins.
Tags: Paleo, Gluten-free, Low-Carb, Asian, Thai, Beef, Ground Meat, Entertaining, Party Food, Appetizer, Main Dish
Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground Beef
- 1 tbsp freshly grated Ginger
- 2 tbsp fresh Lime juice or to taste
- 2 tbsp Fish Sauce or to taste
- 2 tbsp Vegetable or Coconut Oil, use the latter for Paleo
- 1 medium to large Onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce, or to taste (use Paleo-friendly one if is doing the diet)
- 10 fresh Basil leaves, coarsely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste (if needed)
- Butter Lettuce or Bibb Lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the ground beef with the grated ginger, lime juice and fish sauce. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onions are beginning to soften and starting to brown about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the mixed ground beef to the onion and garlic and cook until nicely browned and fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sweet chili sauce and chopped basil and cook for another 2 minutes. Taste and season with a little pepper and salt, if desired. I sometimes add a little sugar instead (a teaspoon or less) to further enhance the flavor and balance it out. If doing paleo, use a paleo-friendly sweetener.
- Arrange the individual lettuce leaves around the edge of a large serving platter and pile the meat mixture in the center. Roll to make a wrap. You may garnish with some chopped dried red Thai chili peppers and fresh Basil or Cilantro before serving. Alternatively, serve it with some green veggies and rice on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Last updated on March 6th, 2023 at 05:40 pm
We make something similar all the time and they are always a hit. Lettuce wraps are a nice low carb option, but it's great that you can always change up the filling.
These look great! So simple and yummy! My family will love them!
Mmm loving the sound of this! Bookmarking to try later!
Really love meat and lettuce wraps, especially this style of East Asian mince beef. Looks great!
I would give it a try with smoked tofu, sounds interesting! 😀