Beef Lettuce Wraps Hoisin (Print)

Ground beef sautéed with ginger, garlic, and scallions, tossed in hoisin and served in fresh lettuce cups.

# What You 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 - 1 can (8 oz) 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 - Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and chili flakes in a small bowl. Set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spatula, and cook until browned and fully cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Add grated ginger, minced garlic, and scallion whites to the beef. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in diced red bell pepper, grated carrot, and chopped water chestnuts. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables soften slightly.
05 - Pour the prepared sauce over the beef and vegetable mixture. Stir thoroughly to coat evenly and simmer for 2 minutes to meld flavors.
06 - Remove from heat, then fold in the scallion greens.
07 - Spoon the beef filling into the washed lettuce leaves. Garnish with optional sesame seeds and extra scallion greens as desired.
08 - Serve immediately and enjoy the fresh, savory lettuce cups.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like takeout but comes together faster than delivery would arrive.
  • Nobody needs to know you made something this impressive in fifteen minutes of actual cooking.
  • The lettuce cups stay crisp enough to hold everything, but the filling is warm and deeply savory.
02 -
  • If your lettuce leaves are limp, give them an ice bath for five minutes before you use them, and they'll crisp right back up.
  • The sauce ratio feels small until you taste it, then you realize it's actually just enough to coat everything without making it soggy.
03 -
  • If you want extra crunch and complexity, add chopped peanuts or fresh cilantro to the filling just before you serve it.
  • Sesame seeds matter more than you think, so if you have them, toast them yourself for two minutes in a dry pan and they'll taste noticeably better.

Go Back