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Big flavor shines in these Ground Pork Lettuce Wraps, great for a protein-packed appetizer or a light summer meal! This Asian-inspired dish brings restaurant-quality cuisine right to your table in just 30 minutes!
Lots to LOVE about Ground Pork Lettuce Wraps!
- A nutrient-dense recipe with lots of protein & veggies!
- Great for a hearty appetizer or a light meal!
- An inexpensive “copycat” version of the lettuce wraps you’d get at a restaurant (like P.F. Changs)!
- A super flavorful dish that goes from start to finish in just 30 minutes – gotta like that!!
Ingredients Needed (amounts in recipe card below)
- Ground Pork – You could also use ground turkey or ground chicken (pork is my preference!)
- Veggies – Onion, red bell pepper, carrots and water chestnuts
- Soy Sauce – I like to use reduced sodium (or low sodium) soy sauce
- Hoisin Sauce – You can find this in most grocery stores in the Asian section
- Brown Sugar – Light or dark brown sugar OR honey will work great for this
- Peanut Butter – Creamy or crunchy is great; you can warm it in the microwave to help whisk it into the sauce (you can simply skip the peanut butter if you are allergic or don’t want the added creaminess!)
- Minced Garlic – If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder OR 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- Minced Ginger – If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger instead
- Vegetable Oil – Sesame oil would be great, too!
- Lettuce Leaves – Bibb lettuce is my preference, but any lettuce leaf that doesn’t break easily and has a mild flavor works great (more on this below!)
What Kind of Lettuce is Best for Lettuce Wraps?
There are several different kinds that will work. In general, you’re looking for a lettuce with a fairly mild flavor and one that’s strong enough to hold filling. Depending on your geographic location and the stores nearby, I recommend using one of the following:
- Bibb Lettuce – A type of butterhead lettuce; nice and pliable, mild flavor, round leaves
- Mini Romaine – Mini romaine lettuce leaves work great as they’re sturdy and the perfect size; they have a bit more crunch than butterhead lettuce
- Cabbage Leaves – If you want something with more crunch, cabbage (purple or green) would work, though it’s not as pliable as the others
How to Make Ground Pork Lettuce Wraps
You know I love a good one pot meal and this one is no exception! Once you’ve got the veggies chopped, it comes together super quickly.
Start by mixing up the sauce ingredients. I find it easier to whisk in the peanut butter when it’s melted in the microwave for 10 seconds. Once the sauce is done, set aside.
Using a large, deep skillet or sauté pan, start cooking the ground pork and veggies in a little oil. It’ll take about 5-10 minutes to get the pork fully cooked and the veggies tender (though the water chestnuts will remain crunchy).
Once the pork and veggies are ready, add the sauce. Give it a good stir then let it simmer for awhile to allow the flavors to meld together and thicken. Serve the warm mixture in lettuce leaves with desired garnishes!
Serving Suggestions
- Fill the lettuce leaves and top with sliced green onions, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds and/or red pepper flakes (for heat!)
- La Choy chow mein noodles (the ones that come in a can in the Asian section) are delicious on top and add a great crunch!
- Can’t find nice leaf lettuce or want to make a more hearty meal? Skip the lettuce leaves and serve over rice or noodles instead!
Other Asian-Inspired Dishes To Try
Ground Pork Lettuce Wraps
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet or Saute Pan
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup soy sauce I use low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/4 cup thin sliced red pepper
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots
- 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts drained and chopped
- 12 lettuce leaves Bibb lettuce or similar
- sesame seeds, sliced green onions and/or chow mein noodles for topping, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin, brown sugar, peanut butter, garlic and ginger; set aside. (Don't worry if the peanut butter isn't fully mixed in at this point.)1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- Add vegetable oil to a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Add the ground pork, onion, red pepper, carrots and water chestnuts.1 pound ground pork, 1/2 cup diced onion, 1/4 cup thin sliced red pepper, 1/4 cup shredded carrots, 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts
- Cook, breaking apart the ground pork, until the pork is no longer pink and the vegetables are softened.
- Add the sauce mixture to the pan and stir to combine; reduce the heat to low.
- Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened a bit.
- Serve in lettuce leaves with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, chow mein noodles and/or chopped peanuts.12 lettuce leaves, sesame seeds, sliced green onions and/or chow mein noodles
