Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps | The Recipe Critic

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Enjoy delicious Asian flavors in these Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps! This appetizer or main is loaded with tasty lean ground beef, sautéed shredded carrots, red bell pepper, and garlic, all tossed in a mouthwatering sauce and spooned into lettuce leaves.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

Incredibly Delicious: Your family will go crazy for the taste and texture of these beef lettuce wraps. There is an explosion of the most delicious flavor in every bite!
Restaurant Quality: These are just like something you would find at a fancy Asian restaurant and way better than takeout! Plus, they are so quick and easy to make.
Highly Customizable: Mix things up and make these just how you like! You can easily change the meat, veggies, and sauce ingredients based on your taste preference. I’ve included lots of customization ideas below!

Ingredients for Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps

Whether you enjoy these beef lettuce wraps as an appetizer or light meal, they always deliver amazing flavor and texture. Plus, I love that they’re high in protein and low in carbs. Here is a note on all of the ingredients. Check out the recipe card for exact measurements.

Beef: For the protein base of these wraps, you’ll need 1 pound of lean ground beef. I like to use 90% lean, so they’re plenty flavorful without much grease.
Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the meat an extra boost of flavor.
Vegetables: Shredded carrots and diced red bell pepper add vibrant color and extra heartiness!
Brown Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the savory and spicy flavors.
Soy Sauce: The base of the sauce. Use reduced sodium if you’d like.
Sesame Oil: Provides the sauce with a slightly nutty, complex flavor.
Ground Ginger: Gives the sauce a zesty, warm taste.
Gochujang Korean Chili Sauce: This sauce perfectly combines spicy, salty, earthy and sweet. It also has a thick, sticky texture that coats the beef wonderfully.
Butter Lettuce Leaves: You’ll need ten butter lettuce leaves to hold the filling. They add a layer of fresh crispness that can’t be beat! Boston and iceberg lettuce will also work.
Garnish: Finish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds for extra texture.

Korean Beef Lettuce Wrape Recipe Instructions

This beef lettuce wrap recipe comes together in just four easy steps and can be ready to serve in less than 30 minutes. Now, that’s my kind of recipe – especially one that’s as tasty as this!!

Cook the Beef: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
Add the Veggies: Stir in the minced garlic, shredded carrots, and diced red bell pepper. Cook for 4 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and Korean chili sauce.
Serve: Pour over the ground beef and let simmer for 2 minutes. To serve, add ¼ cup of the beef mixture to a large leaf of lettuce. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Overhead shot of beef browning in a skillet.

Variations of Beef Lettuce Wraps

One of my favorite things about these wraps is their versatility! You can easily switch up the ingredients to make them your own. Here are a few yummy ideas for you!

Beef: Beef is the star of this dish, but swap out the beef for ground turkey, ground pork, or ground chicken if you prefer.
Ginger: You can use one tablespoon of freshly grated ginger to replace the ground ginger in this recipe. It will add a big, bold ginger flavor!
Switch up the Veggies: Any color of bell pepper would be delicious in this recipe. Additional vegetable options include diced mushrooms, shredded purple cabbage, or zucchini.
Serving: Any kind of lettuce works for these wraps, but I suggest soft, bendable lettuce like butter or green leaf lettuce. I know these are lettuce wraps, but the beef mixture would also be delicious served over rice!
Make it Spicier: The Gochujang Korean chili sauce is the secret to this recipe. It gives it that small kick of Korean spice! Add more if you want it spicer. You can also garnish individual servings with red pepper flakes before serving.

Overhead shot of Korean beef lettuce wrap beef and vegetable mixture in a skillet.

Storing Leftover Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps

Whether you’re making this lettuce wrap recipe ahead of time or storing leftovers, it’s best to store the lettuce and beef filling separately. It’s perfect for reheating for a quick lunch throughout the week!

In the Refrigerator: The Korean beef filling will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
To Reheat: Transfer the beef mixture to a skillet and cook on medium heat until warmed through, stirring frequently. You can also use the microwave to heat the beef in 30-second intervals.

Close up shot of Korean beef lettuce wraps being assembled.

More Asian-Inspired Recipes

My family goes crazy for Asian flavors! In fact, I have a whole category of Asian recipes to check out! Here are a few that I make on repeat and always get rave reviews.

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In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
Stir in the minced garlic, shredded carrots, and diced red bell pepper. Cook for 4 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
In a small bowl, whisk the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and Korean chili sauce. Pour over the ground beef and let simmer for 2 minutes.
To serve, add ¼ cup of the beef mixture to a large leaf of lettuce. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Calories: 199kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 21gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 718mgPotassium: 474mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 2306IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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