Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wraps ⋆ 100 Days of Real Food

March 5, 2023 steven

Bring your appetite because these Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wraps are packed with flavor and tons of veggies! Wrap them in a piece of lettuce with some Asian brown rice noodles to really bring them all together for a fun way to eat dinner.

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Prepared Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wraps on 100 Days of Real Food

I’m excited to tell you that these Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wraps turned out tasting as good as they look. I think we were all pleasantly surprised with how the flavors came together… Even my daughter said the sauce was “so much better than she was expecting.” Hey there, I’ll try not to take offense that you thought my sauce would be bad or something, LOL.

Also, I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again… This recipe made my internal veggie “calculator” go check, check, check! You can never eat too many vegetables, yet I’m always feeling guilty about not buying/serving more than I do. I have to admit though, sometimes all the washing and chopping can get in the way of me realizing that dream.

So I LOVED the awesome feeling I had after serving these beef wraps for dinner, especially since everyone scarfed them down. Even the picky eaters in your family might give this a go since they can pick and choose what they want, although I’d say since the lettuce cup is a requirement, you at least know they’re eating that much green!

Make Ahead Prep Tips for Beef Lettuce Wraps

This recipe is not complicated, but all the vegetable chopping and washing can take a little time. Here are a couple of time savers I thought about while I was putting everything together:

Buy a bag of carrot sticks (already chopped)
Buy a pack of already sliced peppers
Blend the sauce in advance
Boil the noodles in advance
Get some helpers to pitch in

Honestly, this could even be fun for a DIY gathering where each person is given a veggie to chop, and then you all gather around to assemble your lettuce cups and eat. What a pretty platter for entertaining!

No matter how you go about it, I hope you enjoy!

Does Ground Beef Go in Lettuce Wraps?

I know what you’re thinking; aren’t lettuce wraps usually made with strips of beef or chicken? You absolutely could use steak or shredded beef for this recipe, but it works just as well with ground beef.

Ground beef recipes like these lettuce wraps are a great way to stretch your grocery budget while eating real food.

Vegetarian or Vegan Alternatives

Although this recipe is for Vietnamese beef lettuce wraps, you can definitely use the sauce for meatless lettuce wraps too. Just omit the beef entirely for a vegetarian option.

To make this recipe vegan, swap the honey for maple syrup. It won’t taste exactly the same but is still a delicious Vietnamese style sauce for lettuce wraps!

If you’re making a vegetarian or vegan version of this recipe I recommend stir frying a few veggies like carrots and peppers with the beef seasoning to get the full flavor of this recipe.

Easy Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wrap Dinner Idea

Seving Vietnamese beef lettuce wraps with a variety of veggies on a platter

I love this technique for an easy way to serve this meal or if you have picky eaters in the house. Instead of pre-making the lettuce wraps, put all the ingredients out in a serving tray or separate dishes. Then let the family mix and match to make their own!

This trick is especially helpful with kids who aren’t very adventurous with new foods. You’d be surprised what they’re willing to try just by offering healthy options and giving them the control to pick their own.

Recipe FAQs

Do you serve beef lettuce wraps warm or cold?

You can actually serve the beef warm or cold for this recipe, it’s really up to your personal preferences. Just make sure the meat isn’t hot; that will wilt your lettuce wraps.

What kind of lettuce should I use for lettuce wraps?

I prefer romaine lettuce because it has the most nutrition, with butter lettuce coming in second. Although it’s often used, I don’t recommend iceberg lettuce unless it’s a strong preference and you plan to pack a lot of other healthy veggies into your lettuce wraps.

Can I substitute the ground beef in this lettuce wrap recipe?

As mentioned before, steak cut into strips or shredded beef will also work. Chicken cut into strips will also work. Finally, you can swap the ground beef with ground turkey if you prefer.

Is there a peanut free option?

Since this is a Vietnamese peanut sauce replacing the peanut butter will change the taste. If there’s a peanut allergy in your home, the best option is to use a natural (no sugar, salt or oil added) sunflower seed butter instead.