Korean Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
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These Korean Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps are the ultimate combination of bold flavors and fresh, crunchy textures. Perfect for a light dinner or an impressive appetizer, they’re quick, easy, and endlessly customizable.
Looking for more easy dinner recipes? Try these ground chicken lettuce wraps or beef and broccoli next.
Pssst! Wondering what to serve with lettuce wraps? Check out this post on What to Serve With Lettuce Wraps.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make these ground beef lettuce wraps Korean:
Ingredient Notes
Ground Beef: You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey.
Gochujang: Korean chili paste adds a spicy, umami-rich kick. Adjust the amount to suit your spice preference.
Kimchi: A tangy, spicy addition that pairs perfectly with the savory beef. Chop it for easier assembly.
Vegetables: Julienne cucumber and carrots for a crisp, refreshing contrast to the warm beef.
Lettuce Leaves: Butter lettuce or Bibb lettuce works best for wraps due to their soft yet sturdy texture.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Variations
Protein Swap: Try ground turkey, chicken, or even tofu for a lighter or vegetarian option.
Add Crunch: Top with crushed peanuts or crispy fried onions for extra texture.
Low-Carb Sauce: Use stevia or a sugar substitute in place of brown sugar or honey.
Spice it Up: Add Ssamjang or an extra dollop of gochujang for a fiery flavor boost.
Extra Veggies: Include shredded red cabbage or bean sprouts for more crunch and color
How to make Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps: Step by Step
Here are quick visual instructions. Be sure to check out the full instructions with exact ingredients in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Cook for about 5-6 minutes or until browned.
Step 2: Stir in the minced garlic, diced onion, and ginger. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Add the soy sauce, gochujang, brown sugar (or honey), and rice vinegar to the beef mixture. Stir well to coat the beef evenly with the seasoning. Continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together. Remove from heat and sprinkle sesame seeds over the beef.
Step 4: Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large plate. Start by placing a spoonful of chopped kimchi on each lettuce leaf. Then add a portion of the seasoned beef mixture on top of the kimchi, followed by a few strips of cucumber, carrot, and a sprinkle of green onions. Add an extra dollop of gochujang or Ssamjang if desired
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Taste the beef mixture and adjust soy sauce, sugar, or gochujang as needed before serving.
- Chop all your veggies and make the beef mixture in advance for easy assembly later.
- Lettuce wraps are best enjoyed immediately for maximum crunch and freshness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Use tamari instead of soy sauce and confirm that your gochujang is gluten-free.
If you don’t have kimchi, pickled radish or a tangy slaw would work as an alternative.
Store the beef and toppings separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Assemble wraps fresh when ready to eat.
More Dinner Ideas
I hope you love these Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps. Please consider leaving a star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below. Thank you so much!
Korean Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 1 tbsp gochujang Korean chili paste
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 cup kimchi chopped
- 1 cucumber julienned
- 1 large carrot julienned
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- Butter lettuce or Bibb lettuce leaves for wraps
- Additional sesame seeds for garnish
- Extra gochujang or Ssamjang Korean dipping sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Cook for about 5-6 minutes or until browned.
- Stir in the minced garlic, diced onion, and ginger. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, gochujang, brown sugar (or honey), and rice vinegar to the beef mixture. Stir well to coat the beef evenly with the seasoning. Continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together. Remove from heat and sprinkle sesame seeds over the beef.
- Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large plate. Start by placing a spoonful of chopped kimchi on each lettuce leaf. Then add a portion of the seasoned beef mixture on top of the kimchi, followed by a few strips of cucumber, carrot, and a sprinkle of green onions. Add an extra dollop of gochujang or Ssamjang if desired.
- Garnish with more sesame seeds if you like, and serve immediately. To eat, fold the lettuce wraps like a taco, and enjoy!
Notes
- Taste the beef mixture and adjust soy sauce, sugar, or gochujang as needed before serving.
- Chop all your veggies and make the beef mixture in advance for easy assembly later.
- Lettuce wraps are best enjoyed immediately for maximum crunch and freshness.
Nutrition
The nutritional details for recipes are estimated using MyFitnessPal and can vary with different products, measurement accuracy, and source reliability. We aim to provide accurate information but cannot guarantee the precise accuracy of the nutritional data