What to Serve With Lettuce Wraps: 34 Easy Sides

Wondering what to serve with lettuce wraps for dinner? From Thai coconut chicken soup and coconut lime rice to sesame noodles, crunchy Asian slaw, and crispy egg rolls, these easy sides turn chicken lettuce wraps into a full meal!

Whether you're figuring out what to serve with chicken lettuce wraps or beef ones, most of these healthy sides for lettuce wraps take 30 minutes or less. Pick one warm side for lettuce wraps and one cold, crunchy one, and dinner is done.

The Best Lettuce for Lettuce Wraps

Before we get to the sides, let's talk lettuce. The best lettuce for lettuce wraps is crisp and sturdy enough to hold a spoonful of filling without tearing.

• Butter or Bibb lettuce: This is my favorite. The leaves are soft, cup-shaped and bend without cracking. It's what I use for my own wraps.
• Iceberg lettuce: The crunchiest choice, and its leaves naturally form a cup. Cut out the core and peel the leaves off gently from the bottom.
• Romaine hearts: The inner leaves are long and sturdy, so they work more like a boat than a cup.

Wash and dry the leaves well before you serve them. Wet leaves make the filling slide right out.

How to Build a Healthy Lettuce Wrap Dinner

When I'm deciding what to serve with Asian lettuce wraps for dinner, I keep it simple. The wraps are light, so I always serve two sides with lettuce wraps: one carb and one crunchy vegetable.

• The protein: My healthy pf chang lettuce wraps are a lighter copycat made with ground chicken, garlic, ginger and soy sauce. For beef, try my korean ground beef lettuce wraps recipe or these ground beef lettuce wraps. And if you're wondering what to serve with pork lettuce wraps, the same sides work.
• One carb side: Fried rice, noodles or a bowl of soup. Want it lighter? Use cauliflower rice or quinoa.
• One crunchy vegetable: Slaw, cucumber salad, edamame and stir-fried green beans are all good sides for lettuce wraps because they stay crisp.

Running short on time? Frozen potstickers and a bag of frozen edamame are my favorite shortcut lettuce wrap sides on busy nights.

Sauces and Toppings for Lettuce Wraps

Easy Homemade Chili Oil

This Easy Homemade Chili Oil is closer to a chili crisp, loaded with crispy garlic, shallots, ginger, roasted peanuts, sesame seeds and chili flakes. A small spoonful over the filling adds heat and crunch at the same time. Keep the jar in the fridge and you’ll reach for it on rice and eggs, too.

Best 5 Minute Thai Peanut Sauce

Made with low sodium tamari, garlic and peanut butter, this Best 5 Minute Thai Peanut Sauce comes together in one bowl. Keep it thick for dipping or thin it with water for a drizzle. It’s the sauce I’d pick for Thai chicken lettuce wraps, and it keeps all week in the fridge.

Wasabi Mayo

Just four ingredients go into this Wasabi Mayo: mayo, wasabi paste, lemon juice and a pinch of ground ginger. Let it sit for 10 minutes so the flavors blend. A thin drizzle gives lettuce wraps a sharp, spicy kick that cuts through a rich, savory filling.

Yum Yum Sauce (Japanese Hibachi Sauce Recipe)

Creamy, sweet and tangy, this Yum Yum Sauce (Japanese Hibachi Sauce Recipe) is the pink hibachi sauce you get at Japanese steakhouses. You just stir everything together, and it keeps for a week in the fridge. Set out a bowl for dipping when the kids want something milder than sriracha.

Asian Salads for Lettuce Wraps

Asian-Inspired Chickpea Salad (Vegan Chinese Chicken Salad)

Protein-packed chickpeas stand in for the chicken in this Asian-Inspired Chickpea Salad (Vegan Chinese Chicken Salad), a light take on the classic. Napa cabbage carries the dressing, and tofu or edamame work in place of chickpeas. Since the wraps already have lettuce, a cabbage-based salad keeps the meal from feeling like two plates of greens.

Ramen Noodle Salad

Crushed ramen noodles and almonds get toasted in the oven for this Ramen Noodle Salad, then tossed with green and red cabbage, carrots and green onions. A sweet and tangy dressing ties it together. Add the dressing right before serving so the ramen stays crunchy next to your lettuce wraps.

Asian Carrot Salad in Sesame Dressing

Grated carrots, nuts and fresh cilantro make up this Asian Carrot Salad in Sesame Dressing, tossed in a homemade sesame dressing. It’s bright, sweet and ready in minutes. Add a little sambal oelek if you like heat. It’s a cold, colorful side that’s easy to make while the filling cooks.

Easy Asian Cucumber Salad

Inspired by the Din Tai Fung cucumbers, this Easy Asian Cucumber Salad dresses crunchy cucumbers in soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and garlic. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes and serve it chilled. Serve it cold to balance a spicy filling.

Easy Sesame Asian Slaw

Ready in under 20 minutes, this Easy Sesame Asian Slaw mixes shredded cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and green onions with a tangy sesame dressing. It’s a lighter swap for creamy coleslaw. Pile a spoonful right into each wrap for extra crunch, or serve it on the side.

Soups to Serve With Lettuce Wraps

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

My tom kha gai soup simmers chicken, mushrooms and ginger in coconut milk with green curry paste and a squeeze of lime, and it’s ready in about 25 minutes. Lemongrass is optional. I keep the heat low once the coconut milk goes in so it doesn’t curdle. It’s my answer to what to serve with Thai lettuce wraps on a chilly night.

Quick & Easy Wonton Soup

Frozen mini wontons, bok choy and mushrooms make this Quick & Easy Wonton Soup ready in just 20 minutes. It tastes like Chinese takeout without the delivery wait. Use low-sodium broth so it doesn’t get too salty. It’s a warm side that’s easy to start while you brown the filling.

Dumpling Soup

Frozen gyoza, the same pan-fried dumplings as potstickers, go into this 20-minute Dumpling Soup. Mushrooms and other veggies get a quick saute with ginger and garlic for extra flavor. It’s a simple way to add something warm to the table.

Egg Drop Soup

With chicken stock, a couple of eggs, cornstarch and ground ginger, this Egg Drop Soup is ready in about 10 minutes. It tastes just like the takeout version. Serve it in small cups alongside your lettuce wraps for an easy copycat Chinese restaurant dinner at home.

Chinese Noodle Soup

This Chinese Noodle Soup from RecipeTin Eats has a 10-minute broth made with six ingredients, including sesame oil and soy sauce. Use any noodles, vegetables or protein you have in the fridge. It tastes like it came from a Chinese restaurant and makes a hearty side.

Rice Sides to Go With Lettuce Wraps

Coconut Lime Rice

This coconut and lime rice cooks long grain rice in coconut milk, then gets tossed with fresh lime juice and cilantro. It’s ready in about 20 minutes. It’s my go-to side dish for chicken lettuce wraps, and it’s mild enough to calm down a spicy filling.

Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice

Want a low-carb rice side? This Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice swaps riced cauliflower for white rice and adds eggs, pineapple, bell pepper, carrots and edamame. A little sriracha and sesame oil season it. It’s ready in 30 minutes and keeps the whole plate light.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Day-old rice and chopped kimchi are the base of this Kimchi Fried Rice, which needs fewer than 10 ingredients. A fried egg on top makes a runny yolk sauce. The spicy, tangy kimchi goes especially well with Korean beef lettuce wraps.

Veggie Fried Rice

Made with leftover jasmine rice and the classic peas and carrots, this Veggie Fried Rice gets its flavor from soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and sesame oil. It’s a great way to use up rice from earlier in the week. It’s a filling side when the wraps alone won’t hold everyone until bedtime.

Vegetable Side Dishes for Lettuce Wraps

Crispy Thai Brussel Sprouts

Halved Brussels sprouts get seared face down until crispy in this Crispy Thai Brussel Sprouts recipe, then tossed in a soy sauce, coconut sugar and garlic sauce. Crushed peanuts, fresh mint and a squeeze of lime finish them. They’re done in about 15 minutes on the stove.

Spicy Green Beans Recipe

Tender French green beans get tossed in a quick chili sauce in this Spicy Green Beans Recipe. Regular green beans work just as well. It’s a simple, healthy vegetable side with Szechuan-style heat, and it adds a little crunch and color next to a plate of lettuce wraps.

Cabbage Stir-Fry Recipe

With cabbage, carrots and bean sprouts, this Cabbage Stir-Fry Recipe is a vegetarian Asian-style side ready in less than 15 minutes. The cabbage cooks for about 3 minutes, so it stays crisp. Add shrimp or chicken to turn the leftovers into a main dish.

Appetizers to Serve With Asian Lettuce Wraps

Crispy Coconut Shrimp with Orange Marmalade Dipping Sauce

My coconut shrimp with orange marmalade dipping sauce is ready in under 30 minutes. The shrimp get a panko and shredded coconut coating, and the sauce is just orange marmalade and chili sauce. Bake them at 425°F or air fry at 400°F if you’d rather skip frying. It’s a sweet, crunchy side dish for lettuce wraps.

Easy Baked Sticky Chicken Wings (Asian-Inspired)

These sticky asian chicken wings marinate in soy sauce, honey, hoisin, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger and Chinese five-spice, then bake at 400°F. Marinate them for 1 hour or overnight. Toasted sesame seeds go on at the end. They’re a good pick when lettuce wraps are feeding a crowd.

Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Rice vermicelli, red cabbage, carrots, cucumber, cilantro and mint get rolled into rice paper for these Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce. They’re fresh, not fried, and vegan. The peanut dipping sauce works for the lettuce wraps too, so one sauce covers the whole table.

Homemade Egg Rolls

Filled with pork, vegetables and plenty of seasoning, these Homemade Egg Rolls get folded into wrappers and fried until crispy. They’re easier to make than they look. Serve them with sweet chili sauce for a takeout-style dinner with your lettuce wraps.

Baked Thai Chicken Egg Rolls

Cooked chicken, red bell pepper, shredded carrots and fresh basil fill these Baked Thai Chicken Egg Rolls. A spicy peanut sauce with sriracha, honey and soy sauce goes right into the filling. Since they’re baked, not fried, they’re a lighter way to add something crispy to the plate.

Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls

These Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls have the creamy filling of crab rangoon wrapped in egg roll wrappers. They’re easier to wrap than the classic, and they fry in 1 to 2 minutes per side. The whole recipe takes about 20 minutes. They’re a fun, crispy appetizer to set out next to lettuce wraps.\

Air Fryer Edamame

This Air Fryer Edamame only needs frozen edamame in the pod, sesame oil, garlic powder and salt. No thawing first. They air fry at 380°F for 9 to 12 minutes. Edamame adds plant protein to the meal, and it’s an easy snack while the filling cooks.

Chipotle Lime Edamame

Smoky chipotle and fresh lime season this Chipotle Lime Edamame. It only needs 5 minutes of prep and about 10 minutes total. The spicy flavor makes it a good side or snack, and it adds a little extra protein to dinner.

Garlic Parmesan Edamame

Air fried and tossed with garlic and Parmesan, this Garlic Parmesan Edamame is a savory, slightly cheesy twist on plain edamame. Edamame in the pod is fun to eat with your fingers, so it’s an easy one for kids. Put a bowl in the middle of the table so everyone can snack on them between wraps.

Noodle Sides for Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Sesame Noodles

Spaghetti gets tossed in soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil and a little hot chili oil in these Sesame Noodles. The sauce is savory with a hint of spice and sweetness. Serve them hot or cold, which makes them easy to make ahead before dinner.

Asian Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Broccoli, snow peas, red cabbage, bell pepper, carrots and mandarin oranges fill this Asian Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan). The dressing uses coconut aminos, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger, with optional chili paste. It’s ready in about 18 minutes and is served cold, so it’s great for warm nights.

Vegetable Yaki Udon

Precooked udon noodles get stir-fried with broccoli, mushrooms and onion in this Vegetable Yaki Udon. The sauce of soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic and a little brown sugar is savory, sweet and a bit spicy. It comes together fast, so it’s a good noodle side for busy nights.

Peanut Sauce Stir Fry Noodles

These Peanut Sauce Stir Fry Noodles use regular spaghetti tossed with sauteed vegetables and a sweet, salty, spicy peanut sauce. They’re ready in about 20 minutes. Leftovers keep for 3 days, and a splash of broth loosens the sauce when you reheat them for lunch.

Frequently Asked Questions