Beef Lettuce Wraps Hoisin (Printable)

Minced beef with hoisin and crisp vegetables wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves for a vibrant and tasty dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef Mixture

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
03 - 1 small onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 cup water chestnuts, diced (optional)
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Sauce

09 - 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
10 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
13 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili paste (optional)

→ To Serve

14 - 12-16 large butter lettuce leaves
15 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
17 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha. Set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 2 minutes until softened.
03 - Add minced garlic and grated ginger; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook 5-6 minutes until browned and fully cooked.
05 - Stir in diced bell pepper and water chestnuts; sauté for 2 minutes.
06 - Pour in prepared sauce and cook for 2 minutes, tossing to evenly coat the mixture.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in sliced green onions.
08 - Spoon beef mixture into lettuce leaves. Garnish with cilantro, optional sesame seeds, and lime wedges. Fold and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet and youre eating in under forty minutes, no juggling pots or waiting on ovens.
  • The hoisin sauce does something magic to ground beef, turning plain weeknight protein into something glossy and a little sweet that tastes like takeout.
  • Wrapping your own lettuce bundles at the table makes dinner feel like an event, even when its just leftovers reheated the next day.
02 -
  • If you add the garlic and ginger too early, theyll scorch and turn the whole pan bitter, so wait until the onion is soft and push them around constantly.
  • Drain excess beef fat before adding the sauce or the glaze will slide off instead of clinging, leaving you with a greasy puddle at the bottom of the skillet.
  • Lettuce leaves tear easily when theyre cold and stiff, so let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before filling.
03 -
  • Let the beef sit undisturbed for a minute after you add it to the pan so it gets a real sear instead of steaming in its own juice.
  • Keep a damp towel under your cutting board when you mince ginger and garlic so it doesnt slide around and slow you down.
  • Double the filling and freeze half before you add the green onions, then reheat it on a lazy night and feel like a genius.

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