Easy Peasy Lettuce Wraps – Korean Style!

I’m back with yet another recipe that comes together in mere minutes. Have I mentioned I’m a mom and sometimes dinner is an after thought? When we need a meal we often need it quick, and this recipe (a family favorite) fits the bill!

We’re talking easy peasy lettuce wraps – Korean style!

“Korean style? Ack!” No, listen – this is EASY, remember? The secret is in the sauce – here is what you’ll need:

Sauce Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soya sauce
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp ground ginger (can use fresh)

Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Then gather together the ingredients for the filling:

Filling:

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground beef (traditional Korean beef is a labor intensive process and we want easy, so we’re using our friend, ground beef. Could substitute with ground turkey or even diced chicken breast – go nuts!)
• Sliced Mushrooms (opt.)
• Water chestnuts (opt.)

You are going to heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Oooooh, baby – I love the smell of garlic heating up. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.

Add in your ground beef and scramble fry over medium-high heat until browned.

Drain the excess fat off the meat and return the beef to the pan. Add in some mushrooms and water chestnuts (if you want – you can omit one or both of these if you want to. I won’t judge) and pour in the sauce. Stir and let simmer until the sauce is well incorporated with the meat and the mushrooms cook through.

While your meat is cooking, gather your lettuce leaves, wash, and lay out to dry. I just use romaine lettuce and eat it like a boat, rather than an actual ‘wrap’. You can use butter lettuce which is more pliable and will wrap better – but it’s more expensive, so I opt for whatever is cheaper.  There won’t be any ‘lettuce wrap police’  hiding in your refrigerator waiting to pounce because you use a different lettuce – ha!

Head to the fridge and grab a variety of fresh veggies you’d like to add in. Some of my go-tos are cilantro, thinly sliced radishes, matchstick carrots, sliced green onions, and Thai basil leaves. Really, just use whatever you’ve got that you think would taste delish! Remember, no lettuce wrap police. Go nuts. Consider chow mein noodles, sesame seeds, or more! Oh, and we also love to make some rice to serve with – nice soft rice with the yummy filling, topped with all of this fresh goodness? Amazing.

Assemble your wraps by layering some cooked rice, the meat mixture, and some fresh veggies on a lettuce leaf and eat!

For extra Korean flare, serve with a side of delicious kimchi. It’s a spicy Korean cabbage dish that we love (don’t judge by the smell!) You can buy kimchi at some asian stores, or (at least if you’re in Canada) you can buy a tub of kimchi at Costco. Yummy!

Enjoy your lettuce wraps, and add it to your arsenal of easy peasy meals!

Preparing meals that delight the taste buds does not have to be time-consuming, We are all about easy peasy! Here are a few more of our favorite “easy peasy” dinner ideas that you’re sure to love as much as we do!

Quick and Easy Roast Beef Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

Easy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole Recipe 

Crazy Easy Italian Sausage & Basil Soup