Turkey Lettuce Wraps
When dinner needs to be quick, flavorful, and a little bit fun, these Turkey Lettuce Wraps come through every time! I've made them on busy weeknights and at casual get-togethers, and they always disappear fast. The savory turkey filling and creamy peanut dipping sauce make this a standout recipe you'll come back to again and again.
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Turkey Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Ground turkey can be a bit tricky to make well, as it has a tendency to be a bit bland or dry. That's why these Asian turkey lettuce wraps are the best thing to make with ground turkey!
The turkey is sautéed with sesame oil, coconut aminos, and a hint of spice, then paired with a creamy peanut sauce that's just the right balance of savory, rich, and tangy. Wrapped in crisp lettuce and topped with fresh veggies, every bite is full of bold flavor and texture.
Serve with them with brown rice and a crunchy strawberry salad, and you have a fabulous, complete meal!
Why You'll Love this Recipe
This ground turkey lettuce wraps recipe is one of my family's favorites for a few reasons:
- Everyone can customize their own. Set out toppings and let each person build their own wrap. It's interactive, fun, and great for picky eaters!
- It's light. Tired of heavy dinners and want a light meal? Asian lettuce wraps are a delicious, fresh recipe that won't feel too heavy.
- You can use it for meal prep. Make the turkey and prepare the toppings in advance, and all you need to do is assemble the lettuce cups for a fantastic make-ahead meal!
Ingredients
These everyday ingredients come together to make these easy turkey lettuce wraps. Here's what you need:
Turkey Filling
• Ground turkey
• Salt & pepper
• Ground ginger
• Sesame oil
• Coconut aminos or soy sauce
• Red chili paste
• Cornstarch
• Water
Assembly and Toppings
• Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
• Sesame seeds
• Shredded carrots, optional
• Shredded cabbage, optional
Peanut Sauce
Coconut milk
• Creamy peanut butter
• Coconut aminos
• Red curry paste
• Rice vinegar
Substitutions and Variations
Stir-fry sauce: You can use my stir fry sauce in place of coconut aminos for even more flavor.
Garnishes: Try adding a drizzle of hoisin sauce, green onions, fresh cilantro, water chestnuts, bell pepper, or even add a dash of red pepper flakes.
Types of lettuce: Butter lettuce, iceberg, Bibb, and romaine are the best lettuce choices for these wraps. Make sure you get a head of lettuce that is extra fresh so you have crisp lettuce leaves!
Different protein: You can use ground chicken, ground beef, or even crumbled tofu in this recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan to medium heat. Add ground turkey to pan and cook for 10 minutes or until all pink is cooked through. Drain excess grease from turkey in a strainer, then return to the pan.
- Add remaining seasonings to ground turkey, except for cornstarch and water. Toss turkey to coat fully.
- In a small bowl, whisk corn starch and water together to make a cornstarch slurry. Then pour into the turkey pan. This makes sure that the corn starch doesn't clump up in your sauce.
- In a single serving blender or small food processor, add peanut sauce ingredients and pulse until fully blended. You can pour the sauce over the turkey if you'd like or use it as a dipping sauce!
5. Serve about ⅓ cup of turkey meat into each piece of lettuce and drizzle with sauce if you haven't mixed it into the meat fully.
Madison's Pro Tips
- Don't overfill the wraps. Add about ⅓ cup of turkey per lettuce wrap so they're easy to fold and eat without falling apart.
- Keep the lettuce crisp. Store your lettuce leaves in the fridge until you're ready to serve. Cold lettuce is extra crisp and refreshing, which adds a great contrast to the warm filling.
- Adjust the spice level. Use more or less red chili paste depending on how spicy you like it. You can also leave it out entirely for a mild version that's still full of flavor.
FAQ
Store leftover ground turkey separately from lettuce. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze cooked turkey for about 3 months if stored in an airtight container or freezer bag.
If you have any leftover lettuce pieces or head of lettuce, wrap it in paper towels and store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.
Make sure the lettuce leaves are completely dry before assembling. Excess moisture can make them slippery. You can also double up the leaves for extra support, especially if you're adding toppings like shredded veggies or extra sauce.
Yes! If you have leftover cooked turkey, simply chop or shred it finely and warm it in a skillet with the sauce until heated through. It's a great way to repurpose leftovers.
Serving Suggestions
Serve as an appetizer or for dinner with light, fresh side dishes like corn and tomato salad or lemon orzo pasta.
Oven roasted green beans and roasted tomatoes are some of our favorite veggie accompaniments, too!
A bowl of pasta salad or risotto pairs deliciously with lettuce wraps. You can also serve the turkey filling over rice or noodles if you don't want a wrap.
Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon red chili paste
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon water
Assembly and Toppings
- 8-10 bibb or lettuce boat leaves
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ¼ cup shredded carrots optional
- ¼ cup shredded cabbage optional
Peanut sauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoons red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan to medium heat. Add ground turkey to pan and cook for 10 minutes or until all pink is cooked through. Drain excess grease from turkey in a strainer, then return to the pan.
- Add remaining seasonings to ground turkey, except for cornstarch and water. Toss turkey to coat fully.
- In a small bowl, whisk corn starch and water together to make a cornstarch slurry. Then pour into the turkey pan. This makes sure that the corn starch doesn't clump up in your sauce.
- In a single serving blender or small food processor, add peanut sauce ingredients and pulse until fully blended. You can pour the sauce over the turkey if you'd like or use it as a dipping sauce!
- Serve about ⅓ cup of turkey meat into each piece of lettuce and drizzle with sauce if you haven't mixed it into the meat fully.
Notes
- Add a little extra coconut milk to the sauce if needed to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- We love adding shredded carrots and cabbage to the lettuce wraps for an extra pop of color.
Nutrition
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I loved how light these lettuce wraps came out! They were super tasty and a great switch up from our normal chicken routine.
I was looking for a lighter meal option that doesn't skimp on flavor, these tofu lettuce wraps are the answer. They're refreshing and didn't weigh me down, which is ideal for those days when I crave something wholesome yet delicious.
I recently made this tofu lettuce wrap, and it was so delicious! I love how easy this recipe is to make, plus the flavor. It bursts in every bite! I would recommend giving this recipe a try!
These were perfectly seasoned, and had so much taste, and a fantastic texture! I served them to my husband and kids, and no one noticed the lack of meat
Hubby loves ordering lettuce wraps when we go out to eat--I should totally surprise him and make these at home. Thanks for the inspiration (and we're excited to see Kung Fu Panda 3, too!!!)
Yes! He'd love that I'm sure 🙂
Lettuce wraps are my favorite, especially when I use lettuce as a substitution for bread. To be honest, I have never tried tofu. Maybe now is the time to venture out!
My mom does that a lot with burgers! I love these lettuce wraps though, and this is the perfect way to try to brand out to tofu!
I've never tried lettuce wrap at PF Chang's, but I definitely like your version. I love trying new tofu recipes.
They're sooo good from PF Chang's but these are honestly such a good substitute at home!
I'm gonna try it. I love vegan recipes. My parents are going to grocery store, I told them to stock up on some tofu:)
I recently discovered tofu and love making lettuce wraps with tofu. It's so tasty if you marinade it in teriyaki, and also a lot less expensive that ground turkey or chicken.
Totally. I really enjoy making these! They're super quick and tasty.
That looks so yummy! Lettuce wraps are always a big hit around here, maybe I'll try some sriracha-less ones!
Yes! You can definitely skip the sriracha!
Oh I am for sure adding this to my list of recipes to try! I love tofu and these lettuce wraps look amazing!
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Thanks Sarah! I hope you enjoy them.
Oh girl! these look so good! I LOVE lettuce wraps!
Me too! These are so tasty.
Mmm! I don't think I've ever tried cooking tofu myself. These lettuce wraps sound so good though. I like your idea of pairing them with salad and rice for a full meal.
This is the perfect way to start with tofu!
I love lettuce wraps! We always get some when we go to PF Chang's! I don't know if I'm brave enough to cook with tofu, but these look so yummy!
They're my favorite! Seriously you can't even tell that it's tofu in this recipe!