Thai Lettuce Wraps

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
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Updated on 09/6/19
Thai lettuce wraps

The Spruce / D.Schmidt
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
298 Calories
9g Fat
45g Carbs
19g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 298
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 52mg 17%
Sodium 1652mg 72%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 11g 39%
Protein 19g
Calcium 323mg 25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This Thai lettuce wraps recipe is quick and easy to make. Lettuce wraps are also a fun dish to eat as a party food, either as an appetizer or the main course. Serve the filling on a platter with whole lettuce leaves on the side, and let your friends and family wrap their own. They'll love the combination of crisp, cold lettuce with the warm, flavorful filling. It's a recipe treat that's low-calorie, low-fat and very nutritious to boot.

Tip: Add a little water or white wine if your wok/pan gets too dry instead of more oil.

Ingredients

  • 1 head ​lettuce (iceberg fresh, or prepackaged lettuce for wraps)
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 piece galangal (or ginger thumb-sized, grated)
  • 1 red chili (red, minced or 1/4 to 1/3 teaspoon chili flakes)
  • 2 shallots (sliced finely)
  • 1/2 cup tofu (firm, cut into matchsticks; if not vegan, try 1/2 cup cooked, shredded chicken or pork or 1 to 2 cups cooked baby shrimp)
  • 1 carrot (grated or cut into thin strips)
  • 5 to 6 mushrooms (thinly sliced)
  • 1 egg (omit if vegan)
  • 1/2 cup cabbage (shredded)
  • 3 spring onions (sliced)
  • 2 cups bean sprouts (plus extra for topping)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (or 2 tablespoons soy sauce if vegan)
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (if vegan, use vegetarian oyster sauce or vegetarian stir-fry sauce)
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil (or mint fresh, chopped if leaves are large)
  • 1/3 cup peanuts (fresh dry roasted roughly chopped)
  • 1 cup bean sprouts (fresh)  
  • 2 tablespoon oil (for stir-frying)

Steps to Make It

  1. Drizzle oil into a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat.

  2. Add garlic, galangal (or ginger), chili, and shallots. Stir-fry one minute, or until fragrant.

  3. Add tofu (or shrimp/chicken/pork), carrot, shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, and spring onions. As you stir-fry, add the lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce (or vegetarian substitutes) and sprinkle over the sugar. Stir-fry about 1 minute.

  4. Push ingredients to the side of the wok or pan, and crack in the egg. Stir-fry quickly to break the yolk. Mix in with the other ingredients.

  5. Add the bean sprouts and stir-fry briefly to mix (avoid over-cooking or they will go limp). Remove from heat and do a taste-test for salt, adding more fish sauce if needed.

  6. Cut off the stem part of the iceberg lettuce so it's easier to separate the leaves. Now place the lettuce, stir-fried filling, and the toppings on your table in separate bowls/plates, allowing guests to make their own wraps.

  7. To assemble, take a whole lettuce leaf and place 1 to 2 heaping tablespoons of filling in the center. Top with a sprinkling of fresh basil and peanuts plus fresh bean sprouts if desired. Then wrap up and eat. (For those who like it extra spicy, fresh-cut chili can be added as another topping.)