Our recipe today is inspired by none other than the famous PF Changs – I mean who doesn’t love those wraps? Instead of beef, we chose to make lettuce wraps with a low fat ground turkey instead.
Making these Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps at home is a snap as long as you prep and prepare all your ingredients in advance.
HOW TO MAKE OUR ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS
- It’s as simple as making the sauce which consists of hoisin, tamari (organic soy sauce), rice vinegar, some Sriracha for a little heat, some ginger and hint of sesame oil. Be careful with the sesame oil, it is very strong.
- Rinse and dry your lettuce leaves. If you are not eating these in public or just don’t care about making a mess you can use any lettuce you want. Iceberg is great due to it’s really great crunch. I tend to use Iceberg. Romaine is another option, as is Bibb lettuce. It doesn’t matter really.
- All that’s left to do now is brown the turkey and break it up into little pieces. Add some water chestnuts or peanuts, shredded carrots, some scallions and add the sauce.
It really comes together quickly and I often forget how simple these are to make for a quick healthy dinner.
I think what I like most about these lettuce wraps is how successful they have been for me in the summertime with a cocktail at bbqs. They are very light, low carb and full of protein. They don’t drag you down or fill you up.
As long as you use small pieces of lettuce, this batch of turkey can serve quite a few people for appetizers. Set it all up on a large platter and let your guests serve themselves.
They have a great balance of sweet, savory and an icy cold crunch that makes a great appetizer.
If you really want to go all out, be sure to make these little fried noodles to go on top. Again, super simple. Just take a very thin pasta (vermicelli) and break a few strands into about 4″ lengths. Heat up some oil in a small pan and let them fry for about 5 seconds. You will see them turn white and get puffy.
It’s awesome to watch. Then just place them on paper towels. It’s that simple!
WATCH OUR VIDEO ON HOW TO MAKE THESE WRAPS:
Low Carb Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Description
Preparing all the ingredients in advance makes this a super fast weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Turkey
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- 1/2 Cup Onion, finely diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 (8 oz) Water Chestnuts, drained and finely chopped (you can substitute peanuts also)
- 1 bunch Scallions, very thinly sliced
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 1/4 Cup Hoisin Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Sriracha Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Paste
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
OTHER:
- 16 Bibb Lettuce Leaves
- 1 Cup Shredded Carrots
FOR THE CRISPY NOODLES (optional):
- Vermicelli Noodles
- Oil
Instructions
- Separate and rinse whole Bibb lettuce leaves and set aside to dry.
- Combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha, ginger paste and sesame oil in a small bowl. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with about a Tablespoon of oil. Add the turkey and break apart, let the turkey cook until almost completely through. This will give it a nice caramelization on the outside. Break the turkey up into small pieces and remove from the pan onto a nearby plate or bowl.
- Add the diced onion (and more oil if necessary) over low/medium heat until softened – approximately 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic until fragrant (30 seconds). Add the scallions and water chestnuts. Cook another minute more.
- Add the sauce ingredients to the pan and return the turkey to the pan. Stir to combine. Lastly add the shredded carrots and stir to combine.
- Place the turkey mixture in a serving bowl. Arrange the lettuce leaves on the edge of a serving platter with the turkey in the center for serving.
- Serve by scooping about 1/4 cup filling into the middle of each lettuce leaf and topping with crispy rice noodles, if using.
FOR THE CRISPY NOODLES (optional):
- Separate the dried vermicelli rice noodles into sections. Cut them into 4- to 5-inch lengths.
- Pour 3/4 cup of oil into a skillet over medium-high heat to warm the oil for a few minutes or until it reaches 350°F.
- Drop the noodles into the hot oil in batches. Wait for 5 seconds, then flip the noodles with tongs. Remove them with a slotted spoon after another few seconds or when they expand and turn white.
- Drain on paper towels.
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These were UHmazing. I’ve never had PF Changs so I can’t compare but all I can say is these are so addictive. 1 lb of ground beef was not enough !
★★★★★
These were delicious debi
★★★★★
Totally delicious. Gone in 15 min
★★★★★
I can’t wait to make these again
★★★★★
My whole family loved this dish.
★★★★★