My easy pork lettuce wraps are a tasty low carb dinner that is ready in just 20 minutes. The pork and vegetable filling is packed with delicious Asian flavors. It tastes so much better than take-out!
Here is how the idea for pork in lettuce wraps came about. My husband was craving Chinese take-out. And I was determined to serve a healthier alternative that is also keto.
The result? A new family favorite!
Instead of serving the pork mince over rice or noodles, we use the lettuce leaves as a cup. This means you can pick it up easily with your hands instead of using cutlery.
This is a restaurant quality dinner, with the benefit that you can lick your fingers because you are at home.
Also try my bell pepper sandwich.
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What's To Love About This Recipe
Tasty: The pork is fragrant, umami and just on the right side of spicy. It's my interpretation of "authentic Asian", with elements of Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. The crunchy lettuce adds freshness and crunchy texture.
Naturally Keto: One serving of pork mince in lettuce cups is only 7.3g net carbs. This means my (formerly) pre-diabetic husband can enjoy dinner without spiking his blood sugar levels.
Versatile: The recipe is perfect as a quick lunch or dinner. But, it also makes a great appetizer. Or, arrange it on a platter for a larger crowd and simply serve it cold.
Ingredients
Let's talk ingredients. You'll find exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but I wanted to give you a bit of extra info right here:
- Ground pork: I used pork mince with a fat content of 8%.
- Vegetables: Mushrooms, red pepper and spring onions (also called scallions). Green or yellow pepper are also fine. It is important to chop the vegetables finely.
- Garlic and ginger: If you want the pork filling to taste GREAT, these must be fresh and not dried. It will make all the difference, promise!
- Soy sauce: Adds salty, umami flavor - you don't need to add additional salt. Use tamari to keep the dish gluten free.
- Apple cider vinegar: You can also use rice vinegar or 1-2 teaspoons of fish sauce.
- Toasted sesame oil: A popular ingredient in Asian dishes, with a wonderfully intense taste. Don't omit it.
- Lettuce: Baby gem lettuce (also called little gem lettuce) is my go-to here. It has the right size and a sturdy middle rib which means that it can hold the filling without breaking. I buy smaller heads and only use the outer leaves. Don't forget to rinse the leaves in advance and let them dry.
Instructions
It is simple to make this Asian pork lettuce wrap recipe. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with ingredient amounts, timings and nutrition information.
STEP 1
Mix the soy, apple cider vinegar, toasted sesame oil, hot sauce or chilli flakes and paprika in a small bowl.
STEP 2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the pork mince until it is browned all over. Set aside.
STEP 3
Fry the mushrooms and peppers on a medium heat until soft. Then, add the garlic and ginger until fragrant.
STEP 4
Return the pork to the pan and add half of the spring onions.
STEP 5
Pour over the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is warmed through. Serve in lettuce leaves and top with the remaining spring onions and sesame seeds.
Katrin's Top Tip
Build-your-own ground pork lettuce wraps!
I have assembled the pork lettuce wraps for the post so you can see exactly what they look like.
When we have them for dinner though, I simply put the pan with the pork filling on the table. Then, everyone assembles the wraps themselves.
This way, the filling stays hot and the leaves crunchy.
Also, people can decide for themselves what the perfect lettuce-to-filling ratio is.
Variations
Change the protein: The recipe also works with ground beef, turkey or chicken instead of pork.
More veggies: Try different vegetables with the pork filling, such as
- zucchini (finely chopped)
- cauliflower
- carrot
- spinach
- water chestnuts
- bean sprouts
- green beans (add towards the end so they stay crunchy)
- mangetout
Dial up the heat: Double up on the chili flakes or the sriracha sauce if you are a hottie!
Serving Suggestion
Add a side: The keto pork wraps on their own are a light meal. Hungry eaters may enjoy a side of cauliflower rice or my (totally delicious) keto fried rice. In this case, also put my sugar free sweet chili sauce on the table for an "authentic" Asian experience!
Not watching your carbs? Serve the pork filling over noodles, jasmine rice or egg fried rice.
Extra protein: Add a fried egg on top. It is delicious when the egg yolk runs into the filling.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. The inner, smaller leaves of romaine lettuce or chicory are also suitable for pork lettuce wraps. Other lettuce types such as iceberg or butterhead are more fragile and you'll need to layer several leaves on top of each other.
Serve the pork mince like an asian burrito in my coconut flour tortillas. Asian/mexican fusion! Or, serve over rice or noodles.
Of course! When I serve pork in lettuce cups as an appetizer, I let the pork cool down first. Then, I assemble the cups using small lettuce leaves. This way, the recipe can be part of a party spread.
Storage
Store leftover assembled pork lettuce cups in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. After that, the lettuce goes limp.
The pork filling on its own stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Simply reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop and serve in fresh lettuce leaves.
The pork filling is also perfect for freezing. You can freeze it for up to 3 months.
More Asian Recipes
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Recipe
Asian Pork Lettuce Wraps
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce to taste, or use ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 lb ground pork 450g, I used 8% fat pork mince
- 3 teaspoon olive oil
- 7 oz mushrooms 200g, finely chopped
- ½ cup diced red pepper 75g
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled + minced
- ⅓ cup spring onions 35g, thinly sliced
- 2 baby gem lettuce small heads, outer leaves only (100g)
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Mix the soy, apple cider vinegar, toasted sesame oil, hot sauce or chilli flakes and paprika in a small bowl.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the ground pork and cook for 6 - 8 minutes until browned all over. Set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and peppers and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on a medium heat until soft.
- Add the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds and continue to saute until fragrant.
- Return the ground pork to the pan and add half of the spring onions.
- Add the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is warmed through, about 1 minute.
- Break off all the outer lettuce leaves. Top with the pork filling, the remaining spring onions and sesame seeds.
Cindy
This is an easy recipe to follow, with have-on-hand ingredients. The result is FABULOUS and filling. I've used pork, but have also used ground chicken with great results. Thank you, Katrina! 🙂