Quick and Easy Dinners – Korean Lettuce Wrap Recipe

Korean Lettuce Wrap

During the week, like many of you, there are days I need to be able to make a quick and easy dinner. Between meetings, pickups and drop-offs of kids, 30 minute meals are a must some days. After a long day at school, my kids are hungry and they want to eat as soon as they walk in the door.

But, they also want a “good” dinner, so I try to mix things up a bit so my kids have something to look forward to.

As I thought about how to incorporate this week’s theme of cruciferous vegetables into a quick and easy dinner recipe, I came up with a Korean Lettuce Wrap, a variation of the popular lettuce wraps now found in so many restaurants (such as PF Changs). This recipe uses coleslaw or broccoli slaw mix (both contain cruciferous vegetables – cabbage or broccoli) as a time saver.

Here’s the recipe for Korean Lettuce Wraps:

Korean Lettuce Wraps

This is a fun food for kids to assemble at the table. I especially like this recipe because the vegetables are already in the dish, plus the lettuce leaves serve as an extra serving of vegetables. The filling can be made ahead of time and reheated just before serving.
Printable Recipe
1 tablespoon grapeseed or other flavorless oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 thin slices ginger, minced
2 scallions, minced
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
1 package (14-ounce) coleslaw or broccoli slaw mix

Stir Fry Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Korean red pepper paste (gochujang)
1 tablespoon rice wine
2 teaspoons agave nectar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

12 Boston lettuce leaves
toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

To make Stir Fry Sauce, mix soy sauce, red pepper paste, rice wine and agave nectar together. Set aside.

Have all the ingredients ready before you start cooking

Heat oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add garlic, ginger and scallions and stir until fragrant, about 15-20 seconds. 

Stir fry scallions, ginger and garlic until fragrant

Add ground chicken and cook about 3-4 minutes, until there is no more pink, breaking up pieces with a spatula. 

Cook meat until done, then pour off juices

Drain meat juices from the skillet.  Add coleslaw mix and toss until combined.  

Stir fry coleslaw and meat until combined

Add Stir-Fry Sauce and toss to combine thoroughly. Cook 3-4 minutes, until vegetables are cooked through. 

Add stir fry sauce and cook until vegetables are done

Drizzle with sesame oil.

To serve, spoon some of the filling onto a lettuce leaf. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Hold in hands and eat!

More Lettuce Wrap Recipes:
On BlogHer: Weekend Menu Planning: Lettuce Wraps are Easy and Fun
Kalyn’s Kitchen: More Lettuce Wrap Ideas to Try (scroll down to the bottom of this post for recipe links)