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 how to make Korean Lettuce Wraps:
Mix together Stir Fry Sauce – soy sauce, red pepper paste, rice wine and agave nectar together. Set aside.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Cook meat until done, then pour off juices |
Drain meat juices from the skillet. Add coleslaw mix and toss until combined.
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| 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.
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| Add stir fry sauce and cook until vegetables are done |
Wrap and eat!
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.
Ingredients
Stir-Fry Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Korean red pepper paste gochujang
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar
Filling
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 slices ginger minced
- 2 scallions minced
- 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
- 14 ounces coleslaw or broccoli slaw mix
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For Serving
- 12 Boston lettuce leaves
- toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
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Mix together Stir-Fry Sauce.
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Heat oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add garlic, ginger and scallions and stir until fragrant, about 15-20 seconds. Add ground chicken and cook about 3-4 minutes, until there is no more pink, breaking up pieces with a spatula. Drain meat juices from the skillet. Add coleslaw mix and toss until combined. Add Stir-Fry Sauce and toss to combine thoroughly. Cook 3-4 minutes, until vegetables are cooked through. Drizzle with sesame oil.
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To serve, spoon some of the filling onto a lettuce leaf. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Hold in hands and eat!
If you like these Korean Lettuce Wraps, you might also like:
Vietnamese Meatballs Lettuce Wraps
Spicy Korean Barbecue Chicken Sliders with Asian Slaw and Kimchi Sauce Recipe
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I love kid friendly recipes. I especially love the idea of lettuce wraps. Quick and easy… even better! Looks delicious!
Thanks, my kids really enjoyed this. I think they like the idea of making the wraps themselves. The sauce is a little sweet and spicy too, which they like.
This sounds fantastic. I really like the idea of adding some coleslaw mix to the meat for more nutrition.
Thanks Kalyn, I have to say that including the vegetables in the filling is one of my favorite parts of this recipe. My kids didn't even blink when they ate it because the vegetables soak up the sauce and add a nice soft texture to the filling.
These sound so great! I had something in mind like this for dinner tonight. Lettuce wraps are one of our favorites, but I've never made them at home. At least not yet. 🙂
Hope you have a chance to try these. It's an easy and fun meal.
Thanks for your feedback Lavern. Hope you have a chance to try this quick and easy recipe.
Love the food! You’re amazing. This menu is fantastic:) It sure will help everyone who’s looking for a perfect menu like this. Thank you for sharing this healthy recipe.