Asian Lettuce Wraps for a Crowd
Asian Pork & Ginger Lettuce Wraps
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

These Asian Pork & Ginger Lettuce Wraps are a true 20-minute meal, they can easily be made ahead and will keep for several days in the refrigerator.  They freeze beautifully and can be easily reheated on your stovetop.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese, Cooking for a Crowd
Servings: 10 servings
Author: Betsy Edwards
Ingredients
Dipping Sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives
  • 1 tesaspoon Sriracha
Lettuce Wraps
  • 1 head butter (bibb) lettuce (12 - 15 leaves each) - or leaf lettuce
  • 1 pound ground pork - can substitute chicken if desired
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 pound button mushrooms - sliced
  • ½ large yellow onion - chopped
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts - chopped and drained
  • 1 ½ cup shredded cabbage
  • 1 bunch green onions chopped
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
Instructions
Make the Dipping Sauce
  1.  In a small bowl, combine the dipping sauce ingredients and whisk until fully mixed.  Set aside or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Make the Lettuce Wraps
  1. Cut off root end of lettuce within 1 inch of the end. Gently separate lettuce leaves. Set aside.
  2. To a large skillet, add ground pork and cook over medium high heat until browned and cooked through, stirring often. Remove the pork from the pan to a plate, and set aside. 

  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in the same skillet, reducing heat to medium-high heat.  Add the onions and mushrooms.  Sauté until onions are tender and translucent and the mushrooms are golden brown, stirring frequently.  

  4. To the mushroom onion mixture add the garlic, stirring about 30 seconds until fragrant.   Add the cooked pork, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, rice wine vinegar, drained water chestnuts, and shredded cabbage, to the pan, stir, and cook until the cabbage just begins to wilt, about 3-4 minutes.

MAKE AHEAD NOTE: The chicken mixture can be made to this point and refrigerated, covered for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months. To re-heat, warm on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.
  1. To serve, pile the lettuce leaves on a plate and transfer the hot chicken mixture to a serving dish, or serve straight from the skillet. Or place a generous spoonful of chicken mixture in the middle of a lettuce leaf, and eat right away. Can serve with green onions and white sesame seed sprinkled over.

Recipe Notes

Slow Cooker Instructions: Can be kept warm on LOW for 2 hours until ready to serve. If mixture becomes too dry, rehydrate with a splash of chicken broth or water.