Beef Lettuce Wraps With Peanut Sauce (20-Minute Ground Beef Dinner)

Name: Beef Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Ingredients: 1/3 cup hoisin sauce; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 lb ground beef (or ground chicken), seasoned with 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 carrot, diced or shredded; 4 oz water chestnuts, drained and diced; 3 tbsp garlic, minced; 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated; 1/4 cup sliced green onion; 2 small heads Bibb or butter lettuce; 1/2 cup salted creamy peanut butter (or almond or sunflower butter); 1 to 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari; 1 to 2 tbsp honey; 1 tsp chili garlic sauce; 2 to 3 tbsp lime juice; About 1/4 cup water

September 25, 2026

Recipe Card: Delicious Lettuce Wrap Recipe

These lettuce wraps are packed with ginger-garlic ground beef and come together in about 20 minutes. They make a great appetizer, but I think they're satisfying enough to be dinner. No Bibb or butter lettuce? Use cabbage or romaine leaves. I also spoon the filling over rice or grains for a bowl, or over mixed greens for a protein-packed salad.

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes | Serves: 3 to 4

Rivas Ranch beef lettuce wraps recipe card

The Cut: Ground Beef

Ground beef is the easy choice here, but almost any cut works, even ground chicken. It's a great way to use the ground beef from your freezer share.

Ingredients

Lettuce wraps

1/3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 lb ground beef (or ground chicken), seasoned with 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, diced or shredded
4 oz water chestnuts, drained and diced
3 tbsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup sliced green onion
2 small heads Bibb or butter lettuce

Peanut sauce

1/2 cup salted creamy peanut butter (or almond or sunflower butter)
1 to 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 to 2 tbsp honey
2 tsp chili garlic sauce or sriracha (or Thai red pepper or chili flakes)
2 to 3 tbsp lime juice
About 1/4 cup water, to thin

Optional toppings

Cilantro
Sliced chilis
Sesame seeds

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil. Set aside.
Rinse the lettuce. Set whole heads on a plate for easy grabbing, or separate and stack the leaves.
Over medium heat, brown the ground beef in the olive oil for 6 to 7 minutes, until cooked through. Ground beef should reach 160°F (USDA FSIS).
Add the carrot, ginger, garlic, and water chestnuts. Stir for about a minute, then add the hoisin mixture and mix well.
Whisk the peanut sauce ingredients together, adding water until it's drizzly.
Spoon the beef into lettuce leaves, top with green onion and peanut sauce, and serve.