Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps

Sweet, savory, spicy ground beef in crisp butter lettuce cups. One skillet, 20 minutes, zero leftovers because everyone inhales them.

Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Total: 20 minutes | Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (or ½ tsp ground ginger)
• 2 heads butter lettuce (or Bibb lettuce)
• 4-5 green onions, sliced
• Sesame seeds for garnish
• Steamed rice for serving
• Sriracha for an optional finishing drizzle

Substitutions: Ground turkey or pork for the beef. Coconut aminos for soy sauce (gluten-free). Sriracha + 1 tsp brown sugar if no gochujang. Honey instead of brown sugar.

Instructions

1. Mix the sauce — Whisk soy sauce, gochujang, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Cook the beef (8 min) — Large skillet, medium-high heat. Add ground beef, break it up. Cook until browned and at least 160°F internally (165°F for ground turkey). Drain excess fat if needed, leave about 1 tbsp in the pan.
3. Build the flavor (3 min) — Add garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the sauce. Stir and let it simmer 2-3 min until it thickens and coats the beef.
4. Assemble — Spoon beef into lettuce cups. Top with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of sriracha if you want more heat. Serve with steamed rice on the side.

Chef's Tips

• Gochujang is the move — fermented chili paste with depth. Find it in the Asian aisle. Once you buy it, you'll use it on everything.
• Reheats great — the beef keeps 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in a skillet, add a splash of water. Lettuce stays separate until serving.
• Make it a bowl — skip the lettuce, serve over rice with a fried egg, pickled cucumber, and kimchi.

Variations

• Spicier → add a diced Thai chili or more gochujang
• Add crunch → top with shredded carrots, sliced radish, or crushed peanuts
• Pork version → ground pork + hoisin sauce instead of gochujang

Dietary Notes

Ordinary soy sauce and some gochujang contain wheat. Check both, plus hoisin or other substitutions. Coconut aminos alone does not make the whole dish gluten-free. Check ingredient labels and cross-contact information for allergies.

Cooking Safety

Cook ground beef or pork to 160°F; ground turkey to 165°F. Keep raw meat and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat foods; wash hands and clean work surfaces after handling raw meat.

Safe cooking temperatures.

Safe Handling

Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below, within 2 hours of preparation (1 hour above 90°F). Use within 4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F; bring soups and sauces to a rolling boil when reheating. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

USDA leftover handling guidance.