Thai Peanut Lettuce Wraps

Thai Peanut Lettuce Wraps – peanut sauce rice, crunchy veggies, sweet mango and herbs are served in lettuce cups. An explosion of flavor!

Perfectly cooked brown rice is tossed with a nutty, creamy, Thai-inspired peanut sauce, then spooned into crisp lettuce cups.

Which are topped with crunchy vegetables, juicy sliced mango, fresh herbs and then drizzled with more peanut sauce. With this sauce, more is more.

It is the perfect mix of salty, sweet, spicy, savory, and nutty.

Reasons to love this recipe!

• These wraps are light, fresh, and deeply satisfying!
• Hearty enough to eat as a one-dish meal or make them as an appetizer or side to a large meal.
• Naturally vegan and gluten free, but you can add your favorite protein!

Ingredients and substitutions:

• Butter lettuce – or romaine, cabbage, or iceberg. A note about lettuce below :)
• Brown rice – I like the nuttiness of a short grain brown rice, but you could also use a longer grain brown rice like brown jasmine or white rice. For a quick recipe shortcut, use packaged pre-cooked brown rice.
• Bell pepper – any color!
• Jicama – some stores sell whole jicama, which looks like a round tuber, or sliced jicama in the cut-veggie section of the produce department.
• Mango – or segmented orange.
• Herbs to garnish – thinly slices green onion, chopped cilantro, Thai basil ribbons, mint, or a mix!
• Peanut sauce – using this recipe here or 1 cup of your favorite peanut sauce.
• Optional protein – serve them with tofu, chicken, or shrimp for a heartier meal.

How to make Thai peanut lettuce wraps:

Cook the rice and prep the veggies: Cool your rice according to package directions. Chop the veggies into small dice or matchsticks.

Make the peanut sauce: Whisk together the peanut sauce. Toss half with the rice and set half aside to drizzle over the wraps.

Assemble: Spoon the peanut rice into the lettuce cups. Top with veggies, herbs, and another drizzle of peanut sauce.

Storage?

If you have leftovers, it’s best to store all the components separately. Store leftover lettuce in one container, peanut rice in another, the veggies can all go together, etc.

This keeps the sauce from wilting the lettuce as it sits in the fridge.

Store the separate components in the fridge for 3-5 days. Freezing is not recommended.

How to choose the right lettuce:

When it comes to lettuce wraps, you need a lettuce that can stand up to all those fillings. You want something crunchy and refreshing to add textural contrast. And a lettuce that won’t wilt quickly.

My favorites are:

• Romaine – trim the firmer white ends off and use the larger green tops that naturally form a cup.
• Butter lettuce – pictured here, and what we use most often.
• Cabbage – that’s right! You can swap out the lettuce for purple or green cabbage.
• Iceberg – readily available, but lacking in flavor. I prefer the other options first.

The best peanut sauce ever!

The peanut sauce 100% makes the recipe. It has the perfect balance of salty, sour, sweet and umami to make it irresistible!

The secret to this peanut sauce is using orange juice, rather than water, to thin out the sauce. It adds great sweet and tart flavors that bring the whole sauce together.

Get the full recipe here.

What to serve with lettuce wraps:

We often have these lettuce wraps as our entire meal. They are full of healthy fats, whole grains, veggies, and protein. You can also pair them with:

• Thai Red Curry Soba Noodle Salad
• Vegan Miso Ramen with Thai Curry Tofu
• Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Noodles
• Korean Tofu Soup
• Salt and Pepper Tofu

More recipes with peanut sauce!

• Grilled Tofu Satay
• 30 Minute Peanut Sauce Sweet Potato Noodles
• Protein Packed Thai Pasta Salad
• Vegan Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

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