vaThese healthy lettuce wraps are inspired by the PF Changs lettuce wraps recipe but are totally Whole30 compliant and paleo. Loaded with flavor and with lots of veggies, these easy healthy lettuce wraps are made with pork or chicken and are a great Whole30 dinner recipe. They’re filling yet light, totally healthy, and slightly sweet yet nutty and spicy.
We’d pile in the Jeep, the cool car with the windows that unzip, and head down the flat streets with palm trees on either side. Past the rocky hills in the shapes of monks praying or the humps of camels, towards PF Changs, the new Asian place with the funny crunchy noodles and the “lettuce wraps,” which were basically tacos you ate in leaves. We were celebrating a birthday or the first day of school or the last day of school or it was just too hot to cook and we’d already had Taco Bell twice that week.
We had a set order at PF Chang’s when I was little: their healthy lettuce wraps, wonton soup, honey chicken. Back then, I was 10 or so, living in Scottsdale, Arizona where it was hot as hell but still cold when you got out of the pool. It’s a dry heat, I learned later, experiencing the contrast first-hand as we settled into the jungle-like humidity of the American Southeast.
I didn’t know that PF Changs, the local Asian place back then, would expand across the country and take on permanent chain restaurant status. All I knew was that lettuce wraps were too cool and the servers made the dipping sauce and we were eating something so different and funky, and that right there, that might have been the moment I first started falling in love with foods from different cultures, like healthy lettuce wraps and Szechuan chicken, with different tastes and textures than I was used to, with something other than tuna noodle casserole or chicken soup chicken or ground beef and gravy over mashed potatoes.
And while I wouldn’t claim that that food was necessarily authentic back then, certainly not now, I’m still wild about those healthy lettuce wraps. The savory ground meat with crunchy water chestnuts and salty, spicy sauce work perfectly enveloped in the light, crisp lettuce cups. And with hardly any processed carbs to replace, I had to make a Whole30 version!
Why these PF Changs-inspired healthy lettuce wraps are so good:
- These Whole30 lettuce wraps are loaded with flavor and full of veggies.
- They’re seasoned with naturally sweet coconut aminos, creamy almond butter, and nutty sesame oil. Sautéed with mushrooms, water chestnuts, and shredded carrots, they’re filling but light and will make you feel fantastic.
- These healthy lettuce wraps are totally Whole30 compliant, and they’re perfect to make when you’re tired of meatballs and eggs and chimichurri steak (IF THATS EVEN POSSIBLE).
- This recipe is so easy: sauté some stuff, pour some sauce over the stuff, and boom, done.
Variations
- These healthy lettuce wraps can be made easily with ground chicken instead of ground pork.
- Try diced shiitake or even white button mushrooms in place of the baby bellas.
- Make a vegan version: swap the ground meat for vegetarian crumbles. Meatless Monday win!
Tips
- Make these as your weekly meal prep: make the healthy lettuce wraps filling and pack them with crisp lettuce leaves. This Whole30 recipe is a reader meal prep fave!
- Make my Whole30 sriracha recipe for the ultimate lettuce wraps. It’s surprisingly easy and the flavor is out of this world.
- If you’re not on a Whole30 or paleo diet, swap the almond butter for peanut butter. This substitution gives these healthy lettuce wraps such a savory twist.
- These would also make an awesome potluck dish when you just happen to be on a Whole30: no one will know these healthy lettuce wraps are compliant. Win-win.
How to make healthy lettuce wraps:
In a large skillet, sauté onion until they start to turn translucent. Add mushrooms and cook a few minutes, or until beginning to soften. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds.
Add the ground pork or ground chicken and brown, crumbling with a spatula or wooden spoon. Add shredded carrots.
In a small bowl, stir together coconut aminos, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, almond butter, ginger, and hot sauce; whisk until smooth. Pour over pork or chicken mixture and stir; add water chestnuts and green onions (minus reserved tablespoon). Cook 3-4 minutes or until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.
In another small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients. Spoon healthy lettuce wraps filling into lettuce cups and garnish with sliced green onions. Serve with dipping sauce.
Other recipes you’ll love:
- Egg Roll in a Bowl with Creamy Chili Sauce (Whole30, Paleo)
- Whole30 Sriracha
- Whole30 Bang Bang Shrimp
- Whole30 Thai Chicken Zoodle Bowl
Did you make and love this recipe? Give it your review below! 👇 And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!
Whole30 Lettuce Wraps (PF Changs Lettuce Wraps Recipe)
A healthy lettuce wraps recipe, inspired by the PF Changs recipe but totally Whole30 compliant and paleo. Made with either pork or chicken, they're a great healthy Asian dinner recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground pork or ground chicken
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon Whole30 compliant hot sauce sriracha or sambal oelek if not on Whole30 (or make the homemade sriracha recipe in the notes)
- 8- ounce can water chestnuts diced
- 3 green onions thinly sliced, 1 tablespoon reserved
- 1 head Bibb lettuce leaves gently removed from stem
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- Compliant hot sauce to taste
- 1 tablespoon green onions from above ingredients
- Salt
Garnishes
- sesame seeds
- thinly sliced green onions
Special Equipment
Instructions
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In a large skillet set over medium heat, heat olive oil. When the oil is hot, add onion and cook for about 3 minutes or until beginning to soften, then add mushrooms and cook 3 more minutes, or until onion is translucent and mushrooms are softening. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
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Add ground pork and cook until browned, crumbling with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add carrots and stir until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.
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In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup coconut aminos, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar, almond butter, ginger, and hot sauce. Whisk until smooth then pour over meat mixture. Stir until combined, then add the chestnuts and green onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Make sauce: whisk together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
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When ready to serve, spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf and serve with sauce. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
This recipe was originally published July 2017 but was updated with video, step by step photos, and tips in July 2018.
Looks yummy. You may want to proofread. While I do think either chicken or pork would be yummy… you’re not consistent in your recipe. Chicken in the list, pork in instructions.
Thanks for pointing that out, Kimberly! The recipe has been updated 🙂 I think either would work, but we use pork.
Looks so yummy! Pei Wei’s lettuce wraps are similar and they’re my favorite. My husband and I are starting our first Whole30 this week and this is def on the menu! Thank you!
Yes, they’re very similar to Pei Wei’s! I really think you’ll love them 🙂 Good luck on your first round! You might be interested in my Whole30 Starter Kit – it has really everything you need
https://40aprons.com/downloads/whole30-starter-kit/
Thanks, Katie!
This looks amazing! Do you have a suggestion for a mushroom substitute? I have a weird food sensitivity to them, so I usually sub in eggplant because the texture is similar. However, eggplant can alter the taste of a recipe and in this case, I think it might not be in a good way. 🙂
Hi! I honestly think you could just skip the mushrooms here and be totally fine. Eggplant might change the liquid of the filling, so I’d really just leave them out altogether!
I made them last night without the mushrooms. I came back to your page today just to tell you that they were AWESOME. Even my 2 year old was chowing down on them!
I’m bummed I didn’t read through the directions before heading to the grocery store. I bought ground chicken but it looks like you meant pork? Definitely something you should fix!
Hey Carley!
Total typo, you’re right. I like it with both pork and chicken, and the recipe should say that 🙂 You’ll be great with the chicken! I’ve updated the recipe, too – thank you for catching that!
Thank you for this recipe! I just thought I’d let you know it’s pretty good made with beef too.
That’s great to hear, Frances! I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Just made these for lunch, SO YUMMY! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad you like them, Cayci 🙂
Hi there! I have something called IC and am sensitive to hot sauce and vinegar. If I leave those out all together would I be okay? Or add more coconut amino’s and oil?
Thanks!
I’ve just started my first week of clean eating and if all the recipes are this amazing I won’t have any problem sticking to it!!! Thank you for the recipe! This will definitely be my easy go to meal!
That’s so great to hear! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂 Good luck on your clean eating journey, Samantha!
Jamie that would definitely be ok! Maybe just add some extra cayenne or red pepper flakes for heat 🙂
Do you make the sauce then pour it into the meat mixture while it’s still in the pan or do you pour it over the meat when they are in the wraps?! Looks amazing!!!!
Pour it over the meat mixture while it’s in the pan. Can’t wait for you to try! 🙂
This recipe was so good! Thank you for developing it! It was a favorite when I was on whole30!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂
Do you have the nutrional facts for this one? They were delicious by the way!
I’m so glad you liked them! I’ve updated the recipe to include nutrition info 🙂
I’m a little confused on the directions. You said to make the sauce in line 3and to pour over the meat and then on line 4 you said to make the sauce. Am I making the sauce twice?
In step 3 you whisk together a mixture to season the meat. In step 4 you make a dipping sauce 🙂
Came across this recipe on Pinterest! My hubby and I are very new to Paleo/ eating clean lifestyle, this recipe was easy to follow, quick to make and easy ingredients to find, we absolutely loved it!!! It was so good! It got my husbands seal of approval, which is a huge compliment from him. This will be going into our monthly rounds- thabk you!
I’m so so happy you both liked it!! Thanks for coming back to tell me 🙂
This is one of my very favorite Whole30 recipes. I add riced cauliflower to mine along with the meat mixture.
I am sooo glad to hear that!
Made this tonight for my family and they all loved it! Ate every last bite!
That makes me so happy Amy!!
Oh. Em. Gee. These are the BEST. I am so glad I found this recipe as it will become a staple in my house. My husband is the pickiest eater alive and he loved it. Thank you for this recipe!!
I’m soooo happy you both liked it so much!!
These were delish! I’m a saucy girl so I do 1 1/2 times the sauce and add a bit more ginger. Have done with both pork and turkey. Both excellent!
So glad you liked them!
hello! made this today. it was really yummy. i doubled the recipe and didnt add green onions [none on hand] nor srirarcha [didnt feel like eating spicy] and it was delishhhh!!! going to look at ur other recipeS now =]
I’m so glad you liked it!
These were amazing! It was my first time to use coco aminos and I am impressed! Definitely will be on my weekly rotation. Yum!
I am sooo happy to hear that!
This sounds so good and I can’t wait to try it! Do you drain the liquid that is produced when browning the pork?
There shouldn’t be too much liquid produced, but it will evaporate when you finish up the mixture!
Dang this is good. Better than PF Chang’s but haven’t eaten there in years, while it is yummy, I get sick every time I go there (think it’s msg). This is a winner. Thank you!
Yes, that’ll do it to you!! Im so glad you liked the recipe 🙂