I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. I am not a doctor; please consult your practitioner before changing your supplement or healthcare regimen. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Asian Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps are a light, flavorful dish perfect for any time of year — especially when you’re craving something fresh, quick and easy to prepare. It’s hard to overstate just how delicious this simple Asian-inspired meal (or appetizer) really is. Every time I serve it, it’s a hit — and the sauce is absolutely irresistible.
Asian Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps work great for a variety of whole food diets, including Gluten-free, Low Carb, VAD, Paleo, AIP and Whole30.
Jump to Recipe
Ingredients in Asian Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps
These clean ingredients are all anti-inflammatory:
- avocado oil, or olive oil
- carrot, white for VAD, omit for LC
- celery
- zucchini, peeled for VAD
- fresh ginger root
- ground turkey
- quality salt
- white pepper, or dried ginger powder for AIP and VAD
- water chestnuts, canned (omit for AIP)
Lettuce Wraps Sauce (for dipping and cooking):
- almond butter, or peanut butter (for non-Paleo); another smooth nut or seed butter could work, too; for AIP, use tiger nut butter
- coconut aminos, or quality soy sauce/tamari (for non-Paleo if preferred)
- apple juice, coconut water or water (water for LC)
To garnish:
- butter lettuce, or iceberg lettuce
- almonds, or peanuts, roughly chopped; another nut/seed could work, too (omit for AIP)
- green onion, or fresh cilantro
How to make Lettuce Wraps
- Make Lettuce Wraps Sauce, and set aside in a serving dish with spoon or small ladle.
- Wash and pat dry lettuce leaves. Use the inner leaves that aren’t too big (or too small), and that aren’t torn. Each one creates a neat boat for the filling. Place leaves on one big plate, stacked, or fit 3 to 4 on individual serving plates, ready to serve.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add celery and carrots, and sauté 5 minutes. Add zucchini and stir fry 2 more minutes.
- Add ginger, ground turkey, salt and white pepper, or ginger. Stir fry, breaking up meat in the pan with a spatula into small pieces, about 5 minutes, or until mostly cooked. Add water chestnuts, and cook up to 3 minutes more, until turkey is cooked through and most of the moisture in the pan is cooked off. If the pan is watery at all, increase heat to high to help it evaporate.
- Stir in 2 Tablespoons Lettuce Wraps Sauce.
- Serve! Let eaters make their own, or scoop meat filling evenly between leaves. Top each with chopped nuts and green onion, and provide extra dipping sauce at the table.
Tips for how to make Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Most of these tips work toward the same point — creating fully cooked but crisp veggies and avoiding sogginess.
Prep in Advance: Chop and prepare all ingredients before you begin cooking. Having everything ready streamlines the process and keeps it efficient.
Choose the Right Pan: Use a large wok or skillet — preferably 12 inches or more in diameter. A spacious pan ensures even, quick cooking and helps avoid overcrowding, which is essential for preserving texture.
Avoid sogginess: Cook over medium-high heat for a fast sauté that keeps all the veggie ingredients fresh and crisp. Once the meat is added, new moisture will develop. If necessary, move the ingredients to one side, allowing the liquid to pool to the other side. Turn the heat up to high under the cooking juices for just a few minutes, to allow that extra moisture to mostly evaporate.
Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps (Gluten-free, Paleo, Low Carb, Whole30, AIP)
Equipment
- large pan 12" in diameter, or wok
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 carrot medium size, white for VAD, chopped; omit/sub for Keto
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 zucchini peeled for VAD, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons ginger finely chopped
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1-½ teaspoons quality salt
- ⅛ tsp white pepper , or 1 teaspoon dried ginger powder for AIP and VAD
- ½ cup water chestnuts canned, sliced and chopped small, 4 ounces (omit for AIP and Keto)
Lettuce Wraps Sauce (for cooking and garnish)
- 3 Tablespoons almond butter unsalted and smooth; or peanut butter (for non-Paleo); another smooth nut or seed butter could work, too; for AIP, use tiger nut butter
- 2 Tablespoons coconut aminos or 1 Tablespoon quality soy sauce (for non-Paleo/Keto)
- 2 Tablespoons apple juice , coconut water, or water for Keto (use as much as is needed to get the right sauce texture)
Serve
- 1 to 2 heads butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce
- 3 Tablespoons almonds or peanuts, roughly chopped; ; another nut/seed could work, too (omit for AIP)
- 1 green onion sliced thinly diagonally, optional; or fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Make Lettuce Wraps Sauce, and set aside in a serving dish with spoon or small ladle.
- Wash and pat dry lettuce leaves. Use the inner leaves that aren't too big (or too small), and that aren't torn. Each one creates a neat boat for the filling. Place leaves on one big plate, stacked, or fit 3 to 4 on individual serving plates, ready to serve. (Or arrange spread out on a large serving platter.)
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in large pan (12" or bigger, or large wok). Add celery and carrots, and sauté 5 minutes. Add zucchini and stir fry 2 more minutes.
- Add ginger, ground turkey, salt and white pepper, or ginger. Stir fry, breaking up meat in the pan with a spatula into small pieces, about 5 minutes, or until mostly cooked. Add water chestnuts, and cook up to 3 minutes more, until turkey is cooked through and most of the moisture in the pan is cooked off. If the pan is watery at all, increase heat to high to help it evaporate.
- Stir in 2 Tablespoons Lettuce Wraps Sauce.
- Serve! Let eaters make their own, or scoop meat filling evenly between leaves. Top each with chopped nuts and green onions (or fresh cilantro), and provide extra dipping sauce at the table (or dollop/garnish each one).
Nutrition
Pin Asian Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps here:
Leave a Reply