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Spicy Korean Beef Lettuce Cups

Spicy Korean Beef Lettuce Cups are a flavorful, low-carb dish featuring ground beef seasoned with Korean spices and served in crisp lettuce leaves for a refreshing and satisfying bite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 head butter or romaine lettuce, separated into cups
  • 1 cup shredded carrots (optional for topping)
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber (optional for topping)

Instructions

  1. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add garlic and ginger; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon, about 6-8 minutes.
  4. Drain any excess fat from the pan.
  5. Stir in soy sauce, gochujang, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes.
  6. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, allowing flavors to combine and sauce to slightly thicken.
  7. Stir in green onions and sesame seeds.
  8. Remove from heat and spoon the beef mixture into lettuce cups.
  9. Top with shredded carrots and cucumbers if using.
  10. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Adjust spice level by reducing gochujang or omitting red pepper flakes.
  • For extra crunch, add chopped peanuts or water chestnuts.
  • Ground turkey or chicken can be substituted for beef.

Nutrition

Keywords: korean beef, lettuce cups, spicy beef, low carb, asian wraps