These vegan lettuce wraps are sure to be your new lunch favorite! A simple peanut dipping sauce punches up the flavor while a combination of tofu, mushrooms, and walnuts give it a "meaty" texture while keeping it plant-based! They're truly scrumptious!
If you're busy like me you understand the importance of having quick and easy meals to enjoy when you're on the run. These easy lettuce wraps have been on repeat in my house lately. The savory filling reminds me a bit of lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang but I think this version is actually better!
I can make these healthy vegan lettuce wraps up for dinner and then enjoy the leftovers for lunch! It's a win-win in my book.
If you're on the hunt for more easy meals, you're going to love this buddha bowl with peanut sauce, a vegan taco salad, and my vegan fettuccini alfredo.
Jump to:
What You'll Need Make Tofu Lettuce Wraps
These easy veggie lettuce wraps combine a simple peanut sauce with an easy plant-based crumble that's wrapped in leaves of lettuce and topped with lots of fresh veggies. Here are the main ingredients you will need to make this recipe be sure to check the recipe card for the full ingredient list.
- Peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter works best in this recipe.
- Umami and tanginess: Soy sauce adds a punch of umami flavor while apple cider vinegar adds a bit of acid to balance the sweetness and saltiness of the dish.
- Maple syrup: Just a bit to add a little sweetness. You can also use brown sugar if you don't have the syrup. Just be sure to blend or stir well so it dissolves into the sauce.
- Aromatics: Use fresh garlic and ground ginger to round out the flavors in the sauce.
- Dairy-free milk: Added to help thin out the sauce to make it more pourable.
- Tofu: Use firm tofu for the best results.
- Plant-based Meat: A combination of firm tofu, chopped mushrooms, and chopped walnuts creates a meaty filling that's full of flavor and texture.
- Lettuce leaves: In my opinion the best lettuce for to make lettuce wraps is romaine lettuce. They're sturdy and foldable with crisp lettuce leaves. Bibb lettuce leaves aka Boston lettuce are another option which are bit more delicate but naturally have a shape of lettuce cups that's perfect for filling.
- Toppings: Shredded carrots, red cabbage, peanuts, sesame seeds, and green onions add color, crunch, and flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
- Enjoy It as a Bowl Instead! Skip the lettuce leaves and enjoy it over wheat or rice noodles, brown or white rice, roasted sweet potatoes, or greens and top it with your favorite toppings.
- Mix and Match Toppings: Easily use other toppings you enjoy but try to stick with colorful veggies. Diced red bell peppers, diced jalapenos (if you like it spicy), sprouts, sunflower seeds, and broccoli slaw are just a few ideas!
- Gluten-Free: Swap the soy sauce for gluten-free tamari sauce or coconut aminos.
- Spicy: If you want add a bit of heat you can add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce to your peanut sauce or tofu filling.
How to Make Plant-Based Lettuce Wraps
Here's a look at the main steps for making these vegan lettuce wraps.
- Make the peanut sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together until everything is mixed together.
- Shred the tofu. You can use a grater to shred it or simply crumble it up into small pieces.
- Saute the onion and garlic in a skillet with olive oil. Add the tofu, mushrooms, and walnuts, along with a little bit of salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms release their juices.
- Add half of the peanut sauce to the tofu and mushroom mixture.
- Cook them together until almost all of the liquid is cooked away. This likely will take about 5-7 minutes.
- Serve Your Lettuce Wraps. Add the plant-based meat to the lettuce leaves and all your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
How to Store
Vegan lettuce wraps are best enjoyed freshly made. If storing leftovers, pack up the lettuce leaves in a container lined with a paper towel and the filling in a separate container.
Store the tofu filling and veggies in the fridge for up to four days. You can also freeze any leftover filling if you want to enjoy it later on. Be sure to use an airtight container to keep it fresher longer.
Reheat the filling in a skillet over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until it's heated through.
What to Serve with Lettuce Wraps
Add an easy side dish to turn your veggie lettuce wraps into the perfect light meal! Here are some ideas for inspiration.
They go great with soup! Enjoy them with a bowl of this roasted red pepper and tomato soup or sweet potato soup!
These crispy smashed potatoes make a tasty side. If I'm craving salad, I love this vegan pasta salad!
Recipe Tips
- Change Up The Toppings! These vegan lettuce wraps are perfect for using up veggies in your fridge! I like to go with crisp and colorful options but there's lots of flexibility!
- Make a Double Batch of the Filling. This way you have leftovers for easy meals later in the week or you can freeze it for later on!
- Wait to Fill Your Lettuce Cups. Until right before you're ready to enjoy!
- Cook the Tofu Filling. Make sure it cooks long enough to allow the excess liquid from the mushrooms cook off. You don't want your filling too watery.
Video
On the fence about making plant-based lettuce wraps? See them in action in this quick video!
Frequently Asked Questions
There are two factors to consider when choosing lettuce for your lettuce wraps. You want them to naturally shape a cup that hold the filling and you want them to be sturdy enough that they hold together. As a bonus you might also consider presentation and how they will look on the plate. My personal favorite that truly hits all these attributes out of the park is romaine lettuce. Iceberg lettuce has a nice shape, good texture, and is sturdy but not very pleasing visually. Another option is Bibb lettuce which is great is a bit more delicate and more likely to fall apart.
You want to keep them mostly intact so trim the base of the head of lettuce away to release all the leaves. Run them under water to rinse and then dry them on a tea towel or paper towels. You can also place them in a large salad spinner. After that you're done! There's no need to do any prep at all.
More Easy Vegan Recipes
Plant-Based Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
Peanut Sauce Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup dairy-free milk
Plant-Based "Meat" Ingredients
- 8 oz firm tofu
- 8 oz chopped mushrooms
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ medium onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- salt & pepper to taste
Toppings
- whole romaine lettuce leaves
- carrots
- red cabbage
- peanuts
- sesame
- green onion
Instructions
- Start by making the peanut sauce. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together until well combined. You could also add them to a blender and blend them if you want a smoother texture.
- Shred the tofu either by using a grater or crumbling it up. Finely chop the mushrooms, walnuts, onion, and garlic.
- In a pan, add olive oil, then saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the tofu, mushrooms, and walnuts, along with a little bit of salt and pepper, and cook them for about minutes over medium heat, until the mushrooms release their juices.
- After the plant-based meat has cooked a little bit, add half of the peanut sauce to the mixture and cook them together until almost all of the liquid is cooked away (about 5-7 minutes).
- Serve up the tofu filling in the romaine leaves, add toppings, and serve the remaining peanut sauce on the side.
Notes
- Change Up The Toppings! These vegan lettuce wraps are perfect for using up veggies in your fridge! I like to go with crisp and colorful options but there's lots of flexibility!
- Make a Double Batch of the Filling. This way you have leftovers for easy meals later in the week or you can freeze it for later on!
- Wait to Fill Your Lettuce Cups. Until right before you're ready to enjoy!
Leave a Reply