Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps are ready in just 15 minutes. This easy, gluten free dinner recipe is made from fridge and pantry staples. So easy!
Foods I never need to add to my grocery list because they end up in my cart each week no matter what:
- Applesauce. Because kids.
- Wine. See above.
- Eggs. Egg Salad for president.
- Applegate Farms Salami. Can’t stop / won’t stop.
- Ground beef.
Even if I don’t have a concrete plan in mind for using ground beef, I buy it anyway. It’s an inexpensive protein option, super versatile, and most importantly, Lincoln loves it. And if you have a toddler then you know you gotta ride that “foods we don’t complain about eating” train as far as humanly possible before its inevitable derailment.
While ground beef is spaghetti-bound at least once a week, I also frequently use it to make Skillet Tater Tot Casserole, Taco Chili, and Incredible Italian Meatballs (here are all my ground beef recipes in case you need some inspiration!) My newest creation though, Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps, is rising to the top of my ground beef faves list!
Watch How to Make It!
What is Korean Beef?
If you’ve never tasted the flavors of Bulgogi, a Korean beef dish that inspired these lettuce wraps, you’re in for a real treat. Thinly sliced beef is flavored with soy sauce (we’re going with gluten-free Tamari here,) sugar, sesame, garlic, and green onion then grilled or stir fried. The beef has that savory/sweet flavor that keeps you going back for bite after bite.
Well, I decided to make this traditional dish weeknight friendly by using ground beef instead of sliced steak! All you do is brown ground beef with green onions and garlic then simmer for a minute with a 5 ingredient sauce. Scoop over fresh lettuce cups filled with cooked rice for a 3-bite taco-type dish. 15 minutes + fridge and pantry staples = total home run!
Kid Friendly and Low Carb Options
To make this meal toddler-friendly, I turned the Korean ground beef into Korean Beef Bowls by scooping the meat mixture over rice. If you want to go the low carb route, you could swap the white rice for cauliflower rice which I think would be super tasty sauteed in either sesame or garlic-flavored wok oil. Or scoop the meat mixture into lettuce cups as shown, minus the rice. Whichever way you go, this gluten-free dinner recipe couldn’t be easier nor more delicious. Go give it a try!
How to Make Korean Ground Beef
Start by heating 2 teaspoons sesame oil in a large, 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1lb ground beef, the chopped white and light green parts of 2 green onions, and a dash of white pepper (or black pepper if that’s all you have on hand) then saute until cooked through. Add 2 cloves minced garlic then saute for 30 seconds.
Next, drizzle in a mixture of 1/4 cup LOW-SODIUM gluten-free Tamari, 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar (could sub in white sugar or honey,) 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (or more or less), 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds then saute for 1 more minute.
That’s all she wrote! Scoop white rice into lettuce cups then top with the green parts of the chopped green onions, plus more toasted sesame seeds, and dive in. I hope you love this craveable, seriously simple weeknight dinner recipe! Enjoy!
More Quick and Easy Ground Beef Recipes
- Cheeseburger Quesadillas
- Beef Taco Bowls
- Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper
- OMG-Good Goulash
- Beef and Veggie Enchilada Skillet
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1/4 cup gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari, or soy sauce if not GF
- 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar, or white sugar or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, or more or less
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 green onions, chopped - white and light green parts and dark green parts divided
- white pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 head butter or Boston Bibb lettuce, leaves separated
Directions
- Add rice and 1-1/2 cups water to a small saucepan then bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low then cover and simmer for 10 minutes (water should just barely be at a simmer.) Remove pan from heat then let sit for 5 minutes before removing the lid and fluffing with a fork. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, whisk together gluten-free Tamari or soy sauce, coconut sugar, chili garlic sauce, ground ginger, and sesame seeds in a small dish then set aside.
- Heat sesame oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and white and light green parts of green onions then season with white pepper and cook through. Add garlic then saute for 30 seconds. Pour in sauce then saute for 1 more minute.
- Scoop cooked rice into lettuce leaves then top with Korean beef mixture, green parts of green onions, and extra toasted sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Use a sturdy lettuce like Bibb or butter.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Can’t wait to try this recipe! I am a fan of fresh ginger root- would you recommend using that in place of the ground ginger? If so, would you do the 1:1 ratio (garlic:ginger) and just throw it in the pan at the same time as the garlic? Thanks!
Hi Susan! I would use double the amount of fresh ginger and yep, you can toss it in with the garlic! :)
I made this using sushi rice (sticky is helpful, and I had it on hand) and left out the sugar. Yummy! I found some mild ssamjang to use as well. (I could have gotten medium not mild and that would have been more interesting.)
Nice recipe; thanks!
I have never heard of chili garlic sauce. Do you buy it or make it yourself?
Hi Alice! You can find it in the Asian Foods aisle near the other sauces at the grocery store!
absolutely love this recipe. we make it at least once a month.
These were amazing! We had them with riced cauliflower that I sauteed in a tsp of toasted sesame oil and then drizzled some of the Tamari over it.
YUMMM that sounds divine, Paulette! I’m so glad you liked the wraps!
It looks delicious and healthy! ?? Thank you!
Girl, you are killing me with Gluten-Free Goodness, so glad a friend sent me a link to your site. I will be following you from now on. I love so many of your GF recipes. Thanks doing this.
This is such a wonderful and easy dish. My 10-year-old son and I made this for the family tonight and everyone loved it! We tried your gumbo this weekend too – also a hit. Thanks Kristin!
Hi Kristin! I first need to tell you that I’m a fellow Iowa girl and I’ve followed your blog for several years now. Your recipes are part of our family’s most favorite list! This dish is no exception. I made it tonight for the first time and all 5 of us loved it! Thanks for consistently offering tips, tricks and treats that make me look like a super chef to my favorite people ?
Made these for dinner tonight. Delicious! Will definitely add to our usual rotation. Loved the sauce on the beef. For simplicity, I also used frozen brown rice.
Ahhh! The organic ground beef by me is $13/lb!
I’ve made this recipe twice this week! Easy to make and so delicious!! thank you!
I’m a new mama and trying to get dinner on the table with a newborn is no easy feat. This was an exception! No fuss, but totally delicious. Made me feel like I’ve totally got this motherhood thing in the bag. ? Thanks for a great recipe!