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These Asian turkey lettuce wraps are light, flavorful, and come together quickly with just a handful of pantry staples. The combination of savory hoisin sauce, spicy chili crisp, and roasted peanuts gives the ground turkey bold flavor and satisfying texture.
They’re perfect for an easy lunch, dinner, or appetizer. Spoon the warm filling into crisp lettuce leaves and garnish with green onions and extra peanuts for a dish that’s both low-carb and full of flavor. It’s a great way to use ground turkey in something a little different!
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Fast and flavorful. The filling cooks up in under 15 minutes with bold, savory-sweet flavor.
Light and low-carb. Lettuce wraps keep things fresh and satisfying without weighing you down.
Flexible and fun to serve. Great for lunch, dinner, or party appetizers—everyone can build their own.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground turkey: Thigh meat adds moisture and flavor, but breast meat works if you prefer leaner.
- Peanut oil: Adds subtle nutty flavor and handles high heat well.
- Yellow onion: Sautéed with the turkey for savory depth.
- Garlic and ginger: Classic aromatics for big flavor—fresh is best.
- Chili crisp: Adds spicy, umami-rich heat—use your favorite brand or substitute with Sriracha.
- Hoisin sauce: Sweet and savory base that defines the dish.
- Soy sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce balances the sweetness of the hoisin.
- Rice vinegar: Adds a splash of acidity to brighten the mixture.
- Roasted peanuts: Add crunch and nuttiness—half go in the mix, half on top.
- Lettuce leaves: Use butter lettuce, romaine, or iceberg—whatever cups well.
Steps to Make Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
- Prepare and slice the green onions, separating white and green parts.
- Heat oil in a pan, then cook the ground turkey, breaking it up as it browns.
- Add onion and cook until softened and turkey is no longer pink.
- Stir in garlic, ginger, chili crisp, half the peanuts, and white onion parts.
- Add hoisin, soy sauce, and rice vinegar; simmer and adjust to taste.
- Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves and garnish with remaining peanuts and green onion tops.
Tips for Turkey Lettuce Wraps
- Use ground turkey thighs for better flavor and texture.
- Slice the green onions ahead of time and keep whites and greens separate for layering flavor.
- Adjust the heat level to taste—use more or less chili crisp or swap in Sriracha.
- Warm the lettuce briefly (or use room temp) for easier wrapping and a softer texture.
- Serve with extra hoisin or chili sauce on the side for dipping.
Recipe Variations
- Water chestnut crunch. Swap the peanuts for ½ cup chopped water chestnuts and extra green onion tops.
- Low-carb wraps. Serve the filling in small low-carb tortillas instead of lettuce.
- Salad bowl style. Spoon over mixed greens or slaw for an easy grain-free bowl.
- Add mushrooms. Finely chopped shiitakes or creminis boost umami.
- Make it vegetarian. Use finely chopped tofu or tempeh in place of turkey and season as you would the meat.
What to Serve With Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Turkey lettuce wraps make a fabulous appetizer, lunch, or dinner dish. Here are some ideas for side dishes that would go well with the wraps.
- Sautéed of steamed broccoli or broccolini.
- Cauliflower fried rice.
- Roasted baby bok choy.
- Roasted carrots.
- Spaghetti squash.
- Summer squash or zucchini.
- Snow peas.
- Sautéed peppers.
- Steamed rice or cauliflower rice.
- Spring rolls, fresh or fried.
- A cup of soup.
- Broccoli salad with miso sesame dressing.
- Coleslaw.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Store leftover ground turkey filling in an airtight container and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.
Freeze: Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or resealable bag. Label and freeze up to 3 months.
Reheat: Thaw in the fridge if frozen, then warm in a skillet or microwave until hot throughout.
Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 3 green onions
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 to 2 tsp chili crisp or Asian chili sauce, such as Sriracha
- 6 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted peanuts, divided
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Butter lettuce or romaine leaves, about 10 to 12 leaves
Instructions
- Thinly slice the green onions, keeping the white and light green parts separate from the dark green tops. Set aside.3 green onions
- Heat the peanut oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and break it up into smaller pieces. Season with the pepper and let it cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes. Add the chopped onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the turkey is cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes longer.1 tbsp peanut oil | 1 pound ground turkey | 1/4 tsp black pepper | 1/2 cup chopped onion
- Add the garlic, ginger, chili crisp or Sriracha, half of the chopped peanuts, and white parts of the green onions and cook for 3 minutes longer.2 cloves garlic | 1 tbsp grated ginger | 1 to 2 tsp chili crisp or Asian chili sauce, such as Sriracha | 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
- Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar, and cook for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust with more chili crisp, soy sauce, or vinegar, if desired.2 tbsp hoisin sauce | 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce | 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Spoon the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves and garnish with the remaining chopped peanuts and reserved green onion tops.3 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted peanuts | Butter lettuce or romaine leaves
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
