Korean Beef Lettuce Cups

Korean Beef Lettuce Cups

Julia

These Korean Beef Lettuce Cups bring the beloved flavors of bulgogi—Korea's iconic marinated beef dish—into a fresh, gluten-free format that's perfect for weeknight dinners. Tender ground beef is quickly sautéed with a aromatic blend of sesame oil, fresh ginger, and garlic, then glazed with a sweet-savory sauce made from coconut aminos (a gluten-free soy sauce alternative), honey, and rice vinegar. The result is a dish that captures all the complexity of traditional Korean barbecue in under 30 minutes.

What makes these lettuce cups truly special is the textural contrast and interactive eating experience. Crisp butter lettuce leaves serve as natural, low-carb vessels for the warm, flavorful beef, while julienned carrots and cucumber add refreshing crunch. A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions provides the finishing touch, creating a harmonious balance of flavors and textures in every bite.

This recipe is ideal for those following a gluten-free lifestyle without sacrificing bold, authentic flavors. The hands-on nature of assembling your own lettuce wraps makes dinner feel like an event, encouraging family members to customize their cups with their preferred toppings. Whether you're hosting a casual gathering or simply want to elevate your weeknight meal routine, these lettuce cups deliver restaurant-quality results with minimal effort.

Best of all, this dish comes together in just 25 minutes from start to finish, making it a reliable go-to when you need something quick yet impressive. The beef mixture can even be prepared ahead and reheated, making it an excellent option for meal prep or entertaining.

Nutrition

25 minutes
None servings
385 calories
Fat 22.00g
Carbs 18.00g
Protein 28.00g

Ingredients

1.5 lbsground beef, preferably 85/15 lean-to-fat ratio
2 tbspsesame oil, divided
1 tbspfresh ginger, minced
4 clovesgarlic, minced
1/4 cupcoconut aminos, gluten-free soy sauce substitute
2 tbsphoney
1 tbsprice vinegar
1 tspsriracha or gochujang, adjust to taste
4 wholegreen onions, thinly sliced
2 headsbutter lettuce, leaves separated and washed
1 mediumcarrot, julienned
1 mediumcucumber, julienned
2 tbspsesame seeds, toasted
1/2 tspsalt
1/4 tspblack pepper, freshly ground

Equipment

Cutting board
Whisk
wooden spoon or spatula
chef's knife
measuring cups and spoons
serving platter
large skillet or wok
small mixing bowls
julienne peeler

16:8 Diet

This recipe is ideal for 16:8 intermittent fasting eating windows, providing substantial protein from beef, healthy fats from sesame oil, and fiber-rich vegetables that promote satiety. The balanced macronutrients help maintain stable energy levels throughout the fasting period.

80/20 Diet

This recipe fits the 80/20 principle with nutrient-dense whole foods comprising the vast majority of ingredients—grass-fed beef, fresh vegetables, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil—while the small amount of honey and sriracha add flavor without compromising the overall nutritional quality.

Ancestral Diet

This recipe follows Ancestral Diet principles with grass-fed beef, fresh vegetables, and healthy fats while completely avoiding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. The use of lettuce wraps instead of bread and coconut aminos instead of soy sauce keeps it aligned with hunter-gatherer eating patterns.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

This recipe features powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients including fresh ginger, garlic, sesame oil (rich in omega-6 in balance), and colorful vegetables. It avoids refined carbohydrates and processed foods while incorporating sesame seeds and fresh vegetables that provide antioxidants and phytonutrients.

Cave Man Diet

This recipe follows Cave Man Diet principles with grass-fed beef, fresh vegetables, and healthy fats from sesame oil while avoiding all grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. The simple, whole-food approach mirrors what would have been available to early humans.

Clean Eating

This recipe exemplifies clean eating with whole, minimally processed ingredients including fresh ground beef, vegetables, ginger, and garlic. It uses coconut aminos and honey as natural alternatives to processed condiments, avoiding artificial additives and refined ingredients while focusing on recognizable whole foods.

Evolutionary Diet

This recipe adheres to Evolutionary Diet principles by featuring grass-fed beef, fresh vegetables, and sesame oil while excluding all grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. The whole-food ingredients and lettuce cup format reflect eating patterns that would have been available to our evolutionary ancestors.

Flexitarian Diet

While this recipe features beef as the protein, the abundant vegetables (lettuce, carrots, cucumber) make up a significant portion of the dish, and the interactive format allows diners to adjust their meat-to-vegetable ratio. The emphasis on fresh produce and whole-food ingredients aligns with flexitarian principles of plant-forward eating.

Gluten-Free Diet

This recipe is naturally gluten-free, using coconut aminos as a gluten-free soy sauce substitute and lettuce leaves instead of wheat-based wraps. All ingredients are whole foods without any gluten-containing grains, making it safe for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

High-Protein Diet

With 1.5 pounds of ground beef serving 4-6 people, this recipe delivers approximately 25-35 grams of protein per serving, making it excellent for high-protein diets. The lean beef provides quality protein while the vegetables add nutrients without excessive carbohydrates.

Hunter-Gatherer Diet

This recipe aligns with Hunter-Gatherer principles using grass-fed beef, fresh vegetables, and healthy fats while completely avoiding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. The simple preparation and whole-food ingredients reflect foods that could have been hunted and gathered in prehistoric times.

Intermittent Fasting

This nutrient-dense recipe is ideal for intermittent fasting eating windows, providing high-quality protein from beef, healthy fats from sesame oil, and abundant vegetables for sustained energy and satiety. The balanced macronutrients and whole-food ingredients help maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout fasting periods.

Intuitive Eating

This recipe supports intuitive eating principles by offering a satisfying, flavorful meal that honors both taste preferences and gentle nutrition. The interactive nature of assembling lettuce cups encourages mindful eating and allows individuals to customize portions based on their hunger cues and preferences.

Low-Carb Diet

These lettuce cups are perfectly low-carb, using crisp lettuce leaves instead of tortillas or bread and featuring protein-rich beef with non-starchy vegetables. The recipe keeps net carbs minimal by avoiding grains and relying on naturally low-carb vegetables and coconut aminos.

Mindful Eating

Perfect for mindful eating, this recipe engages multiple senses with varied textures (crisp lettuce, tender beef, crunchy vegetables), aromatic ingredients (ginger, garlic, sesame), and vibrant colors. The hands-on assembly process naturally slows down eating and encourages conscious awareness of each bite's flavors and textures.

Paleo Diet

This recipe is fully Paleo-compliant, featuring grass-fed ground beef, fresh vegetables, and healthy fats from sesame oil while using coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. It completely avoids grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods, relying on lettuce cups instead of bread or tortillas for a nutrient-dense, whole-food approach.

Paleolithic Diet

This recipe is fully Paleolithic-compliant, using grass-fed beef, fresh vegetables, and sesame oil while completely excluding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. The coconut aminos replace traditional soy sauce, keeping the recipe aligned with pre-agricultural eating patterns.

Pegan Diet

This recipe aligns with Pegan principles by emphasizing vegetables as a primary component (lettuce, carrots, cucumber) with grass-fed beef as a smaller protein accompaniment. It uses healthy fats from sesame oil, avoids dairy and gluten, and relies on coconut aminos instead of soy-based products.

Primal Blueprint

This recipe fits the Primal Blueprint perfectly with grass-fed beef, abundant non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats from sesame oil. It excludes all grains, legumes, and processed foods while using coconut aminos as a natural alternative to soy sauce, and the small amount of honey is acceptable within Primal guidelines.

Primal Diet

This recipe is Primal-compliant, featuring grass-fed beef, fresh vegetables, and healthy fats from sesame oil while using coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. It avoids all grains, legumes, and processed foods, focusing on whole, nutrient-dense ingredients that support metabolic health.

Stone Age Diet

This recipe is Stone Age Diet compliant, featuring grass-fed beef, fresh vegetables, and sesame oil while excluding all grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. The lettuce wraps and whole-food ingredients represent foods available to Paleolithic humans.

Weight Watchers

This recipe aligns with Weight Watchers principles by emphasizing lean protein from ground beef, abundant non-starchy vegetables, and minimal added fats. The interactive lettuce cup format encourages portion awareness while the nutrient-dense ingredients provide satisfying flavors without excessive calories.

Whole30

This recipe is Whole30-compliant, using only unprocessed ingredients including grass-fed beef, fresh vegetables, and coconut aminos (a compliant soy sauce alternative) with no added sugars beyond the small amount of honey, which can be replaced with compliant alternatives. It completely avoids grains, legumes, dairy, and processed ingredients while focusing on whole foods.

Wild Diet

This recipe follows Wild Diet principles with grass-fed beef, abundant fresh vegetables, and healthy fats from sesame oil while completely avoiding refined sugars, processed foods, and industrial seed oils. The use of coconut aminos and natural seasonings keeps the recipe clean and nutrient-dense.

Instructions

1

Prepare all vegetables: Separate and wash butter lettuce leaves, pat dry, and arrange on a serving platter. Julienne the carrot and cucumber into thin matchsticks. Slice green onions thinly, keeping white and green parts separate.

10 min
2

Mince the ginger and garlic finely. Set aside together in a small bowl.

2 min
3

In a small bowl, whisk together coconut aminos, honey, rice vinegar, and sriracha until well combined. Set the sauce aside.

1 min
4

Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1-2 minutes.

2 min
5
1 min

Add the minced ginger and garlic to the hot oil, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn.

6
6 min

Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up large chunks, until the beef is browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.

7

Drain excess fat from the skillet if necessary, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.

1 min
8
3 min

Pour the prepared sauce over the cooked beef. Add the white parts of the sliced green onions. Stir well to coat the beef evenly and cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce and caramelize slightly.

9

Remove the skillet from heat and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over the beef. Stir to combine.

10

Transfer the beef mixture to a serving bowl. Garnish with the green parts of the sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

1 min
11

Serve the warm beef alongside the platter of lettuce leaves, julienned carrots, and cucumber. To assemble, spoon beef into a lettuce leaf, top with vegetables, and fold like a taco. Enjoy immediately!

Frequently Asked Questions