Imagine a mouthwatering Asian-inspired dish that combines tender, perfectly seasoned beef with crisp, fresh lettuce leaves - all prepared with minimal effort in your slow cooker! These Slow Cooker Beef Lettuce Wraps are about to become your new favorite weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like it came straight from a restaurant kitchen. Whether you're craving a low-carb meal, seeking a quick family dinner, or wanting to impress guests with minimal cooking skills, this recipe is your ultimate culinary solution.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 6 hrs
Total Time: 6 hrs 10 mins
Cuisine: Asian
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 head of lettuce, leaves separated
- Chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and minced ginger to create the sauce mixture.
- Place the ground beef in the slow cooker, breaking it up into small crumbles with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the ground beef, stirring gently to ensure the meat is evenly coated.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6 hours, allowing the beef to become tender and absorb the flavors of the sauce.
- About 30 minutes before serving, use a wooden spoon to break up the beef into smaller, more uniform pieces and stir to redistribute the sauce.
- Carefully wash and dry the lettuce leaves, ensuring they are crisp and clean for wrapping.
- Once cooking is complete, use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef mixture to a serving dish, allowing excess liquid to drain.
- Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and place the cooked beef mixture in a separate bowl.
- Garnish the beef with chopped green onions for added flavor and freshness.
- Allow guests to create their own wraps by spooning the beef mixture into individual lettuce leaves.
Tips
- Choose the right ground beef: Opt for lean ground beef (90/10) to prevent excess grease in your final dish.
- For maximum flavor, let the beef marinate in the sauce for the full 6 hours. The slow cooking process allows the meat to absorb all the delicious Asian-inspired seasonings.
- Use fresh, crisp lettuce leaves like butter lettuce or iceberg for the best wrapping experience. Avoid wilted or torn leaves.
- If you want extra heat, add a few drops of sriracha sauce to the meat mixture or serve it on the side.
- Prep your ingredients in advance: Chop green onions and mix the sauce the night before to save time on cooking day.
- For a meal prep friendly version, store the beef and lettuce leaves separately in the refrigerator and reheat the meat gently before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 250kcal
Carbohydrates: 8g
Protein: 22g
Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 70mg
