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These Healthy Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps are fresh, ultra-flavorful, protein-packed, and so satisfying when you want something hearty without feeling weighed down. We’re filling crunchy lettuce leaves with warm, perfectly seasoned lean ground beef, dollops of chunky homemade guacamole, juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh lime, and a little cilantro for that bright, taco-inspired flavor everyone loves.
Perfect as a light meal, snack, or appetizer. They’re a great dinner idea when you want something in under 20 minutes, low carb, and high protein!
I normally love chicken lettuce wraps because they’re a super fast meal idea, but today I’m making lettuce wraps with ground beef for something a little different! These healthy beef lettuce wraps are light but filling and the beef portion is ready in 15 minutes just like my cheeseburger lettuce wrap recipe and grass fed beef lettuce wrap recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
While Asian lettuce wraps have taken off, these taco-inspired beef lettuce wraps bring a fresh spin that’s ready in half the time and uses fewer ingredients. Perfect for busy weeknights or light summer dinners.
- High Protein Recipe: This lettuce wrap recipe uses lean ground beef which is low in fat and gives this meal around 27 grams of protein per serving!
- Low in Carbs: Because we are using lettuce in this recipe instead of white rice, another grain or a traditional wrap, this meal only contains 10 carbs. This meal is also gluten-free.
- Light Meal: During the summer months, I love eating light meals like this one. It’s just filling enough to hold you to the next meal, but not so heavy you want to take a nap afterward.
- Super Quick: Did you see the part about these lettuce wraps with ground beef only taking a total of 20 minutes to make! They come together fast in one skillet, use basic ingredients, and still feel colorful, fresh, and a little special.
- Build-Your-Own Fun: Serve these ground beef lettuce wraps as a lighter taco night option. Pile everything onto a big serving board, and let everyone build their own lettuce boats. Add extra lime wedges, more tomatoes, or your favorite clean toppings, and dinner is ready in minutes.
- Versatile: I love recipes like this because they’re flexible, meal-prep friendly, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
These are the simple ingredients that make these Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps the perfect light meal for summer.
Ground Beef: I like to use 85% or higher, lean ground beef and if I can find it on sale, I’ll also try to buy grass-fed. However, use whatever you like and have the budget for.
Flavor: Bold spices like garlic, paprika, and cumin give the ground beef a taco flavor.
Guacamole: I like to make my own guacamole, but if you prefer to buy it at the store, look for a brand that has only the main guacamole ingredients: avocados, lime juice, onion, cilantro, salt, and sometimes they also have tomatoes or jalapenos. No preservatives, colors, or additional flavors.
Lettuce Leaves: You can use butter lettuce or romaine lettuce to serve as your lettuce wraps.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations And Substitutions
Ground Beef: Swap the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken.
Vegetarian swap: Make these beef wraps vegetarian by swapping the beef for your favorite meatless protein like tofu, lentils, or Quorn.
Lettuce Leaves: If you don’t have romaine or butter lettuce, you can also use iceberg lettuce, Boston, or Bib lettuce. Use any lettuce you like that can be shaped into a lettuce boat or lettuce cup. Or chop the lettuce and add it and the beef to a bowl for a taco salad.
Spice Lovers: Sprinkle in a pinch of red pepper flakes when cooking your beef to wake up the smoky flavor of the paprika and cumin!
How To Make Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
Step 1. Wash and dry lettuce leaves. Choose sturdy ones that can hold filling. Double up if needed.
Step 2. In a bowl or pestle, mash your ripe avocados with lime juice, and sea salt.
Step 3. Stir in red onion, tomato, and cilantro. Keep slightly chunky for texture.
Step 4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, garlic, paprika, cumin, sea salt, and pepper. Cook until the meat begins to brown one one side, 1-2 minutes.
Step 5. Stir and brown on all sides, until the meat is just cooked. Drain any excess grease. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
Step 6. Assemble by adding a spoonful of guacamole to each green leaf. Top with warm meat and extra tomatoes, lime wedges, or salsa if desired.
Rachel’s Tips For The Best Results
- Allow the meat to cool a bit before placing it in the lettuce to keep the lettuce crisp.
- Fold the lettuce around the meat and eat it like a taco.
- Add a diced jalapeno to your guacamole if you like it a bit more spicy.
- Make extra and use the leftovers as your meal prep lunches the rest of the week.
- Adding quinoa or brown rice to the meat mixture can help make this meal more affordable by stretching your dollar and more filling for bigger appetites.
What Goes Well With a Lettuce Wrap?
With the crisp, cool lettuce, the warm smoky beef, the creamy guacamole and the bright zesty lime, these beef wraps are already amazing. But to bring out even more freshness, try serving them with a chilled cucumber salad or tangy pickled red onions. As a side dish, try this Fresh Corn and Zucchini Salad or Herb Butter Corn on the Cob.
The best part of this ground beef meal for my kids is the toppings! Here are the toppings we tend to really enjoy:
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Salsa
- Taco sauce
- Kimchi
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced jalapenos
- Cotija cheese
- Green Onions
- Grilled or Roasted Veggies (like roasted red peppers or zucchini)
Make-Ahead Storage and Reheat
Whether you are making these lettuce wraps ahead for your weekly meal prep or have leftovers from a family taco night, here are directions for storage and reheat.
Refrigerator: Store any leftover beef mixture in the fridge for up to 4 days in an air-tight container. Store the lettuce leaves separately, then assemble as needed.
Freezer: Freeze the ground beef mixture in an air-tight container for up to 2 months. Do not freeze the lettuce wraps, they will become soggy.
Reheat: To reheat from frozen or thawed, place the beef portion you want to eat into a microwave safe dish and microwave in 10-15 second bursts until warmed through. Do not heat the lettuce wraps. Fill wraps with warmed beef before serving. You can also quickly reheat the beef in a skillet on the stove if you dislike using microwaves.
Recipe FAQs
Is it better to use grass fed beef in this recipe?
While grass fed beef is great for its omega 3 levels, sometimes it is hard to spend the extra money on it. I suggest looking to purchase it on sale if possible, and if not, just use regular lean ground beef.
What is the best meat for lettuce wraps?
Lettuce wraps can be made with any meat such as chicken, turkey, beef, or even fish.
Are ground beef lettuce wraps healthy?
These ground beef lettuce wraps are healthy because they use lean beef, and clean, natural ingredients that are free from added preservatives, colors, or flavors.
How do you cut lettuce for lettuce wraps?
You actually don’t need to cut the lettuce at all. Just pull the outermost leaf off, wash it, pat it dry, and fill it with the filling. It’s already got the perfect shape!
Did you try this Ground Beef Lettuce Wrap recipe? If so, it would mean so much to me if you would comment and rate this recipe!
🩷Rachel
More Recipes You’ll Love
Easy, Healthy Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Homemade Guacamole:
- 2 medium ripe avocados
- juice of one fresh lime juice
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Beef Mixture:
- 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- juice of one fresh lime
Assembly:
- 12 lettuce butter lettuce leaves, large (optional romaine lettuce)
- Organic Salsa, or diced tomatoes (optional)
- extra lime wedges, (optional)
Instructions
- Wash and dry lettuce leaves. Choose sturdy ones that can hold filling. Double up if needed.
- In a bowl or pestle, mash your ripe avocados with lime juice, and sea salt. Stir in red onion, tomato, and cilantro. Keep slightly chunky for texture.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, garlic, paprika, cumin, sea salt, and pepper. Cook until the meat crumbles and begins to brown. Drain any excess grease. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
- Assemble your boats Add a spoonful of guacamole to each leaf. Top with warm meat and extra tomatoes, lime wedges, or salsa if desired.
- Enjoy!
- Love, Rachel
Notes
- Allow the meat to cool a bit before placing it in the lettuce to keep the lettuce crisp.
- Fold the lettuce around the meat and eat it like a taco.
- Add a diced jalapeno to your guacamole if you like it a bit more spicy.
- Make extra and use the leftovers as your meal prep lunches the rest of the week.
- Adding quinoa or brown rice to the meat mixture can help make this meal more affordable by stretching your dollar and more filling for bigger appetites.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
