Lentil Lettuce Wraps

These delicious lettuce wraps are filled with hearty lentils, crunchy water chestnuts, and plenty of spicy flavors. Try these wraps as an appetizer with your favorite Asian-inspired dishes, or enjoy them as a filling meatless main dish!

I love these lettuce wraps because they’re high in protein and a little lower in carbs than your typical meatless meal. These are a great appetizer option if you’re making a stir fry or ramen noodles.

Lentil Lettuce Wrap Ingredients

• French lentils- French lentils have a more firm texture than brown or green lentils. Sometimes French lentils are called black lentils or lentilles du Puy.
• Garlic– I used fresh garlic but you can used minced garlic, if you prefer.
• Onion– I used a white onion but a small yellow onion will work as well.
• Soy Sauce- This adds a salty, umami flavor. Look for gluten free soy sauce, if you want to avoid gluten. Or substitute with liquid aminos.
• Rice Vinegar– This slightly sweet vinegar adds a tangy flavor.
• Ginger– I love the spicy flavor of freshly grated ginger.
• Hoisin Sauce– This uniquely sweet and savory sauce adds lots of flavor to these lentils.
• Sririacha– Feel free to leave this out if you don’t want to make these spicy.
• Honey– A little honey or agave helps tame the spicy flavor.
• Water Chestnuts– These add a distinctive crunch to the lettuce wraps.
• Lettuce– I recommend using butter lettuce leaves but iceburg lettuce leaves are fine, too.
• Green onions– I love the fresh flavor and pop of color this adds to the wraps.

Tips for Perfect Lentil Lettuce Wraps

• The fresh ginger in this recipe is critical, so don’t swap it for the powdered stuff.
• Add a little extra sriracha on top if you like it super spicy!
• I love using butter lettuce leaves for these wraps, which is a little more tender than iceberg, but either one works just fine.

The Best Lentils for Lettuce Wraps

French lentils have a more firm texture than brown or green lentils. They soften when cooked but they still hold their shape. Sometimes French lentils are called black lentils or lentilles du Puy. You can often find them at places like Whole Foods or specialty grocery stores. In a pinch, you can use brown or green lentils.

Make Ahead Tips

Since these lentils hold their shape, you don’t have to worry about the filling getting soggy. You can prep the filling up to 3 days in advance. Store in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. You can also serve the lettuce wraps cold if you prefer.

Substitution Ideas

• If you can’t find butter lettuce leaves, you can use romaine or iceberg lettuce instead. Look for large, cupped leaves.
• If you don’t have french lentils, you can use brown or green lentils in this recipe. Do not use red lentils which are too soft.
• If you don’t have any rice vinegar, check out these rice vinegar substitutions to give you the same flavor with ingredients you probably have in your pantry.
• Looking to spice things up? Add a drizzle of my homemade chili crisp oil on top!

What to Serve with Lettuce Wraps

Trying to pick out the perfect menu? Try serving these wraps as an appetizer with this Sheet Pan Edamame. Or make these wraps the main event and pair them with this crunchy rainbow slaw. These wraps can be a great dish to pair with a stir fry or this sweet and sour tempeh. But they also have plenty of protein to be a satisfying main dish.

More Lentil Recipes

• Vegan Lentil Tacos
• Lentil Stuffed Peppers
• Mediterranean Lentil Soup

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More Lower-Carb Recipes

Looking for additional lower-carb plant-based recipes? Here are a few other recipes to try:

• Sheet Pan Edamame
• Air Fryer Eggplant Pizzas
• Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos