Beef and Cashew Lettuce Cups (Printable Format)

Savory ground beef with crunchy cashews, fresh vegetables, and Asian sauces served in crisp lettuce cups. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1.1 lb lean ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
03 - 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
04 - 2 spring onions, finely sliced
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 1 head butter or iceberg lettuce, leaves separated, washed, and dried

→ Nuts

07 - ½ cup unsalted cashews, roughly chopped

→ Sauces & Condiments

08 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
10 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
11 - 1 tsp sesame oil
12 - 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
13 - 1 tsp chili sauce (optional, for heat)

→ Garnishes

14 - Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
15 - Lime wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add the garlic and ginger to the pan; stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the carrot, bell pepper, and half of the spring onions. Cook for 2–3 minutes until just softened.
04 - Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and chili sauce (if using). Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes.
05 - Stir in the cashews and cook for 1 minute, just to warm them through.
06 - Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
07 - To serve, spoon the beef mixture into the lettuce leaves. Top with remaining spring onions and fresh coriander. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The contrast of warm spiced beef against cold crisp lettuce creates that magic temperature balance that makes you want to keep eating
  • Everything happens in one pan and thirty minutes, which means weeknight dinner feels special without the special effort
02 -
  • Dry the lettuce leaves completely with paper towels after washing, any water left on them will make the filling slide right off
  • The beef mixture will keep in the fridge for three days but the texture changes, so make fresh lettuce leaves when you reheat leftovers
03 -
  • Use tamari instead of soy sauce if you need this gluten free, and check your labels on the other sauces because hidden gluten lurks everywhere
  • If your lettuce tears while separating leaves, use the smaller pieces as scoops or layer two leaves together for structural support

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