Beef and Cashew Lettuce Cups (Printable)

Crisp lettuce cups filled with savory seasoned beef, crunchy cashews, and fresh vegetables for a quick Asian-inspired meal.

# 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 - 1/2 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

# 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. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
06 - 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 Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between warm, savory beef and cool, crisp lettuce is the kind of thing that makes people pause after their first bite
  • Everything happens in one pan, and the assembly is so satisfying it almost counts as an activity
  • These somehow manage to feel fancy enough for company while being casual enough that no one needs a fork
02 -
  • The lettuce will start to wilt if you assemble these too far ahead, so put everything in separate bowls and let people build their own at the table
  • I accidentally used pre-toasted cashews once and they turned soggy almost immediately, so definitely start with raw ones
  • The mixture tastes better after sitting for a minute, so don't be afraid to take the pan off the heat and let it rest while you prep the lettuce
03 -
  • Use tamari instead of soy sauce if you need this to be gluten-free, and double-check your hoisin and oyster sauce labels
  • Butter lettuce cups look more elegant, but iceberg never quits, even with hot filling

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