Vegan Lettuce Wraps
These Veggie Lettuce Wraps deliver flavor-infused tofu served in cups of lettuce. Enjoy this tangy vegetarian recipe for your next low-carb or vegan keto meal. Based on the PF Changs recipe, these wraps are loaded with plant-based protein, veggies, and more.
Looking for more vegan Asian-inspired dishes? Check out this Crispy Orange Tofu or this Miso Tofu which is perfect served over low-carb noodles.
I’ve been a fan of lettuce wraps before I could even eat them. It seemed like our local restaurants only served them with chicken and so I had to be a bystander to this dish. I’m not one to sit on the sidelines for long. So, now I make my own Veggie Lettuce Wraps, and they’re the best!
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Tofu is cooked in a skillet with sesame oil, creating a flavorful base for the filling
- Veggies are added to produce crunch and authentic flavors in every bite
- Serving the filling in lettuce cups keeps this a perfect low-carb recipe that’s both filling and delicious
What Tofu is Best?
You’ll want to use firm or extra-firm tofu for this recipe because it has a compact texture that produces the perfect mouth-feel for this filling. Tofu has a neutral flavor, allowing it to soak up the seasonings it’s cooked with. However, tofu comes packed in water, so pressing the packing water out of the tofu is the best way to make way for the flavors you’re about to cook it with. To press tofu, wrap it in a kitchen towel and place something heavy on it, like a pan or use a tofu press (paid link).
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Sesame oil — You can substitute olive oil, but sesame oil adds amazing flavor so it’s highly recommended
- Tofu — I recommend using extra-firm tofu. Check out my guide for how to buy tofu, including where to find it in the grocery store.
- Onion — I used a yellow onion, but you can substitute white, red, or even green onion.
- Tamari — This is a gluten-free soy sauce. If gluten is not a concern, you can substitute soy sauce
- Rice vinegar — This is a mild vinegar, making it perfect for Asian recipes
- Garlic — You’ll need 2 cloves of garlic or you can substitute several mellow cloves of this garlic confit.
- Water Chestnuts — I used canned water chestnuts and add them to the filling. You can substitute chopped radishes, which mellow out as they cook, but still provide a little crunch.
- Red cabbage — Cutting red cabbage into slivers and cooking it with tofu makes a perfect texture and flavor in the filling. You can substitute green cabbage.
- Bell Peppers — I recommend using red, orange, or yellow bell peppers because they have a more mild flavor.
- Almonds — We’ll add bits of crunch with some chopped almonds. You can substitute chopped peanuts.
- Butter lettuce — Butter lettuce works best for veggie lettuce wraps, but you can experiment with different lettuces like romaine or iceberg which is a bit crispier, but harder to roll.
- Almond butter — I used almond butter, but you can substitute peanut butter or even tahini.
- Spices — We’ll add both ground ginger and garlic powder.
Quick Fix Tip
You can substitute a store-bought Hoisin sauce in place of the almond sauce recipe below. However, homemade has a more vibrant, fresh flavor. And you’ll want to read the labels of any Asian-themed sauces you buy to make sure they’re made without fish sauce.
How to Make Vegan Lettuce Wraps
- Cook tofu in a skillet with sesame oil over medium-high heat. Use a spatula to press the tofu into a crumbly mixture. Cook until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the onion, tamari, and vinegar and cook until the onions are tender.
- Stir in chopped garlic, veggies, and almonds. Cook a few more minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender.
- Prepare the sauce by stirring together the ingredients stirring. Add half of the sauce to the tofu mixture and stir until it’s all coated.
- Serve lettuce wraps by scooping the veggie tofu mixture into the center of each lettuce leaf. Drizzle each cup with some of the sauce.
Storage Tips
Store the filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend this recipe for freezing, as it changes the texture of the tofu.
What is the Best Lettuce for Lettuce Wraps?
There are a number of lettuces you can use for lettuce wraps, including iceberg, green leaf, Boston, and butter lettuces. The most preferred lettuce is iceberg because it’s crisp and holds its shape well. The second most preferred is butter lettuce because it’s softer than iceberg and therefore easier to roll up.
Are PF Changs Lettuce Wraps Vegan?
PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps are made with seared tofu, green onions, water chestnuts, and other delicious seasonings and fillings. As of this writing, they are safe for both vegetarians and vegans to eat. However, recipes change so it never hurts to check with your server.
Marly’s Tips
- Press tofu by wrapping it in a kitchen towel and placing it on a plate with something heavy on the top for 30 minutes to an hour or use a tofu presser
- You can substitute any sauce, even plain soy sauce for the sauce in this recipe.
- Adapt the seasonings in this recipe to suit your personal taste preferences. For example, add more tamari for a richer flavor or add hot sauce if you prefer it spicy.
Asian Vegan Recipes
If you love these vegan lettuce wraps, you’re ready to try even more vegan Asian recipes:
Note: If you’re wanting to use this recipe in a low carb or keto diet, you may wonder is tofu keto-friendly? It’s a great question! The good news is, tofu is low-carb so it’s perfect to be a part of your low-carb vegan diet.
I hope you enjoy these veggie lettuce wraps as much as we do!
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Veggie Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil (see note)
- 15 oz extra firm tofu, drained
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons water chestnuts
- ¼ cup red cabbage, chopped
- ¼ cup red peppers, chopped
- 2 tablespoons almonds, chopped
- 1 head butter lettuce
Almond Butter Sauce
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Instructions
- Heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Break the tofu into chunks and add to the skillet. Use a spatula to continue breaking the tofu down into a crumbly mixture. Cook tofu until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in onion, tamari, and rice wine vinegar. Cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped garlic, water chestnuts, red pepper, cabbage, and almonds. Cook a few more minutes, until the peppers are slightly tender.
- Prepare the almond butter sauce by combing the ingredients and stirring. Add half of the sauce to the skillet with the tofu mixture, stirring it to ensure all the pieces are coated.
- To serve, scoop a spoonful or two of the veggie tofu mixture into the center of each butter lettuce leaf. Serve with reserved almond butter sauce or sauce of your choice.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2015 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
I am doing the Daniel Fast during Lent and I have been looking for recipes that would fit the guidelines of the fast. This was also my first time cooking with tofu and I was quite skeptical. I tweeked the recipe a little and fell in love with the results. These lettuce wraps were truly amazing!
I’m pinning and making!Love this recipe.easy and simple .i will definitely try it. One of our families favorite dinners! So easy and it tastes delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks Xuhi! So glad you like this recipe!
I made this tofu lettuce wrap tonight and it was delicious. I did not read the recipe, carefully, and I threw the Blackberry Hoisin in, while it was cooking, instead of adding it as a sauce at the end, but I think I like it that way. Also, is rice wine vinegar the same as rice vinegar? It was called for twice, and I did not know what to do, so the first time I used rice vinegar and the second time I used mirin. 3rd thing (there is no end of me, is there?), the blackberry jam has teeny seeds, so you might want to warn people that if they feel an occasional gritty thing, it is not dirt from the lettuce, as I had feared I had not washed my lettuce well enough, until I realized it was seeds. Anyway, I loved the dish and will make it again.
Susan, thanks for your comment! First, let me say I’m so glad you liked these vegetarian lettuce wraps! It’s one of my favorites too! I used rice vinegar. However, I think mirin would be quite tasty in this recipe as well! And I also added a note – thanks to you – about the seeds in the blackberry jam. Sometimes I like to say it takes a village to create a recipe. Thanks for your contributions!
I love vegan food! Esp raw 😀
Well, these veggie lettuce wraps aren’t raw, but I did transform them into low carb!