Tofu Lettuce Wraps make a fantastic light vegetarian lunch or dinner and also work wonderfully as an appetizer. The vegetarian lettuce wraps are actually vegan and gluten-free as well.
With under 200 calories and just 9 net carbs per entrée size serving these delicious tofu wraps are easy to fit into a wide array of dietary plans.
How to Make Tofu Lettuce Wraps
Let's make some of these vegetarian lettuce wraps with tofu. The recipe is easy and I'll walk you through it here with step-by-step directions, complete with pictures. Jump down to the printable recipe card if you prefer.
The recipe makes 3-4 entrée servings or serves 6 as an appetizer.
Prep Time: 10 mins | Cooking Time: 10 mins
Ingredients
Here is everything you will need to make the vegan tofu lettuce wraps.
- 1 pound extra firm tofu, drained
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and matchstick sliced
- 5-6 medium radishes, sliced into matchsticks
- 2 large green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1-2 heads butter lettuce (also called Boston lettuce), washed and dried
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds to garnish
Sauce:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about a 2 inch piece)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten free or coconut aminos for less salt)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- Optional - add a ½ teaspoon of chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek if you like spicy food.
Step-by-Step Directions
Cut off the base of the lettuce head. Pull off the leaves and discard any that are not intact. Rinse leaves in cold water and drain off excess water. Do not do this step before you are ready to cook, as you want crisp lettuce leaves.
Press tofu with a kitchen towel paper towel to remove excess moisture, then cut tofu into half inch cubes.
Peel and thinly slice the carrot into ¼” or thinner sticks no more than 2” long.
Cut radish into ¼” sticks.
Finely mince the ginger and garlic.
Mix the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add the cubed tofu to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the chopped carrots and radish. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour in the sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. Then stir in green onion at the end.
Serve a scoop or 2 of the tofu filling in each lettuce leaf. Sprinkle on sesame seeds.
The tofu wraps are best served warm.
Variations on the Recipe
There are many ways you can veer off this recipe with success. Here are a few suggestions, if you want to make the recipe your own.
- Swap or add veggies; water chestnuts, sliced bell pepper and oyster or shiitake mushrooms are great options.
- Pickled daikon or pickled carrots can be used in place of the fresh vegetables in the stir-fry or added to the wraps when serving.
- If you want to make non-vegetarian wraps shrimp, ground chicken or pork can stand in for the tofu.
- For those looking for more carbs in their meal, add some rice noodle or steamed brown rice. A side of air fried sweet potato fries or crispy oven fries would also do the trick.
- For a crunchy most taco like experience while eating the tofu wraps, try using romaine lettuce instead.
- Try another sauce, sweet chili sauce, teriyaki sauce, spicy peanut sauce or a mix of soy sauce and hoisin sauce would also work when stir frying the tofu mixture.
Storing Lettuce Wraps
The stir fried tofu mixture can be sealed in an airtight container and kept for 3-4 days in the fridge.
If you want to pack for lunches, I recommend packing the lettuce leaves and filling separately so you can warm the tofu in a microwave and spoon into the leaves to eat. If you don't mind the filling cold, then by all means pre-wrap them.
Equipment
- large skillet non-stick or well seasoned cast iron skillet
- paper towels
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra firm tofu drained
- 1 medium carrot peeled and matchstick sliced
- 5-6 medium radishes matchstick sliced
- 2 large green onions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil flavorless, high heat oil, such as avocado or canola oil
- 1-2 heads butter lettuce or Boston lettuce washed and dried
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds to garnish
Sauce:
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger peeled and minced (about a 2 inch piece)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce tamari for gluten free or coconut aminos for less salt
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce (optional, for those that love hot and spicy food)
Instructions
- Cut off the base of the lettuce head. Pull off the leaves and discard any that are not intact. Rinse leaves in cold water and drain off excess water. Do not do this step before you are ready to cook, as you want crisp lettuce leaves.
- Press tofu with paper towel to remove excess moisture, then cut tofu into half inch cubes.
- Peel and thinly slice the carrot into ¼” or thinner sticks no more than 2” long.
- Cut radish into ¼” sticks.
- Finely mince the ginger and garlic.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the tofu and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the chopped carrots and radish. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pour in the sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. Then stir in green onion at the end.
- Serve a scoop or 2 of the tofu filling in each lettuce leaf. Sprinkle on sesame seeds.
- The tofu wraps are best served warm.
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