How To Make A Lettuce Wrap - Wholesome Yum (2024)

Today I’m sharing everything you need to know to make easy, healthy healthy lettuce wraps at home! Want to know the best lettuce to use for lettuce wraps? I’ve got options. How to make lettuce wraps that don’t fall apart? I’ll show you the secret to making ones like the sandwich shops do! Tips for the best keto lettuce wraps? I’ve got plenty. And, I’m including 16 easy low carb lettuce wraps recipes for you to try.

I love lettuce wraps for quick lunches and no-cook dinners in the hot summer. These keto lettuce wraps are so good, you’ll never even miss the bread.

There’s a lot to cover when it comes to homemade lettuce wraps, so let’s get right to it!

The Best Lettuce For Lettuce Wraps

If you’re wondering what kind of lettuce for lettuce wraps, I’ve got plenty of options for you!

Here are a few popular lettuce varieties to try when you are considering what lettuce to use for lettuce wraps:

• Butter/Boston Bibb – One of the most popular varieties to use. The butter lettuce leaves are both sturdy and pliable at the same time, forming a natural cup shape. The leaves are on the smaller side, so you may need to make a few wraps to make it a meal.
• Iceberg – Typically used in Asian lettuce wraps, iceberg is really crunchy, but that also means it doesn’t wrap well. It’s best if you use it more of a cup shape instead of trying to wrap it.
• Green leaf – This is the largest leaf and when you layer a couple of them together, you can make a pretty big wrap. It also wraps well, so it’s great to make a lettuce sub.
• Swiss chard – You can also use Swiss chard as a lettuce wrap. Simply remove the stem before adding fillings to yourhealthy lettuce wraps.
• Romaine – Another great option, we’ll discuss this one further below!

How To Make A Lettuce Wrap With Romaine

Because romaine doesn’t have as much “leafy” area to it, romaine lettuce wraps can be a bit tricky. But you can do it!

Here are the two main ways for making lettuce wraps with romaine lettuce:

1. Like a taco shell – This way, it doesn’t need to be completely wrapped up. If you picture it like a taco, it’s easy to eat. Hold it folded over lengthwise.
2. Overlap the lettuce leaves – By overlapping your lettuce leaves and using parchment paper, you can create tight lettuce wraps with Romaine lettuce. See my tips below on how to do that!

How To Cut Lettuce For Lettuce Wraps

Depending on what type of lettuce you are using, many of the leaves don’t need to be cut.

Here is how to cut lettuce for lettuce wraps using the different types of lettuce:

• Iceberg lettuce – Remove the core by holding the top of the lettuce with your hands and pounding the core down on a counter. Once it’s loosened, you can easily twist it out. Then wash the lettuce leaves, dry them, and they are ready to use.
• Swiss chard – Swiss chard will need the stem cut out, but it’s the only variety that actually needs to be cut.
• Other types of lettuce – Gently break off the individual lettuce leaves and wash and dry (gently!), so that the lettuce doesn’t tear.

How To Make Lettuce Wraps

So, how do you make lettuce wraps? The basic steps are pretty straightforward:

• Prep your lettuce leaves. Wash, dry and lay out your lettuce on a flat surface.
• Add fillings. Spread sauce over the lettuce first, then place meat or protein, cheese, extra veggies, and any additional toppings you want on your easy healthy lettuce wraps.
• Wrap or roll. Depending on what kind oflettuce wrap recipe you are making, you may need to roll your lettuce up, or you may eat it more like a taco! It will be delicious either way.

But if you want to know how to make super tight lettuce wraps that are similar to a wrap with a tortilla, here’s how you do that…

How To Make Lettuce Wraps Rolled Tight In Parchment Paper

This quick tutorial will show you how to make a lettuce wrapat home, just like you would grab at any legit sandwich shop:

• Lay out your lettuce leaves on parchment. Be sure to overlap them generously.

TIP: If you’re using a lot of fillings, use a few extra lettuce leaves for coverage! This will ensure things don’t fall out.

• Layer the sauce in first, so it’s covered, sticks to the lettuce, and doesn’t run off or out. Placing the sauce between the lettuce and the meat creates a seal.
• Layer your other fillings next– meat, cheese, and veggies.
• Roll the wrap like you would a sushi roll, pulling the parchment up and out as you fold it over, so you’re not tucking the paperintothe wrap… make sense?
• Tear off a little paper at a time when you’re eating it.

TIP: If you’re traveling with lettuce wraps, you may want to use aluminum foil, so it can be tightly closed on the ends until ready to eat!

Healthy Lettuce Wraps Recipes & Ideas

Now that you know how to make lettuce wraps, I want to give you some specific recipes to make them. This collection includes actual lettuce wraps recipes, plus recipes for fillings that would go perfectly inside healthy lettuce wraps.

1. Low Carb Chicken Salad– Easy chicken salad packed with flavorful herbs, and takes just a few minutes to make! Wraps well inside virtually any lettuce leaves.
2. Avocado Chicken Salad– Just 5 ingredients and full of fresh flavors! This one reminds me of a cross between guacamole and chicken salad.
3. Tuna Egg Salad– When you’re bored with chicken salad lettuce wraps, try tuna! This easy tuna egg salad is ready in just 10 minutes, and perfect to make ahead.
4. Easy Healthy Avocado Tuna Salad– Packed with healthy fats, and takes just 7 ingredients to make! My favorite for tuna salad lettuce wraps.
5. Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa– Copycat Chipotle made easy in the slow cooker! I like making lettuce wraps with this to mimic a Chipotle burrito.
6. Easy Carne Asada– This recipe makes the bestbeef lettuce wraps! It pairs perfectly with Mexican fillings, like cilantro, avocado, red onions, jalapenos, etc.
7. Ground Beef with my homemade Taco Seasoning recipe – Serve up classic ground beef tacos as delicious lettuce wraps instead of the taco shells! Don’t forget the salsa and sour cream.
8. Crock Pot Slow Cooker Crack Chicken – So good stuffed inside lettuce leaves.
9. Pork Belly Tacos – This easy pork belly taco recipe will blow you away! Just make ’em into easy lettuce wraps instead of higher carb tortillas.
10. Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos – Sweet and spicy, just how I like it! To make ’em low carb, omit or sub honey with low carb sweetener, and wrap in your favorite lettuce leaves.
11. Paleo Chinese Chicken Lettuce Cups – You’re going to love thesehealthy chicken lettuce wraps. If you want to reduce carbs, omit the water chestnuts.
12. BLT Lettuce Wraps – Make some easy bacon in the oven, add some sliced tomato and avocado oil mayonnaise, and they are ready to go!
13. Healthy Turkey Lettuce Wraps – Instead of using the cucumber, put these fillings into lettuce wraps. It’ll be like a low carb unwich!
14. Spicy Keto Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps – You’ll want to drizzle the peanut sauce found in these on everything! Ready in just 15 minutes.
15. Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Easy, simple ingredients and naturally keto friendly.
16. Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps – These are both paleo and low carb as well.
17. Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps – These delicious lettuce wraps are found in my keto cookbook, and pictured below! Buy the Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook here.

What To Serve With Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps make a great meal on their own, but what to make with lettuce wraps when you want something on the side? Check out these other low carb side dish recipesand snacks:

• Simple Oriental Asian Cabbage Salad– This zippy slaw would pair well with any of the asian lettuce wraps, but also simple turkey ones, too!
• Air Fryer Keto Onion Rings – Healthiest onion rings around, these are so good!
• Healthy Oven Baked Zucchini Chips– Pair yourlow carb lettuce wraps with these yummy zucchini chips.
• Baked Cheddar Parmesan Crisps– Need some crunch with your keto lettuce wraps? Try these chips made entirely from cheese!
• Broccoli Cheese Soup – Instead of a soup and sandwich, how about soup and a healthy lettuce wrap? You only need 5 ingredients for this one.

• Parchment Paper – The best way to ensure everything in yourlow carb lettuce wraps stays in place!
• Chef’s Knife – Cut your keto lettuce wraps in half with a good knife.
• Sandwich & Snack Kit– Take your Boston bibb lettuce wraps on-the-go with this kit.