These nutrition-packed lettuce wraps are one of my favorite ways to enjoy meal-prepped ground beef (can easily be subbed for ground round or tofu for a plant-based version!). This recipe is nutritious, flavorful, and so easy! Yields 4 wraps.

If you’re ready to learn how to weave meal prep into your life sustainably, the 3-2-1 Method Method Meal Plans were designed for you! They’ll teach you how to prepare and enjoy healthy 20 minute recipes just like these ground beef lettuce wraps each week! 

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A white plate of 5 open face lettuce wraps and a small bowl of hoisin. At the top of the photo are chop sticks and a white spoon dripping with hoisin.

As a registered dietitian, I have worked with hundreds of clients who always have the same struggle come up over and over again – finding the time to get meals on the table (let alone tasty and nutritious ones). Meal planning has by far one of the most requested services we get from clients. 

And I get it! 

It’s not easy to be creative in the kitchen, especially when there is so much contradicting nutrition info out there! Fats are good, oh wait, fats are bad again… you should eat every 2-3 hours, actually, scratch that – don’t eat anything until noon to make that fasting window! etc. etc…. it’s enough to make you go crazy. And it’s exactly what inspired me to create these meal plans. I wanted to find a way to make food feel good by taking the stress and guilt out of eating. By request, these nutrition-packed meal-prepped ground beef lettuce wraps are one of the recipes pulled straight from the 3-2-1 Method Meal Plans for you to try!

What is the 3-2-1 Method?

The whole premise of the 3-2-1 Method is to simplify eating well without sacrificing flavor or variety! These plans are about more, not less. More flavor, more variety, more satisfaction, and yes – a LOT more veggies! – incorporated into delicious meals that are designed to optimize your health and energy and help you feel your absolute best. 

Each week, 3-2-1 ers spend 1 hour preparing just 3 veggies, 2 proteins, and 1 carbohydrate that will allow to cook a week of totally different one pan meals in 20 minutes or less (like these delicious lettuce wraps). 

Note: This recipe is written in 3-2-1 Method format, meaning that it assumes that you have your core ingredients (veggies (red peppers, purple cabbage and mushrooms), protein (ground beef) and carb (rice) already prepped and ready to combine to give you a 10-15 minute meal. If you are not using the 3-2-1 Method prep system, see instructions at the beginning of the recipe.

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How to Meal Prep Ground Beef

It’s super easy to meal prep beef at the beginning of the week. I like to prepare about 1.5 lbs of ground beef and find this is enough for 3 easy weeknight dinners that will serve 2 or allow a leftover portion for lunch. Ground beef takes about 15 minutes to meal prep and can be stored in the fridge or freezer for future meals. 

To prep the beef you’ll want to start by heating 2 tsp of avocado oil or other high heat cooking oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add beef to the middle of the pan and break into bite sized pieces with a wooden spoon. Stir only about every 5 minutes to actually let the meat become a nice golden brown color. This is important for building flavor. Season with salt and pepper and cook until there is no pink in the center of the largest pieces. It should be ready in about 10-15 minutes. 

Once the meat is cooked all the way through, you’ll want to divide into two airtight containers. I usually store one third in the fridge and two thirds in the freezer to be taken out mid week. This will keep the meat fresh and save you 15 minutes at each meal time (that’s 45 minutes of cooking time)!

Meal Planning and Prepping Tip: Prep a carbohydrate at the same time as your meat. I like to put my carb on first because it typically doesn’t require a lot of attention. Brown rice is one of the easiest carbs to meal prep with beef – especially if you have a rice cooker 😉

A photo of half a white plate zoomed into 3 open face lettuce wraps with a small bowl of hoisin. 2 chop sticks are on top of the bowl of hoisin.

Ground Beef Meal Prep Recipe Ideas

Besides these delicious Nutritious Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps, you can create a large variety of quick and easy dinners with your prepped beef.

Here are some of my favorites:

  • Delicious Ground Turkey or Beef Spaghetti Sauce
  • Beef Tacos or Bowls: All you have to do is heat up prepped beef in a skillet for 5 minutes and add a little water with taco seasoning. Serve on a tortilla or in a bowl with lettuce or cabbage, tomatoes, avocado and cheese. (This tempeh taco bowl works as a template, just sub the tempeh for ground beef!) 
  • Any beef-based soups or chilis – my favorites are the Creamy Mushroom Beef Soup with Kale and Chili for 2 in Week 1 of the 3-2-1 Method Original Meal Plans

The options really are endless! 

Are Lettuce Wraps Healthy?

These Healthy Meal-Prepped Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps were designed with the plate method in mind to ensure a nutrition packed meal. The balance of protein, fat, and fiber from the beef, rice, cabbage and mushrooms, will keep you full and energized long after eating. 

These lettuce wraps are also full of vitamins and minerals from the cabbage, mushrooms and beef. 

Cabbage: Purple cabbage is an incredible vegetable – not only does it hold its structure longer than most veggies- it’s also a great source of vitamins K & C. 

Mushrooms: These fun-guys (funghi, get it? haha) boast an impressive nutrient profile including Vitamin D and antioxidant selenium. They will boost more than just the flavor in your dishes!

BONUS! If you’re looking to increase the plant-based goodness in your diet but aren’t ready to give up meat, consider mushrooms your best friend. They have a similar texture to beef and a nice rich flavor. You can use them to add to the volume of the recipe without having to increase the meat. 

Beef: Beef is a great way to add more iron, zinc and vitamin B12 into your diet. 

A photo of half a white plate zoomed into 3 open face lettuce wraps with a small bowl of hoisin.

Best Lettuce for Lettuce Wraps

Because you are plating a hot dish on a cold leafy green, you’re going to want to choose a lettuce that is a bit firm (sorry arugula or spinach). My favorite lettuces to use for lettuce wraps are: 

  • Romaine Lettuce: The thick stalk creates the perfect taco structure and holds the filling nicely.
  • Butter Lettuce: I love this lettuce when I’m craving a buttery texture that won’t fall apart from the heat. Plus it looks really pretty if you’re wanting a nice presentation!
  • Iceberg Lettuce: Perfect if you’re serving this dish family style for a big group. They fold up perfectly into little cups.

Did you make these delicious meal prepped ground beef lettuce wraps? If so, be sure to post a photo of how you used it! And feel free to tag me on Instagram @lindsaypleskot so I can see your creations! It makes me so happy to see these recipes come to life in your kitchens! And if you enjoy the recipe, it would make my day if you would leave a comment and star rating below—I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions!

🎉 FLASH SALE! FLASH SALE! Use coupon code: COMMUNITY20 for 20% off any of the  3-2-1 Meal Plans! Offer is good for the next 2 days and expires April 23rd at midnight 🎉

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A photo of half a white plate zoomed into 3 open face lettuce wraps with a small bowl of hoisin. 2 chop sticks are on top of the bowl of hoisin.

Healthy Meal-Prepped Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps

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  • Author: Lindsay Pleskot
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
  • Category: Main Dishes
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Asian
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Description

These healthy lettuce wraps are one of my favorite ways to enjoy meal-prepped ground beef. This recipe is nutritious, flavorful and so easy!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 small cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp ginger, grated or minced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, finely diced
  • 1 cup red pepper, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup purple cabbage, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup brown rice, cooked
  • 10 cashews, chopped
  • 6 oz ground beef (1 cup), cooked (can sub for any ground meat or veggie round)
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 4 pieces of romaine lettuce (you can sub for any firm lettuce like butter or iceberg lettuce)

Instructions

If you do not have any of your ingredients prepped ahead of time, start out by:

  • Cooking your rice according to package directions (rice approx triples when cooked so 1/3 cup would produce 1 cup cooked. I would suggest cooking extra so you have it for meals later in the week!
  • Browning your beef. Add to a hot pan and allow to brown on one side before flipping of mixing. Repeat on the other side. Once browned nicely on the outsides, remove from pan and cook your vegetables. Add beef back at Step 3 as directed in the recipe:))
  • Once cooled, place the other half of the ground beef mixture in an airtight container (separate from the lettuce to prevent it from wilting) to be stored in the fridge for tomorrow’s lunch.

If main ingredients have already been prepped during weekly meal prep start here:

  1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes, until hot. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until slightly browned. Add peppers and cabbage and sauté an additional 3 minutes.
  3. Add rice, cashews, ground beef, soy sauce and hoisin sauce and sauté until heated through.
  4. If preparing this meal for 2, plate 2 pieces of the lettuce on each plate and divide the mixture. If using extra portion for leftovers, plate two pieces of the lettuce, packing the remaining two in an airtight container for tomorrow’s lunch. Dish up half of the mixture onto the plate lettuce and pack remaining mixture for tomorrow’s lunch. Serve and enjoy!