These vegetarian lettuce wraps are loaded with hoisin and ginger–seasoned tempeh, shredded carrot and crunchy red cabbage. They are vegan, gluten-free, and low in carbs—an excellent choice for a healthy lunch, light dinner, or appetizer.
If you enjoy plant-based proteins, tempeh is worth a try. We’ve been experimenting with different vegetarian proteins, and tempeh has become a favourite in several preparations. Its firm texture and nutty flavour work particularly well crumbled and seasoned for lettuce wraps.
I’ve wanted to publish lettuce wraps for a while and using crumbled tempeh as the filling turned out to be a great choice—the texture and flavour hold up nicely and pair well with fresh vegetables.
What is tempeh
Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian soy product made from fermented soybeans pressed into a firm cake. Less processed than tofu, it offers a nutty, earthy flavour and a substantial texture that makes it a nutritious soy-based protein. Some brands can be slightly bitter, which is easily reduced by briefly boiling the tempeh before cooking.
How to make vegetarian lettuce wraps
Begin by removing the tempeh from its package and boiling it in a pot of water for about 10 minutes. Boiling reduces any bitterness and softens the block so it’s easy to crumble.
While the tempeh cooks, prepare the vegetables: shred the carrot and red cabbage, and slice the radishes. Dice the onion as well.
After boiling, let the tempeh cool slightly, then crumble it with your hands or a fork until it resembles ground meat. Place the crumbled tempeh in a bowl.
Whisk together hoisin sauce, tamari, seasoned rice vinegar, water and minced ginger in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat with about one tablespoon of oil. Sauté the diced onion for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the crumbled tempeh and pour the hoisin mixture over it. Stir and cook until the tempeh is heated through and evenly coated with the sauce.
To assemble, use whole lettuce leaves as cups and spoon the warm tempeh mixture into each one. Top with shredded carrot, sliced radish and red cabbage for crunch and freshness. Finish with a small drizzle of extra hoisin if desired.
What if tempeh isn’t my thing?
If you prefer tofu, you can easily substitute it for tempeh. Crumble firm tofu and cook it the same way: sauté with onion, then add the hoisin mixture and cook until the flavours meld and the tofu is heated through.
Dietary Considerations
This recipe fits a range of diets:
- Vegan and vegetarian
- Clean eating
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-carb (use gluten-free hoisin or tamari)
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More Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoy these vegetarian lettuce wraps, try some of our other healthy dishes:
- Chickpea Fattoush Salad
- Vegetable Chow Mein
- Instant Pot Lentil Tacos
If you make this recipe we’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @loveandgoodstuff and don’t forget to rate it below.
Print Recipe
Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients:
- 1 leafy lettuce – butter lettuce or Boston bib
- 1 pkg tempeh – crumbled
- 1⁄2 onion – diced
- 4 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon tamari
- 2 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 shredded carrot
- 1⁄2 cup shredded red cabbage
- 8 radishes
Instructions
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Remove tempeh from the package and boil in a pot of water for 10 minutes to reduce any bitter flavour and soften the block.
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While tempeh boils, dice the onion, shred the carrot and cabbage, and slice the radishes.
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Whisk together hoisin, rice vinegar, tamari, water and minced ginger in a small bowl.
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Let the tempeh cool slightly, then crumble it into small pieces with your fingers until it resembles minced meat.
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Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat with one tablespoon oil. Sauté diced onion 2–3 minutes, then add crumbled tempeh and the sauce.
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Stir and cook until the tempeh, onion and sauce are well combined and heated through.
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Spoon the tempeh mixture into lettuce leaves and top with shredded vegetables.
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Serve with extra hoisin sauce for drizzling.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 24g
Protein: 8g
Fat: 4g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 1mg
Sodium: 274mg
Potassium: 469mg
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 10g
Vitamin A: 2015IU
Vitamin C: 17mg
Calcium: 86mg
Iron: 2mg
* Nutritional information is an estimate calculated by online tools and may not be 100% accurate.