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 your healthy 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:
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 of lettuce 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 wrap at 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 paper into the 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.
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 recipes and 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 your low 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 your low 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.
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too - I’d love to see it!
Nutrition info is an example of a lettuce wrap with lettuce, turkey, cheese, tomato, cucumber, and mayonnaise. For tips on how to make lettuce wraps that don’t fall apart, see the post above!
