Tofu Lettuce Wraps

A white plate with tofu lettuce wraps. A skillet of the ground tofu filling and a bowl of lettuce leaves are in the background.

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5 from 4 votes

A sharable Asian-inspired light meal or appetizer.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

tofu press time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Appetizer, dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Diet: Lower Carb, Gluten Free, Heart Healthy, Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 203kcal

Author: Anne Danahy, RD

Ingredients

Sauce

3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons chili paste like Sambal Oelek
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Tofu Filling

14 ounces firm tofu drained and pressed *See note below
½ cup brown jasmine rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup minced mushrooms about 4 ounces
2 medium garlic cloves
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 tablespoons sliced green onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
12 leaves crisp butter or Romaine lettuce or more if the lettuce leaves are small

Toppings

5 medium radishes thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
½ cup chopped cashews
minced scallions, cilantro, mint

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Press the tofu for 30-60 minutes to remove the liquid.
While the tofu drains, cook the rice in 1 cup of salted water or according to package directions. Alternatively, you can use cooked, cooled leftover rice.
In a small bowl, combine the tamari or soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili paste, lime juice, and sesame oil. Mix well and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the drained tofu and crumble it well using a spatula or spoon. Add the minced mushrooms to the pan. Saute for 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and any liquid from the tofu and mushrooms has cooked off. Finally, add the garlic and ginger and saute for 30 seconds.
Add the sauce to the tofu-mushroom mixture and stir well to combine. Add the rice and reduce the heat to low. The mixture should be moist. If it seems too wet, let it cook for another 2 minutes or until the excess sauce cooks off. Stir it frequently so the rice doesn't stick to the pan and burn.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the green onion, cilantro, and fresh mint.
To assemble, place about 2 tablespoons of the tofu filling in the center of each lettuce leaf. Add fresh vegetable toppings, a sprinkle of herbs, and a sprinkle of cashews to each lettuce wrap. Gently fold over to eat

Notes

Nutrition info is for two medium-sized lettuce wraps.

To ensure your lettuce wraps aren't watery, press the tofu block in a tofu press for at least 30 minutes before starting the recipe. Alternatively, place it in a strainer over a bowl, cover it with a paper towel, and place a heavy pot on top to weigh it down.

½ cup of dry rice + 1 cup water yields approximately 1 ½ cups cooked rice.

Nutrition