Vietnamese Pork Lettuce Wraps

When you want a healthy but flavorful meal, make these Vietnamese pork lettuce wraps with cilantro mint nuoc cham sauce. The flavorful lemongrass pork filling comes together in minutes, making this meal not only delicious but easy to prepare.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Fish sauce: A condiment made from fish that have been coated in salt and fermented. It adds a savory, umami flavor to both the sauce and filling. You can use soy sauce to replace the fish sauce for the filling but I highly recommend using fish sauce for the dipping sauce.
• Cilantro: An herb with bright green, finely divided leaves and a pungent, citrusy flavor that brightens up the nuoc cham. If you're not a fan of cilantro, substitute it with Thai basil.
• Mint: The refreshing cool flavor compliments the stronger flavors of the nuoc cham.
• Thai chile: The small hot peppers add a bit of heat to the pork filling. You can omit it if you prefer.
• Ground pork: The main protein of the dish, providing substance.
• Lemongrass: A tropical plant with a strong lemon flavor. If you can't find lemongrass, use lemon zest instead.
• Water chestnuts: The crisp vegetable has a slightly sweet taste and crunchy texture.
• Lettuce cups: Use a lettuce that can be used as a vessel for holding the filling such as iceberg, romaine, or butter lettuce. You can also serve the filling on endive for an appetizer.
• Persian cucumber: The small, thin-skinned cucumbers with mild flavor add another layer of crunch and freshness to the lettuce wraps.

Substitutions and variations

• Protein: Although I used ground pork, you can also use ground chicken, turkey, or beef. You can also use finely chopped shrimp or tofu for a vegetarian option.
• Gluten-free: Use gluten-free fish sauce and gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make cilantro mint nuoc cham

Every lettuce wrap, no matter the origin, needs a finishing sauce. I normally make a peanut sauce but to give this recipe the Vietnamese touch, I swapped it for a cilantro mint nuoc cham.

Nuoc cham is a popular Vietnamese dipping sauce. It's served with many dishes including vermicelli noodle bowls, egg rolls, and even as a finishing sauce for broken rice plates. I decided to incorporate cilantro, mint, scallions, and shallots for a fresher take.

Step 2: Make pork filling

Set aside the sauce while you prepare the filling. I used ground pork for the protein but you can also use ground chicken, ground beef, ground turkey, or tofu.

Brown the meat in a large saute pan. Then, add the aromatics including garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Make sure to finely chop the lemongrass or it won't soften completely.

I thought long and hard about which vegetables to incorporate in the filling and ended up going with the classic water chestnuts and carrots combo. It's familiar and just works.

Season the filling with soy sauce, brown sugar, and fish sauce. Let the mixture simmer and really soak up those flavors.

Step 3: Assemble wraps

Meanwhile, prepare the Vietnamese pork lettuce wrap toppings. Thinly slice Persian cucumber, crush toasted peanuts, and wash lettuce cups. I used Bibb lettuce but you can also use iceberg lettuce or even Romaine.

Serve the lettuce cups with the toppings and cilantro mint nuoc cham and let the diner assemble the lettuce wraps. It's best to assemble the cups as you eat so that they don't get soggy.

I can honestly say that these wraps were right on the money. They might be the most flavorful wraps I've ever had with the sweet tangy and herby nuoc cham sauce as the finishing touch. A healthy and incredibly delicious weeknight meal!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can prepare the nuoc cham sauce, pork filling, and toppings ahead of time. However, I would wait until serving to assemble the actual lettuce wraps.
• Store: Store the filling, sauce, and lettuce in separate containers and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe

Print Recipe

Vietnamese Pork Lettuce Wraps

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keyword: pork

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Cilantro mint nuoc cham

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup chopped mint
• 2 scallions chopped
• 2 shallots finely chopped
• 1 Thai chile chopped

Lettuce wraps

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound ground pork
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
• 8 ounces sliced water chestnuts
• 1 carrot grated
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 12 lettuce cups (such as Romaine, iceberg, or butter lettuce)
• 1 Persian cucumber sliced
• ½ cup crushed peanuts

Instructions

• Make cilantro mint nuoc cham. Combine brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and water in a medium bowl. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients for sauce including cilantro, mint, scallions, shallots, and Thai chile, mixing until combined. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add garlic, ginger, and lemongrass and saute for 1 minute. Add water chestnuts, carrot, soy sauce, brown sugar, and fish sauce, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for another minute. Remove from heat.
• Assemble pork lettuce wraps. Fill lettuce with pork filling and top with sliced cucumber, and crushed peanuts. Serve with cilantro mint nuoc cham.

Notes

The cilantro mint nuoc cham sauce can be prepared the day before.