A vegan take on a P.F. Chang’s classic, this plant-based version of chicken lettuce wraps is so flavorful and delicious, you’ll forget it’s meatless! And at less than 300 calories a serving, who could blame you for having seconds?
(If you haven’t had these, you’re in for a treat! They’re like an Asian taco – a savory filling stuffed into a lettuce leaf wrapper. Yum!)
For years, hubby and I have made this recipe with ground chicken (which you can still do if you prefer). It’s always been a favorite, so when we started moving toward more plant-based foods, we wanted to keep this one in our meal rotation.
Fortunately, veganizing it was super easy. All we did was swap out the ground chicken with super firm tofu. That was it! And the results were fantastic. All the yummy, umami flavors we love about the original were alive and well in this updated dish.
The flavor profile comes from hoisin sauce and a healthy dose of fresh ginger. Of course, there’s soy sauce and garlic, along with rice wine vinegar and sriracha. Green onions and water chestnuts add color, flavor, and crunch.
We like to add some sticky white rice, too. It gives the tofu mixture something a little more substantial to sit on in the lettuce wrap. You can certainly go without rice, but I’d recommend using 2-3 lettuce leaves for your wrap to hold things together.
This recipe is so good, I usually double it…and that’s just for the two of us! We like having some leftovers for a couple of nights and this keeps in the fridge really well.
Serve it alone as a complete meal, or add your favorite side dish. Won ton soup would be a great starter, and so would some egg rolls. Honestly, when wouldn’t egg rolls be good?
Not only is it low calorie and delicious, but it comes together really fast. If you’re looking for a tasty weeknight meal that seems like you spent hours in the kitchen, give this one a try!
For more plant-based inspirations, check out our other vegan recipes.
Vegan Chick’n Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. super firm tofu crumbled
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion diced
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp. minced ginger use fresh gingerroot, not jarred
- 1 tbsp. Sriracha optional
- 1 8 oz. can diced water chestnuts, drained
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 head butter lettuce
Instructions
- Cook rice according to directions, if using. A short grain white or brown rice is best, as those tend to be stickier and hold together better.
- After the rice has started cooking, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté till soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Next, add the minced garlic and ginger, and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in the crumbled tofu and allow to brown slightly. You want a little crisp on it. Then add the hoisin, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and Sriracha. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, ensuring everything is thoroughly heated through and coated in the sauce.
- Add the water chestnuts and green onions and cook another 1-2 minutes. Season everything with salt and pepper, to taste.
- To serve, stack two lettuce leaves (one on top of the other). Place a spoonful of rice (if using) in the center and top with another spoonful of the tofu mixture. Eat it like a taco and enjoy!