These Low Sodium Asian Lettuce Wraps are a perfect choice for a quick, healthy, and low-sodium meal that’s easy to prepare. Featuring lean ground turkey, fresh vegetables, and a flavorful, savory sauce, this dish delivers all the taste of traditional Asian cuisine without the extra salt. Light and satisfying, these wraps are ideal for meal prep or a fast dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Sodium Notes By Alex G., Registered Dietitian
Balancing low-sodium soy sauce and a small amount of hoisin with fresh vegetables is one of the keys to keeping sodium low in this recipe. Water chestnuts and lettuce add a fresh crunch to these wraps, and rice vinegar and ginger add bright flavor, all with little sodium. The low-sodium soy sauce adds most of the sodium to this recipe, so measure this ingredient carefully. Using 93% lean ground turkey also provides a heart-healthy component, as it contains less total and saturated fat than 93% lean ground beef. A similar lettuce wrap from a restaurant would likely have 3-4x as much sodium as this fresh home-cooked version, so you can feel good about trying this recipe instead.
Why I love this recipe
Asian cuisine has always been one of my favorites, especially when sharing a variety of dishes from a restaurant menu. It’s such a fun, flavorful experience! The only downside? Many of those dishes come loaded with sodium.
That’s why I’m so excited about this recipe. By using a small amount of low sodium soy sauce and blending it with other classic Asian ingredients, we’ve created a dish that’s just as satisfying and delicious, but without the sodium overload. It’s a flavorful, healthy option that lets you enjoy the tastes you love while sticking to your health goals.
Ingredients
This recipe features a handful of simple, wholesome ingredients to create a flavorful, low sodium, Asian-inspired dish. By using low sodium alternatives and fresh produce, you can enjoy the bold flavors of traditional Asian cuisine without all the added salt.
We start with low sodium soy sauce and low sodium hoisin sauce as the base, adding depth and umami to the dish. A splash of rice vinegar and a bit of sesame oil add balance and richness, giving that classic Asian flavor profile.
To bring in natural sweetness and color, we’ll add chopped onions and bell peppers, while water chestnuts provide a satisfying crunch. The fresh zing of grated ginger ties everything together, infusing the dish with a vibrant, aromatic kick. Ginger is a go-to ingredient in low sodium recipes because it packs a punch without needing salt.
For the protein, we’re using ground turkey, which is a lean and healthy option. I often use ground turkey as a low-fat alternative to ground beef in my low sodium recipes. It absorbs the flavors of the sauce beautifully while keeping the dish light.
To serve, we’ll wrap everything up in lettuce leaves. While you can use just about any variety, butter lettuce and romaine lettuce are my top choices. Butter lettuce, in particular, is ideal because its soft, flexible leaves make the perfect wraps for our savory filling.
Equipment Needed
This is a simple stovetop recipe and all we’ll need a skillet.
Preparation
To start, you’ll need about ½ cup each of chopped onion and bell pepper. You can use any color of bell pepper—red, green, yellow, or orange—depending on what you have on hand. There are only subtle differences in taste between the colors, so feel free to use your favorite or mix them for a colorful dish.
When chopping the bell peppers and onions, aim for smaller pieces so they blend seamlessly with the ground turkey. This way, the vegetables will enhance the texture without overpowering the dish.
For the fresh ginger, we’re using about 1 teaspoon. If you love that bright, zesty flavor, feel free to add a little more! However, if you don’t have fresh ginger, you can substitute ½ teaspoon of dried ginger powder. Fresh ginger will offer a more vibrant flavor, but the powdered version will still give the dish that signature kick.
Cooking
Cooking these low sodium lettuce wraps is a breeze and takes just a few simple steps. Start by heating a large skillet over medium heat and adding a little oil. Once the oil is hot, toss in your ground turkey. Cook the turkey, breaking it up with a spatula as it browns. Make sure it cooks through completely, which should take about 5-7 minutes.
Next, add the garlic and ginger, letting those flavors bloom for about 30 seconds to a minute. Then, pour in your low sodium soy sauce, hoisin, and rice vinegar. This step is crucial for infusing the turkey with that rich, savory Asian-inspired flavor. Let everything simmer for a few minutes so the sauce thickens slightly and coats the meat.
Once the turkey is cooked and coated, stir in the water chestnuts and green onions for some added crunch and freshness. Give it all a good mix, and your filling is ready!
Assembling and Serving
Once the turkey filling is ready, it’s time to assemble the lettuce wraps. Lay out your lettuce leaves and spoon a generous amount of the turkey mixture into each leaf, being careful not to overfill, as this will make them harder to eat. You can also double up the lettuce leaves for each wrap if you wish.
For extra texture and flavor, you can top the filling with some sliced green onions, shredded carrots, or a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Serve them up immediately while the filling is still warm, and let everyone dig in! These wraps are perfect as a light main course or as a fun appetizer. Plus, they’re super customizable! Add toppings and sauces to your liking – of course keeping them low in sodium as your diet requires.
Storage and Reheating
The turkey filling stores wonderfully, making it perfect for leftovers or meal prep. Simply transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to four days.
When you’re ready to reheat, you can use either the microwave or stovetop. For the microwave, place the filling in a microwave-safe dish and heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until warmed through. This usually takes just a minute or two. To keep the filling moist, add a splash of water before reheating.
For stovetop reheating, place the filling in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally, and heat for 5-10 minutes until fully warmed through. If the mixture seems dry, add a little water to maintain the desired consistency.
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Low Sodium Asian Lettuce Wraps
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
These Low Sodium Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps are a healthy, flavorful meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes. Made with lean ground turkey, fresh vegetables, and a savory low-sodium sauce, they offer all the deliciousness of traditional Asian flavors without the extra salt.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped bell pepper (any color)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (can sub for ½ teaspoon ginger powder)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean or leaner)
- 1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (use low-sodium hoisin sauce if you can find it)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- Large lettuce leaves (butter lettuce or romaine)
- Optional toppings: sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, sriracha sauce (use sparingly)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and sauté for 5-6 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the pepper is softened. Add the ginger and garlic powder and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the ground turkey to the skillet and sauté it with the vegetables until browned.
- Add the water chestnuts, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Sauté all of the ingredients together for 4-5 minutes.
- Spoon the turkey into your lettuce leaves and add your favorite toppings!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
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