These tofu lettuce wraps are packed with flavor and are an easy high protein vegetarian meal.💪🥬 A quick Mediterranean Diet recipe that supports heart health and is perfect for meal prep!❤️
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- Easy Tofu Lettuce Wraps with Bold Flavor
- Why You Will Love These Wraps
- Why This Recipe Fits the Mediterranean Diet
- Why Soy Is a Smart Choice
- Instructions
- FAQ
- Variations
- Equipment
- Storage + Meal Prep
- Top Tips
- Other Mediterranean Diet Appetizers You Might Like
- Other Plant Based Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- Storage + Meal Prep
Easy Tofu Lettuce Wraps with Bold Flavor
I am a sucker for lettuce wraps. 🥬😋 Seriously, if they're on the menu, they're what I am having.
Since adopting the Mediterranean Diet pattern of eating, I'll still enjoy chicken lettuce wraps, but my goal is to lean into plant protein as an alternative as often as I can. And because I also incorporate the Portfolio Diet into my eating pattern to help keep my LDL in check, soy and tofu have become staples in my kitchen.
These tofu lettuce wraps are so delicious you won't miss the chicken.
Seriously, they're so tasty they make an appearance at my birthday dinner every year. We serve them as an appetizer and follow them with my favorite Asian Buddha bowls.
If you need more Mediterranean Diet appetizer ideas, I love these ahi tuna nachos, salmon hand rolls, and this mango jalapeno salsa.
Whether you serve them as an appetizer, dinner, or meal prep them for lunch, you are in for a treat.
Enjoy!
Why You Will Love These Wraps
This recipe is the perfect balance of fresh and satisfying. It is quick enough for a weeknight and flavorful enough to feel like something special.
You are getting:
- High quality plant protein from tofu
- Heart healthy fats from olive oil and peanuts
- Fiber and crunch from vegetables
- A deeply flavorful sauce that brings everything together
In other words, this is Mediterranean Diet at its best simple, vibrant, and built for real life.
Why This Recipe Fits the Mediterranean Diet
This recipe leans into a more plant forward way of eating, which is a core part of the Mediterranean Diet.
It uses whole ingredients, healthy fats like olive oil, and replaces higher saturated fat animal proteins with plant based protein. That simple shift can have a meaningful impact on long term heart health.
Looking for more ideas like this? Visit my Mediterranean Diet Plant Protein Recipes guide.
Why Soy Is a Smart Choice
Soy fits beautifully into both the Mediterranean Diet and the Portfolio Diet, especially when your goal is heart health.
- Supports heart health by providing unsaturated fats and minimal saturated fat
- Helps lower LDL cholesterol when used in place of higher fat animal proteins
- A complete plant protein with all essential amino acids
- Provides fiber and key nutrients like iron and B vitamins
- A simple swap that supports long term cardiovascular health.
Instructions
Cook onions with water until they are soft and the water has evaporated.
Press the tofu and crumble it into small pieces.
Add tofu to the skillet along with olive oil, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic.
Cook for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop and the mixture to lightly brown.
Drain the water chestnuts and stir into tofu mixture. Slice the green onions and sprinkle them on top along with the peanuts.
Slice the base of the butter lettuce about one inch above the core. Gently separate the leaves, rinse, and pat dry.
Spoon into lettuce leaves and enjoy!
FAQ
Yes! Skip the fish sauce or replace it with a vegetarian alternative or leave it out entirely.
Use firm or extra-firm tofu and be sure to press it for 15-30 minutes before cooking to remove excess water. Pressing removes excess moisture and helps the tofu absorb flavor. I like to crumble mine into a dish towel and then roll it up while squeezing out the excess liquid.
Absolutely. This tofu lettuce wrap recipe scales well. Just cook in batches if needed. You can also make a half batch if you need less.
Butter or Boston lettuce is ideal for its cup shaped leaves, but iceberg or romaine can be used for a crisper, sturdier crunch. I am a sucker for butter lettuce!
Variations
Spicy
Add chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes for heat.
Deluxe
Top with shredded carrots cucumbers or a drizzle of spicy mayo.
Mediterranean Diet boost
Add extra vegetables like mushrooms or bell peppers to increase fiber.
Kid friendly
Serve over rice or as a deconstructed bowl.
Try this with my Asian Buddha Bowls with tofu for a heartier meal.
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or large pan
- Cutting board and knife
- Mixing bowl
Storage + Meal Prep
Tofu lettuce wraps store great in the fridge and are an awesome option for meal prep lunches.
Store the tofu mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the lettuce separate and assemble just before serving.
Make ahead
You can prepare the tofu mixture up to 2 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove when ready to serve.
Meal prep
Divide the tofu mixture into single serve containers for easy lunches. Reheat and serve in lettuce cups or over chopped lettuce as a salad.
Freezing
I love a good freezer meal, but I do not recommend it for these wraps as the tofu texture doesn't work well for it.
Top Tips
1. Pat the lettuce dry well to prevent soggy wraps
2. Crumble the tofu into small even pieces so it holds together better in the lettuce cups
3. Let the tofu cook long enough to develop a little color for better texture and flavor
Other Mediterranean Diet Appetizers You Might Like
Other Plant Based Recipes
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 blocks extra firm tofu
- 1 white or yellow onion diced
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 8 ounce cans sliced water chestnuts drained
- 4 to 6 green onions sliced
- ⅓ cup dry roasted peanuts
- 2 heads butter lettuce
Instructions
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add diced onion and water. Cook until onions are soft and the water has evaporated.
- While the onion cooks, press the tofu and crumble it into small pieces that resemble ground meat.
- Add tofu to the skillet along with olive oil, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic. Stir to combine.
- Let the tofu mixture cook for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop and the mixture to lightly brown.
- Slice the base of the butter lettuce about one inch above the core. Gently separate the leaves, rinse, and pat dry.
- Slice the green onions into small pieces.
- Stir the water chestnuts into the tofu mixture and cook for a few more minutes.
- Serve your tofu lettuce wraps by scooping the tofu mixture into lettuce cups and topping with green onions and peanuts.
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