Description
Beef Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps—a perfect fusion of savory, sweet, and spicy. Tender marinated beef is cooked to perfection and paired with fluffy rice, crisp matchstick veggies, and fresh lettuce leaves for a handheld delight. Topped with thinly sliced red onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of gochujang chili sauce, these wraps are a flavorful, customizable, and diabetes-friendly option that’s as healthy as it is satisfying. Whether you’re serving them for dinner or meal-prepping for the week, these wraps bring a refreshing twist to your table!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 lbs. (900g) flank steak
- 1/2 cup (120ml) tamari
- 5 tbsp. coconut sugar
- 6 green onions, sliced
- 4 tbsp. minced garlic
- 4 tbsp. sesame seeds
- 4 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 head green leafy lettuce
- 2 cups (320g) cooked jasmine rice
- 1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp. gochujang (Korean chili paste)
Instructions
- Slice the Steak: Slightly freeze the steak for 15–20 minutes to make slicing easier. Cut into thin strips and set aside.
- Prepare the Marinade: In a small bowl, mix tamari, coconut sugar, green onions, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and black pepper until well combined.
- Marinate the Beef: Place the sliced beef in a container or resealable bag. Pour the marinade over the beef, mix to coat evenly, and cover or seal. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight, to let the flavors intensify.
- Cook the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef along with the marinade and cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully cooked.
- Assemble the Wraps: Lay out a lettuce leaf and add a small scoop of rice, a few slices of beef, cucumber, carrot, and onion. Drizzle with gochujang sauce, fold, and enjoy!
Notes
Here are some helpful notes to make this recipe even more diabetes-friendly:
1. Reduce Sugar Further
- Swap coconut sugar for a low-glycemic sweetener like monk fruit, erythritol, or stevia to lower the impact on blood sugar while maintaining the sweetness in the marinade.
2. Use Whole Grains or Skip Rice
- Replace jasmine rice with brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for a lower glycemic option. Or skip the rice altogether and load up on more veggies for a lower-carb meal.
3. Opt for Leaner Beef
- While flank steak is a good choice, you could also use a leaner cut like sirloin to further reduce saturated fat.
4. Boost the Veggies
- Add extra non-starchy veggies like shredded zucchini, bell peppers, or sprouts to increase fiber content, which helps slow carbohydrate absorption.
5. Control the Gochujang
- Gochujang is flavorful but can be high in sugar. Use it sparingly, or mix it with a little tamari and sesame oil to stretch the flavor while keeping sugar intake low.
6. Mind the Portion Sizes
- Use smaller lettuce leaves or assemble smaller wraps to help manage portion sizes and avoid overloading on carbs.
7. Make It Meal-Prep Friendly
- Prep the beef, veggies, and sauce separately and assemble the wraps fresh. This helps prevent the lettuce from wilting and keeps everything tasting fresh.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (including slicing and marinating prep)
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 3 oz. (85g) of cooked beef bulgogi)
- Calories: 381
- Sugar: 11.2 g
- Sodium: 1241 mg
- Fat: 15.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.3 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 29.7 g
- Cholesterol: 68 mg
