Potsticker Noodle Lettuce Cups (Print View)

Crisp lettuce cups filled with savory turkey noodles and vegetables in sesame-soy sauce for a light handheld meal.

# Components:

→ Protein & Noodles

01 - 12.3 oz ground turkey
02 - 5.3 oz rice noodles, thin, cooked and drained, or shirataki noodles for lower carbohydrates

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil, canola or sunflower
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
06 - 4 scallions, finely sliced with green tops reserved for garnish
07 - 1 cup shredded carrots
08 - 1 cup shredded cabbage, Napa or green

→ Sauce

09 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
10 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
12 - 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce, optional
13 - 1 teaspoon honey or sugar substitute

→ Assembly

14 - 1 large head butter lettuce, leaves separated and washed
15 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
16 - Fresh cilantro or mint leaves for garnish, optional

# Method:

01 - Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and sliced scallion whites to the skillet. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant and integrated.
03 - Add shredded carrots and cabbage to the skillet. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables reach tender consistency.
04 - Push the mixture to the side of the skillet and add the cooked noodles. Combine thoroughly with the turkey and vegetable mixture.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili-garlic sauce, and honey. Pour sauce over the skillet and toss all ingredients until evenly coated and heated through.
06 - Remove from heat and stir in half of the reserved scallion greens. Spoon turkey-noodle filling into individual butter lettuce leaves and garnish with sesame seeds, remaining scallion greens, and fresh herbs.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It captures that potsticker magic—the savory, gingery comfort—without the carb load or the fiddly folding.
  • Butter lettuce leaves stay crisp and cool, creating a textural contrast that keeps every bite interesting.
  • Comes together in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight dinner stress just disappears.
  • Naturally dairy-free and low-carb, so it works whether you're being intentional about your diet or just hungry for something lighter.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when browning the turkey—give it space so it browns instead of steams, and you'll get better flavor and texture.
  • Taste the sauce before adding it to the skillet; you control how salty or spicy this dish is, not some fixed ratio.
  • Pat your butter lettuce leaves dry after washing, or the filling will slide around and the leaves might tear from excess moisture.
  • Cook your noodles al dente and drain them well—soggy noodles will make the whole dish feel heavy instead of light.
03 -
  • Grate your ginger on a microplane instead of mincing it—the texture is finer and distributes more evenly through the filling.
  • Keep your burner on medium-high but not screaming; you want the pan hot enough for browning, not smoking.
  • If your sauce tastes flat, it's usually because it needs acid—add a bit more rice vinegar before jumping to more salt.
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