Hoisin Cauliflower Lettuce Wraps are one of my favorite plant-based options for an easy weeknight dinner. These bundles have an irresistible filling packed with flavor and texture. Sweet and savory hoisin sauce coats pan-roasted cauliflower tossed with slivers of Chinese black fungus and crunchy almonds.
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🏆 Top tip
Preheat your skillet to high temperature before adding cauliflower; stir constantly and cook briefly.
⭐ Why it works
- Dynamite flavor
- Fast and easy
- Nutritious
- Fun party dish
📋 Ingredients
- Hoisin sauce - choose a concentrated, flavorful brand.
- Lettuce leaves - butter lettuce is my first choice because it's soft and folds easily. The purple variety adds beautiful color! Baby romaine and iceberg lettuce can also be used.
- Sliced almonds - look for pre-sliced ones, found in the baking supply section at the market.
- Black fungus - can be found dried in packages at Asian markets and in the ethnic sections of large grocery stores.
🔪 Steps
- Soak black fungus, drain, and slice.
- Chop cauliflower and water chestnuts and slice garlic and scallions.
- Saute cauliflower briefly with garlic.
- Add water chestnuts, sliced almonds, and hoisin sauce and heat through.
♨️ Cauliflower trend
Isn't it amazing how popular cauliflower has become? It has gone from being overlooked to a right culinary darling in recent years.
Its transformation is due to new cooking methods and flavor pairings that showcase its versatility. Roasting and spices have brought out its sweetness, making dishes like cauliflower buffalo wings a hit.
Wait until you taste how good the filling for these vegan lettuce wraps is. The cauliflower is seared just long enough to deepen its flavor while preserving a firm, juicy bite.
👩🏻🍳 How to assemble lettuce wraps
Choose a head of lettuce with leaves that are large enough to hold a scoop of filling but not so large that they are difficult to handle.
- Separate leaves, wash and pat them dry.
- Lay leaves flat on a plate.
- Use a scoop to place the filling on the leaves.
- Serve as is, or fold in the edges and secure with a toothpick.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Soak dried black fungus in boiled water for 15 minutes before slicing it thin.
- Chop cauliflower into small ¼-inch pieces.
- Add a pinch of salt to chopped cauliflower while it cooks.
- Briefly cook the cauliflower to keep it slightly crunchy. This is the most important tip.
- Remove the filling from heat just as soon as the sauce is hot.
💭 FAQ
Lettuce leaves make a nutritious, low-carb alternative to bread for hand-held eats. As long as the ingredients in the filling are gluten-free, lettuce wraps are an ideal dish for anyone wanting to avoid gluten.
Yes. Cauliflower comes in several colors, including white, orange, purple, and green. There is even a spiky variety with an intriguing spiral design.
🍚 More flavorful side dishes
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📖 Recipe
Hoisin Cauliflower Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 3 cups cauliflower chopped
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 TB toasted sesame oil optional
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 TB dried black fungus
- ½ cup water chestnuts chopped
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 3-4 TB hoisin sauce gluten-free if desired
- 1 small head butter leaf lettuce
- 2 TB scallions sliced
Instructions
- Cover 1 TB dried black fungus with boiling water and let sit for 15-20 minutes while preparing vegetables for wraps. Once softened, slice into thin pieces.
- Chop 3 cups cauliflower into small dice. Chop ½ cup water chestnuts. Slice 2 cloves garlic thin. Slice 2 TB scallions.
- Heat 1 TB toasted sesame oil in a skillet. Add cauliflower and garlic. Sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt and saute until cauliflower starts to release moisture.
- Add chopped water chestnuts, drained and sliced black fungus, ¼ cup sliced almonds and 3-4 TB hoisin sauce to cauliflower. Cook until everything is hot but keep the cauliflower crunchy.
- Separate the leaves from 1 small head butter leaf lettuce. Fill the lettuce leaves with cauliflower filling and garnish with scallions.
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