Whether gluten intolerant or looking to cut carbs, my Bahn Mi Lettuce Wraps are grain-free and so delicious that you won’t even miss the bread. The wraps are packed full of grilled soy-ginger pork and tons of veggies for a meal that is refreshingly healthy and full of flavor.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!I absolutely love that Bahn Mi is the fusion of two radically different cultures – Vietnamese and French and I try to preserve that juxtaposition in this recipe as best as possible (but without the baguette). I think I’ve pulled it off well. These wraps are simply divine.
To start, place one pound of boneless pork chops in a ziplock bag along with a marinade made of ⅛ cup of soy sauce, one tablespoon of sesame oil, one tablespoon of brown sugar, one tablespoon of rice vinegar and ½ teaspoon of freshly grated ginger. Let the pork marinate in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
While the pork chops marinate, wash one head of butter lettuce and gently peel off the leaves, keeping them whole. Set aside to dry. Thinly slice 4-5 radishes and one jalapeno and set aside. Chop a handful of cilantro and set aside.
When the pork is ready, heat a grill to 400 deg F and cook the pork chops until well done. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your pork chops, so use a meat thermometer such as this one to monitor doneness. Pork is fully cooked at 145 deg F. When fully cooked, remove the pork from the grill and onto a plate. Cover the meat with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
While the pork rests, cube one large avocado and add it to a bowl with 4 teaspoons of soy sauce. Stir gently then set aside. Next, thinly slice the pork against the grain.
To assemble the wraps, take two leaves of butter lettuce and lay them on a plate so that they overlap a little (at the ends) to make for a longer wrap. Place a few slices of pork on the lettuce, then top with the desired amount of toppings – the radish slices, pickled carrots (recipe can be found here), jalapeno slices, seasoned avocado, cilantro and a dollop or two of mayonnaise. Roll the wraps up tight like a burrito and enjoy! This recipe serves four.
Bahn Mi Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless pork chops
- ⅛ cup soy sauce, plus 4 teaspoons (divided)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 head of butter lettuce
- 1 large avocado
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 4 radishes
- 1 jalapeño
- ¼ cup pickled carrots (see recipe link below)
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together ⅛ cup of soy sauce along with the sesame oil, ginger, brown sugar and vinegar. Place the marinade in a large ziplock bag along with the pork chops. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
- While the pork marinates, prepare your toppings. Wash the butter lettuce and gently separate the leaves from the head. Set aside to dry on a towel. Thinly slice the radishes and jalapeño and set aside. Chop the cilantro and set aside.
- Heat a grill to 400°F. Cook the pork chops until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145°F. Remove the pork from the grill and onto a plate. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- While the pork rests, cube the avocado and add to a bowl along with the remaining 4 teaspoons of soy sauce. Gently toss to combine.
- When the pork has rested, thinly slice it against the grain.
- To assemble the wraps, lay two lettuce leaves on a plate so that they slightly overlap each other at the ends to create a longer "wrap". Place a few slices of pork on top of the lettuce and add the desired amount of toppings - the radish, pickled carrots, jalapeño, cilantro and seasoned avocado. Finish with a dollop or two of mayonnaise. Roll the wraps up like a burrito and enjoy! This recipe serves 4.
