Tofu Shiitake Lettuce Wraps

Name: Tofu Shiitake Lettuce Wraps
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 package extra firm tofu (14oz); 1/2 cup raw cashews; 10-12 romaine heart leaves; 2 tsp avocado oil; 4 cloves garlic; 1/2 inch ginger, thinly sliced; 2 green onions; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 8 oz shiitake mushrooms, chopped; 1 can water chestnuts, sliced (8oz can); 4 oz shrimp (optional); shredded carrots, for garnish; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 3 tbsp hoisin sauce; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tbsp peanut butter (I like to use chunky); 1 tbsp honey

These Tofu Shiitake Lettuce wraps are one of my favorite vegetarian meals to make – they are so easy to cook and they pack the BEST savory and sweet flavors. Perfect for an appetizer, or a light lunch or dinner!

These lettuce wraps are inspired from my days when I traveled to Dallas and would eat at True Food Kitchen. They have the BEST tofu shiitake lettuce wrap appetizers, and I would always add shrimp to them to make them my full meal. If you are a vegetarian, feel free to omit the shrimp and they will still be just as amazing.

I’ve made these lettuce wraps multiple times, and each time, my tastebuds explode. You’ll taste savory, sweet, spicy, nutty, earthy, and freshness all in one delicious bite.

These are very easy to make, and pretty much all of the work goes into the prep. To prep, wash and dry the romaine lettuce, crumble and drain the tofu, roast the cashews, chop the mushrooms, sear the shrimp (if using), and combine the sauce in a sauce pan.

Pay attention when you buy your water chestnuts! Don’t buy the whole ones, like I did, or you’ll want to slice them up. Definitely get the sliced ones to save a step.

Next, stir fry all the ingredients. Tofu + shiitake mushrooms + shrimp + water chestnuts + garlic + ginger + red pepper flakes + sauce.

The sauce is a mouth-watering combination of soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, rice vinegar, peanut butter, and honey. Tofu and shiitake mushrooms are the best sponges to absorb the flavors of this sauce.

These wraps pack plenty of protein too! I love to add shrimp for a nice pop texture and additional protein (plus, I just LOVE shrimp). When I served these the first time, Chris actually thought the tofu was turkey!

A few tips for these lettuce wraps:

Buy raw cashews and roast them yourself. The nuttiness from home-roasted cashews cannot be beat.
Crumble the tofu an hour before cooking, and let it dry on paper towels. This will prevent your filling from getting watery.
If you don’t have shiitake mushrooms, regular mushrooms will do, however, I love how earthy shiitake mushrooms are, and they absorb so much of the sauce flavor.

Other Asian inspired recipes:

How to make Vietnamese Spring Rolls
5 ingredient Easy Peanut Sauce
Slow Cooker Vietnamese Pulled Pork Banh Mi
Quinoa Fried Rice
Vegetarian: Oven Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

Print Recipe

Tofu Shiitake Lettuce Wraps

Prep Time50 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Servings: 4 (3 wraps each)

Ingredients

1 package extra firm tofu (14oz)
1/2 cup raw cashews
10-12 romaine heart leaves
2 tsp avocado oil
4 cloves garlic
1/2 inch ginger, thinly sliced
2 green onions
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, sliced (8oz can)
4 oz shrimp (optional)
shredded carrots, for garnish

For the sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp peanut butter (I like to use chunky)
1 tbsp honey

Instructions

Prep:

Pat dry the tofu. Crumble the tofu and set it in a bowl lined with paper towels to remove moisture. (If you can, do this about an hour in advanced.)
Heat an oven to 350 degrees. Roast the cashews for 10 minutes, shaking the pan half way. Set aside and let cool.
Wash the romaine hearts and lay out, or pat to dry.
In a small sauce pan, add all the sauce ingredients. Bring to a simmer and stir to combine well. Set aside.
Chop the garlic, thinly slice the ginger, and chop the green onions. Separate the whites from the green. (Greens will be for the garnish)
(if using shrimp) Heat 1/2 tbsp avocado oil in a cast iron. Place the shrimp in the pan, and sear 3 minutes per side. Cut into chunks.

To prepare the filling:

In a large stir fry pan or wok, heat avocado oil.
Add garlic, ginger, whites of the green onion, and red pepper flakes. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add shiitake mushrooms, tofu, water chestnuts and if using, shrimp.
Add sauce and stir well. Stir fry for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and top with roasted cashews.

To serve:

Fill the romaine hearts with the filling, and garnish with green onions and shredded carrots.

Notes

I recommend this for a light lunch or dinner. It can be a complete dinner, if you aren’t a big eater. Or I would recommend serving alongside with rice!

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appetizer asian gluten-free Healthy Recipe main entree plant based Vegan vegetarian

April 16, 2020

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Tofu Shiitake Lettuce Wraps