Flavor-packed Taco Lettuce Wraps with taco-seasoned meat, black beans, Cheddar cheese, taco sauce, tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, avocado, and fresh lime juice.
author’s note
Taco Night Just Got a Fresh New Twist!
There is no shortage of taco recipes on this site, with some of my favorites being these chicken tacos, shrimp tacos, and these healthy tacos. After so many readers requested more lower-carb dinners, I decided to replace the tortillas with lettuce and see if the meal could still feel just as satisfying.
The first batch convinced me it absolutely could! The filling is loaded with seasoned beef, black beans, and tomato sauce, so there’s plenty of flavor before the toppings even come in. Then everyone gets to pile on exactly what they want. I’m all about extra-sharp Cheddar, tomatoes, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, and a LOT of fresh lime.
These Taco Lettuce Wraps have become one of my favorite options when I want something fresh and lighter that still feels like a real taco dinner. They’re quick, easy to customize, and, most importantly, nobody leaves the table wishing we had used tortillas!
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Helpful Tips & Swaps |
|---|---|
| Ground Beef | I like ground beef or ground chuck for the most flavor. I have turkey lettuce wraps if you’re wanting to use ground turkey. |
| Yellow Onion & Garlic | These add tons of flavor to the filling. Dice the onion finely so it softens quickly and blends into the beef. |
| Seasonings | Chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder create that classic taco flavor. Adjust cayenne for spiciness. |
| Tomato Sauce | Don’t substitute diced tomatoes since they’ll make the filling watery. |
| Black Beans | Drain and rinse them well before adding. Pinto beans are a great swap. |
| Lettuce | Boston or butter lettuce makes the best wraps because the leaves are soft, flexible, and naturally cup-shaped. Romaine hearts work well for extra crunch. |
| Toppings | I love extra-sharp Cheddar, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, sour cream, and plenty of fresh lime. Set everything out and let everyone build their own! |
How To Make Taco Lettuce Wraps
- Prep: Wash/dry lettuce, mince garlic, dice onion, mix spices, drain/rinse beans.
- Beef: Sauté onion in oil, add garlic, then beef until browned; drain excess grease.
- Season: Add spices, tomato sauce to beef; cook until thickened, stir in beans.
- Assemble: Spoon beef onto lettuce leaves, add toppings like cheese, tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice. Enjoy your taco lettuce wraps!
Variations
- Keto: Use higher-fat ground beef and skip any toppings that don’t fit your diet.
- Corn: Add grilled corn kernels. See my Elote recipe for grilling tips.
- Different Meat: Replace the beef with ground turkey or chicken.
- Dairy-Free: Leave off the cheese and sour cream or use dairy-free alternatives.
- Vegetarian: Replace the beef with cooked quinoa or meatless crumbles. Add black beans and corn for a heartier filling.
Storage
Store the filling, lettuce, and toppings separately in airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat the filling and assemble the Taco Lettuce Wraps just before serving. Freeze the filling for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Low-Carb Recipes:
Taco Lettuce Wraps
Equipment
- Large pan cast-iron if possible
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 pound ground beef or ground chuck
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper optional, omit if sensitive to spice
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup black beans
- 10 to 12 firm large pieces lettuce I like Boston/butter lettuce best
- Toppings as desired see note 1
Instructions
- Wash and dry the lettuce wraps. Set aside. Prepare everything for cooking the beef filling because the process goes quickly! Mince garlic, dice onion, and stir together all the seasonings: chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drain and rinse black beans.
- Heat oil in a large pan (cast iron if possible) over high heat. Add onion and cook 2–3 minutes or until lightly golden. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add ground beef and cook 2–4 minutes, breaking it up into small pieces as you go, until meat is no longer pink. If there is a lot of extra grease (from higher-fat percentages of beef), drain off. Add in the mixture of all seasonings. Stir another 2–3 minutes or until beef is completely cooked through. Add tomato sauce and stir until thickened, another 1–2 minutes. Stir in drained and rinsed black beans. Remove from heat and set aside to slightly cool.
- Set out washed and completely dried lettuce pieces (don’t want watery tacos!). Divide beef evenly between the 10–12 lettuce pieces (depending on how much beef you want in each taco). Add your favorite toppings. I love extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, chopped cherry tomatoes, chopped cilantro, and sour cream. Other great options include avocado or guacamole, fresh corn, hot sauce or taco sauce, crispy tortilla strips, etc. Drizzle fresh lime over everything and serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yum! We eat tacos all the time, and I love this is a healthier alternative!
Love, love, love these! So delicious and I love that they’re low in carbs.
My favorite way to eat tacos!!