Sesame Turkey Lettuce Wrap Bowls (Printable)

Korean-style ground turkey with sesame, ginger, and gochujang served over rice with fresh lettuce wraps.

# What you need:

→ Turkey Mixture

01 - 1 pound ground turkey
02 - 2 tablespoons sesame oil
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons gochujang
08 - 1 tablespoon honey
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
11 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Bowls and Toppings

12 - 4 cups cooked white or brown rice
13 - 1 head butter lettuce or romaine, leaves separated
14 - 1 cucumber, shaved into ribbons
15 - 1 large carrot, julienned or shaved into ribbons
16 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds for garnish
17 - 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, optional

# How to make it:

01 - Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and finely chopped onion; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
02 - Add ground turkey to the skillet and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
03 - Stir in soy sauce, gochujang, honey, and rice vinegar. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly and coat the turkey evenly.
04 - Remove from heat. Stir in toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions until well combined.
05 - Divide cooked rice evenly among four bowls. Top each with a generous scoop of the sesame turkey mixture.
06 - Arrange separated lettuce leaves, cucumber ribbons, and carrot ribbons around the turkey mixture in each bowl for visual appeal and varied textures.
07 - Garnish each bowl with additional sesame seeds and chopped cilantro if desired. Serve with lettuce leaves on the side for scooping or wrapping the turkey mixture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes, which means dinner on busy weeknights without the usual stress.
  • Everyone gets to build their own bowl the way they like it, so there's never a complaint about what's in it.
  • The flavors are bold and deeply satisfying, but it's still light enough that you don't feel sluggish afterward.
02 -
  • Don't brown the turkey too aggressively or it becomes dry and loses the tender texture that makes this dish special, so medium-high heat with constant stirring is your friend.
  • The gochujang will seize up if it's not stirred in gradually with the other liquid ingredients, so whisk it into the soy sauce mixture first before adding it to the pan.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry skillet for 2 minutes if you have time, because the difference between raw and toasted is the difference between okay and unforgettable.
  • Make the turkey mixture earlier in the day and reheat it gently just before serving, which actually deepens the flavor as everything sits together overnight.
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