Skinny Cauliflower Asian Lettuce Wraps

5 from 1 vote

Light, fresh, and ultimately satisfying!

It’s hard to find lunch or dinner recipes under 300 calories that actually satisfy. A bowl of lettuce rarely stimulates the taste buds, and the portion sizes on these types of meals can be so tiny. If you’re looking for a delicious, filling recipe that’s still low-calorie, give these Skinny Cauliflower Asian Lettuce Wraps a try! This vegetarian recipe has all the flavor of a restaurant entree without all the extra fat and calories. And it’s easy enough to prepare in advance and reheat in the microwave for a grab-and-go lunch option or a quick-and-easy weeknight dinner.

By making the filling from cauliflower, mushrooms, and water chestnuts, we’ve managed to create the perfect textural contrast that will keep you coming back, bite after bite. Even if you’re a meat eater, you won’t miss it one bit in this dish! Mix the crunchy vegetables with a sweet-and-savory stir-fry sauce and crave-worthy dipping sauce, and you won’t feel like you’re eating diet food at all. Light, fresh, and ultimately satisfying; what more could you ask for?

The Best Lettuce for Wraps

These low-calorie Skinny Cauliflower Asian Lettuce Wraps are filled with cauliflower, mushrooms, and water chestnuts.

You have a few options when it comes to the wrappers for Skinny Cauliflower Asian Lettuce Wraps. We think Napa cabbage leaves work best because they’re firm but pliable. Because they’re nice and crunchy, they also give an extra layer of texture to the dish! You could also use regular cabbage, but you’d need to soften those leaves first in boiling water (following this method seen in our slow cooker cabbage rolls recipe). With Napa, you can simply pull the leaves off and wrap away.

Another option for fresh lettuce is iceberg. A head of iceberg lettuce has plenty of large leaves which will perfectly envelop the 3/4 cups of tasty cauliflower filling. It’s a touch harder to roll these leaves as compared to softer lettuces (like green leaf or butter lettuce), but we love how iceberg adds a watery crunch to your wrap.

You could also choose to skip the wrapping part altogether and turn these into lettuce cups! Look for butter lettuce (sometimes called Boston or Bibb lettuce) for this option. These smaller leaves make perfect open-faced cups if you’re looking to switch things up.

Make This Recipe Ahead

Mix the crunchy vegetables with a sweet-and-savory stir-fry sauce and crave-worthy dipping sauce, and you won't feel like you're eating diet food at all.

We mentioned earlier that you can prepare the filling and sauce for Skinny Cauliflower Asian Lettuce Wraps in advance. That makes them super easy to pack for work lunch, and they’re equally as easy to reheat and create a 5-minute dinner. We only have one piece of advice for meal prepping this recipe: keep the filling separate.

While the filling tastes okay cold (or at room temperature), it really shines when it’s warm. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave, but you definitely don’t want to heat up the lettuce wraps! We’d recommend packing the filling in a separate container and only wrapping it in the lettuce when you’re ready to eat. That keeps everything tasting fresh and delicious.

We can’t wait for you to try these Skinny Cauliflower Asian Lettuce Wraps! This vegetarian recipe is perfect for Meatless Monday, or just anytime you’re looking for a meal under 300 calories. Let us know what you thought in the comments. We always love hearing from you, whether you have questions about the recipe or thoughts about how to improve it!

5 from 1 vote

Skinny Cauliflower Asian Lettuce Wraps

This yummy vegetarian recipe makes a fantastic lunch or light, flavorful dinner.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield 3 people
Serving Size 2 each
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Asian

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce low sodium
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 head cauliflower cut into small florets
  • 8 ounces water chestnuts canned, diced
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms diced
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion diced small
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 napa cabbage leaves

Instructions

  • Combine 2 tablespoons of the honey, 1 teaspoon of the rice wine vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
  • In a medium sauce pan, combine the remaining honey and warm water, heat just until the honey is disolved. Stir in the remaining soy sauce, remaining vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, mustard, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Place into a bowl for dipping and serving and set aside.
  • Heat the remaining sesame oil in a large skillet or wok. On medium-high heat add the cauliflower and cook just until the cauliflower begins to soften and brown. Stir in the already prepared Stir-Fry Sauce (made in step one) to the cauliflower along with water chestnuts, mushrooms, onion and garlic. Stir-fry for approximately 4-5 minutes on medium heat.
  • Place approximately 3/4 cup of the cooked cauliflower mixture on individual cabbage leaf and drizzle with dipping sauce. Serve hot!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2each | Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1314mg | Potassium: 659mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 178IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg |
SmartPoints (Freestyle): 11
Keywords Vegetarian

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Chef Nichole

Nichole has a culinary degree from Great Lakes Culinary Institute and has worked in the culinary industry for 10 years. She also has the knowledge to write recipes using the most nutritious, fresh, and balanced ingredients. Nichole enjoys creating healthy and tasty recipes anyone can prepare, no matter their cooking skill level.

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