Easy and delicious Beef Lettuce Wraps made with Chili beans for a Mexican flair. Whip them up in about 25 minutes for a tasty appetizer or main meal!
Pair these wraps with our favorite Cucumber Tomato Salad or Cilantro-Lime Rice.
Give me a sampler of appetizers and that can easily turn into a meal. And I’m ok with that. These Beef Lettuce Wraps can be served as either! They’re great finger food for get-togethers, but also filling enough for dinner. So easy to make and loaded with great Mexican flavors.
Beef Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Ingredients you’ll need:
*Scroll below for the complete printable recipe card.
- Ground Beef: We use lean ground beef. Ground turkey would also work well here.
- Bacon: Salty, smoky bacon adds such delicious flavor.
- Onion and Garlic: These sauté along with the beef and provide wonderful aromatics.
- Chili Beans: A can of chili beans in their sauce gets incorporated into the mixture, adding protein and such great flavor.
- Parsley: Fresh chopped parsley lends brightness and a slight peppery flavor.
- Lettuce leaves: We prefer iceberg lettuce for crispness and crunch, but green leaf or butter lettuce are also great choices, which are softer and roll nicely.
- Cheese: Mexican blend, cheddar, or pepper jack for a kick.
- Toppings: I love to top these lettuce wraps with avocado or homemade guacamole, fresh Pico de Gallo, a little drizzle of homemade enchilada sauce, or a spritz of lime juice.
How to Make Lettuce Wraps
These beef lettuce wraps couldn’t be easier. From start to finish, you’re looking at maybe 25 minutes. Here’s a brief summary:
- Fry the bacon and transfer to paper towels to drain.
- In the same skillet, brown the beef along with the onion and garlic until cooked through. Drain off the fat.
- Add in the can of chili beans with their sauce; simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Take off the heat and stir in the parsley.
- Assemble the wraps by stacking a couple lettuce leaves and scooping the desired amount of filling.
- Finish off the wraps by topping with cheese, avocado cubes, and Pico de Gallo or salsa.
Other Mexican Recipes We Love
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Beef Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 8 slices bacon , roughly chopped to small pieces
- 1 small sweet onion , finely diced
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 15 ounce can chili beans (with their sauce)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- small Iceberg lettuce leaves
- shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- guacamole or diced avocado, for serving
- pico de gallo or salsa, for serving
Instructions
- In a large non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Pour off any remaining bacon fat from the pan and return to medium-high heat.
- Add the beef, onion, and garlic to the hot pan. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 3 minutes. Drain off fat and return pan to heat.
- Add the can of beans with their sauce, stir well and bring up to a simmer for a few minutes to thicken.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley.
- To serve, stack 2 lettuce leaves, scoop desired amount of filling, and top with shredded cheese, guacamole, and pico de gallo.
Nutrition
Other Notes
These were really easy to make and delivered on flavor.
I made these, but used plain pinto beans and corn with salsa. Really good!
My family loved these! The addition of bacon was clutch. Yum!
Can’t wait to make these, thank you.
OMG what a baby you are. Cry, cry, cry. I can’t believe you……KIDDING! I am such a crybaby it’s not even funny. I cry at commercials, I cry every time I see someone getting married, even if I don’t know them, births….forgitaboutit! I’m a mush bag. I almost cried this morning cause my baby turned 17 today!
I’m making these this w/e. Thanks Rebecca!