Shawarma-Spiced Beef Lettuce Wraps with Garlic White Sauce

These shawarma-spiced beef lettuce wraps are everything you want in a light but satisfying meal. The crisp lettuce cups cradle a fragrant, spiced beef filling, topped with juicy tomato and tangy pickled red onion. A creamy lemon-garlic sauce ties it all together, while sliced almonds add a delightful crunch and hot sauce brings the heat.

Ready in just 30 minutes, this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you crave something flavorful and fresh. The combination of warm shawarma spices, cool lettuce and bright pickled onions is irresistible. Serve with extra lemon wedges for a burst of citrus.

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Ingredients

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Baby LettuceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce Sliced AlmondsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Halve, peel and thinly slice half the red onion; finely dice the remaining half. Quarter the lemons. Trim the root end from the lettuce and separate the leaves. Dice the tomato.
2. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the sliced onion, juice from one lemon, ½ teaspoon sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Microwave for 30 seconds, then set aside to pickle, stirring occasionally. In another small bowl, mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season the white sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the ground beef, shawarma spice blend and remaining garlic powder; season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock concentrates and ¼ cup water, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
4. Divide the lettuce leaves among plates. Fill each leaf with the spiced beef, diced tomato and pickled onion (drain first). Drizzle with the white sauce and hot sauce to taste. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef?

Yes, ground turkey or chicken works well in this recipe. Just adjust cooking time as needed until fully cooked.

What can I use instead of shawarma spice blend?

You can make your own blend with cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne.

How do I store leftovers?

Store the cooked beef, white sauce and pickled onion separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble fresh lettuce wraps when ready to eat.