Cheeseburger Lettuce Wraps with Special Sauce and Crispy Onions

If you love cheeseburgers but want a lighter, crunchier twist, these lettuce wraps are for you. Seasoned ground beef is cooked with melty cheddar, then nestled into crisp romaine leaves and topped with all the classic fixings: tangy pickles, shredded lettuce, crispy fried onions and a creamy special sauce. It’s a fun, handheld meal that comes together in one pan.

Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, these wraps deliver big flavor without the bun. The special sauce-a mix of mayo, ketchup and mustard with a hint of fry seasoning-ties everything together. Serve them as a main dish or a party appetizer; either way, they’ll disappear fast.

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Ingredients

1 unit Baby LettuceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Sliced Dill PickleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon KetchupView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Dijon MustardView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fry SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Beef Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Cheddar CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Crispy Fried OnionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the lettuce. Trim the root end and separate the leaves. Thinly slice 1-2 small center leaves to get about 1/3 cup shredded lettuce. Drain the pickles and roughly chop them.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, ketchup, half the Dijon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon fry seasoning. Stir in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the sauce reaches a drizzling consistency. Set aside.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, remaining fry seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and almost cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the beef stock concentrate and 1/4 cup water. Cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed and the beef is fully cooked, 2-3 minutes. If there’s excess grease, carefully pour it off. Add half the cheddar cheese and stir until melted, about 1 minute.
4. Divide the lettuce leaves among plates. Fill with the beef mixture, chopped pickles, shredded lettuce, crispy fried onions, remaining cheese and a drizzle of the special sauce. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of lettuce?

Yes, you can substitute romaine or butter lettuce if baby lettuce is unavailable. Just make sure the leaves are large enough to hold the filling.

Can I make these lettuce wraps ahead of time?

It’s best to assemble them just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp. You can prepare the beef mixture and sauce in advance and refrigerate, then reheat and assemble when ready.

What can I use instead of fry seasoning?

Fry seasoning is a blend of spices like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. You can substitute with a mix of paprika and garlic powder.