Asian Ground Turkey Lettuce Cups with Cucumber Salad

Serves 4 · about 30 minutes

Ingredients

Turkey filling

• 1 lb ground turkey

• 1 tbsp neutral oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1–2 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 tsp honey or brown sugar

• 1–2 tsp sriracha, to taste

• 2 green onions, sliced

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

• 1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts or cashews, optional

Cucumber salad topper

• 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced or lightly smashed

• 2 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp honey

• 1/2 tsp chili crisp or red pepper flakes, optional

• 1 green onion, thinly sliced

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

• Small handful cilantro or mint

For serving

• 1–2 heads butter lettuce, leaves separated and washed

• Lime wedges

• Extra sriracha or chili crisp

Instructions

1. Make the cucumber salad. Toss cucumber with rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, chili crisp, green onion, sesame seeds, and herbs. Let it sit while you cook the turkey.

2. Cook the turkey. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through.

3. Build the flavor. Add garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, and sriracha. Cook another 2–3 minutes until the sauce coats the turkey.

4. Finish. Stir in green onions and cilantro. Taste and adjust—more soy for salt, rice vinegar for brightness, or sriracha for heat.

5. Assemble. Spoon warm turkey into butter lettuce leaves and pile the cold, crunchy cucumber salad on top. Finish with peanuts/cashews, sesame seeds, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

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