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Home Quick and Easy

Thai Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai)

By:Nagi
Published:21 Jan '20Updated:8 Apr '21
170 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Thai Lettuce Wraps is one of those meals that will make you forget you’re eating healthy! A traditional Thai dish called Larb Gai, they’re quick to make and full of fresh flavours from herbs and lime, plus a nice hit of chilli. Use chicken mince or pork mince, bundle it up in lettuce or serve it over rice!

Drizzling Thai Peanut Sauce for Thai Lettuce Wraps

Thai Lettuce Wraps – Larb Gai

Thai is one of the most popular Asian foods in Sydney. And there’s so much to love about it – noodles, curries and soups, grilled chicken, fried rice and Thai Fish Cakes. And of course, everybody’s favourite Thai Chicken Satay with peanut sauce!

But when you feel like something lighter (read: lower cal!) but still loaded with Thai flavours, these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps are fabulous.

Larb Gai, Laab Gai, Lahb Gai, Laap Gai…….searching for a recipe like this where the name has been interpreted in so many different ways is always interesting! Depending on what you search will return a myriad of results!

Thai Lettuce Wraps are a celebration of fresh flavours and textures. The perfect balance of sweet, savoury, sour and spiciness with aromatic herbs and the fresh crunch from lettuce. Utterly addictive!

Plate of Thai Lettuce Cups

Larb Gai is the Thai version of everybody’s favourite Chinese Lettuce Wraps, San Choy Bow!

It’s all about the fresh flavours!

Like many South East Asian dishes, these Thai Lettuce Cups are about fresh flavours. There’s few ingredients in the sauce – just lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.  Much of the flavour comes from a decent wack of Thai aromatics – ginger, garlic, chilli and lemongrass – which we sauté until golden and the smell drives us crazy before we add the chicken, sauce and fresh herbs.

Chicken filling for Thai Lettuce Wraps

What goes in Thai Lettuce Wraps

Here’s a visual of what goes in the chicken mince filling for Thai Lettuce Wraps.

I typically default to a chicken filling, but this recipe works just as well with pork mince as well (that’s ground pork for those of you in the States!).

What goes in Thai Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce for lettuce cups

For the lettuce wraps, don’t get too hung up on finding the perfect lettuce! Once it’s all bundled / scrunched up and you start devouring, nobody remembers whether your lettuce leaves were the perfect size or symmetrical, or a convenient cup shape. All anyone can think about is how divine it tastes!

TIP: Crisp or soft lettuce works just fine, so go with what you prefer or what looks good at the store. Crisp lettuce leaves are mostly in a cup shape – as pictured below (small cos lettuce aka romaine lettuce) – and soft lettuce leaves can be any shape as they are soft enough to wrap around the filling.

Lettuce for Thai Lettuce Wraps

How to make Thai Lettuce Wraps

It’s no different to any stir fry – mix up the sauce first, sauté the aromatics first (garlic, ginger, chilli, lemongrass) then add the meat then sauce. You’ll be done cooking in 5 minutes flat!

How to make Thai Lettuce Wraps

Close up overhead photo of Thai Lettuce Wraps

How to serve

I always serve it in a DIY arrangement because I’m a fan of interactive food – plus I get to skip plating up for everyone! I put the filling in a bowl alongside a pile of lettuce leaves with lime wedges and some peanuts sprinkling.

SAUCE OPTION: Typically I serve it just like that, but when I want to go all out, I make Thai Peanut Sauce as well. It’s the sauce from my Thai Chicken Satay recipe which actually makes more than you need for one batch of Satay. So freeze the leftovers then pull it out when you make Thai Lettuce Wraps!


What to serve with Thai Lettuce Wraps

These are typically offered as a starter at Thai restaurants – one piece per person. As for what main to have, you could really choose any Thai main dish – there’s nothing I wouldn’t choose in my collection of recipes! Here are some favourites:

Thai Main Dish Suggestions

Chopsticks pulling up Pad See Ew
Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried Noodles)
Close up of Thai Chicken Satay being dipped into Thai Peanut Sauce
Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Thai Red Curry with Chicken in a skillet, fresh off the stove.
Thai Red Curry with Chicken
Thai Cashew Chicken Stir Fry on jasmine rice in a bowl, ready to be eaten
Thai Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Close up of Thai Basil Chicken in a wok, fresh off the stove ready to be served
Thai Basil Chicken
Grilled Thai Chicken (Gai Yang)
Grilled Marinated Thai Chicken (Gai Yang)
Close up of Thai Drunken Noodles with chopsticks
Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
Thai Green Curry in a black skillet, fresh off the stove
Thai Green Curry
Thai Red Curry with Chicken in a skillet, fresh off the stove.
Thai Recipes

The other option is to make a meal out of these lettuce cups by adding some sides to fill it out – and add some extra greens if you like. If you add one rice side and one salad, that will make quite a substantial meal for 4 people. Here are some suggestions!

Dishes to make a complete meal

Plate of Pineapple Fried Rice (Thai) ready to be served
Pineapple Fried Rice (Thai)
Close up of Smashed Cucumbers in a rustic bowl, ready to be served
Smashed Cucumber Salad
Plate of Jasmine Rice
Jasmine Rice
Two bowls of Thai Fried Rice, ready to be eaten
Thai Fried Rice
How to cook rice featured image graphic
How to cook white rice – easily and perfectly
Close up of Cauliflower Fried Rice in a bowl, ready to be eaten
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Asian Slaw in a salad bowl with Asian Dressing, ready to be served
Asian Slaw – healthy, crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad
Fluffy coconut rice in a white bowl, ready to be served.
Coconut Rice (fluffy, not gluey!)
Asian Sesame Dressing - made with soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar and sugar. Lasts for 3 weeks, an essential pantry standby! recipetineats.com
Asian Sesame Dressing
Close up of Vermicelli Noodle Salad with cabbage, carrot, beansprouts, coriander, chilli with an Asian dressing
Vermicelli Noodle Salad

– Nagi x


Watch how to make it

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Close up of Thai Lettuce Wraps filled with chicken mince / pork mince filling

Thai Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai, Laab Gai)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Total: 20 minutes mins
Stir Fry
Thai
5 from 57 votes
Servings2 - 3
Tap or hover to scale
Print
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Recipe video above. This is a really authentic recipe for Thai Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai). It is super fast to make, incredibly fresh but full of fragrance and a hit of spice.

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch OR 2 tbsp uncooked rice (any rice is fine) (Note 1)
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2 1/2 tbsp lime juice (1 to 2 limes)
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil (or other high smoke point cooking oil)
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger , grated or very finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves , large, minced
  • 1 lemon grass stalk , white and very pale green part only, finely chopped (Note 2)
  • 2 Thai or birds eye chilli , deseeded and finely chopped (adjust to taste)
  • 1 lb / 500g chicken mince (ground chicken) OR pork
  • 1/2 red onion , cut into 4 wedges then finely sliced
  • 1/3 cup coriander/cilantro leaves , plus extra to garnish
  • 1/3 cup mint leaves , plus extra to garnish

Serving

  • 3 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional)
  • 6 - 8 small to medium lettuce leaves (I used baby cos / romaine) (Note 3)
  • Extra lime wedges, chilli

Instructions

  • Sauce: Place water and cornflour OR rice powder into a small bowl. Mix into a slurry. Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar and mix to combine. Set aside.
  • Heat peanut oil in a wok (or heavy based fry pan) over medium high heat. Add ginger, garlic, lemongrass and chilli and sauté for 45 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn, it will taste bitter.
  • Add the chicken and turn up the heat to high. Cook the chicken, breaking up the mince into small pieces.
  • Once the chicken turns white and is almost cooked through (about 3 to 4 minutes), add Sauce. Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute to coat the chicken and for the sauce to thicken.
  • Remove wok from heat. Stir through onion, coriander/cilantro and mint.
  • Spoon filling into a bowl, and serve with lettuce, peanuts, extra herbs and lime wedges on the side - leave everyone to make their own. Spoon filling into lettuce cups and garnish with what you want!
  • Sauce option: Take it over the top by serving with Thai Peanut Satay Sauce, as pictured in the first photo in post! It's extra amazing (though not traditional!)

Recipe Notes:

1. Sauce thickener - The traditional way in Thailand to thicken sauces is to toast then grind rice. A quicker way to do this is to use cornstarch / cornflour which is what I typically use.
Traditional ground rice: Heat a wok (or heavy based fry pan) over high heat. Add the rice and dry cook for 5 minutes until it turns dark golden brown. Remove into a mortar and pestle and ground into powder. Use in place of cornflour in recipe.
2. Lemongrass - use fresh or paste. If using paste, add it with the chicken and use 1 tbsp.
For fresh, poeel the stringy, tough, outside layers off the lemongrass and just use the bottom 7 - 10cm / 3 to 4" of he lemongrass.
3. Lettuce - soft or crisp works fine, don't get too hung up on lettuce shape / type. For crisp, look for leaves that have a natural cup shape. If lettuce is soft, it's perfect for bundling up into rolls!
4. Source: Adapted from a recipe by Chew Town and with reference to various Thai cooking books.
5. Nutrition assumes 3 servings as a light main.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 238gCalories: 351cal (18%)Carbohydrates: 13g (4%)Protein: 28g (56%)Fat: 21.4g (33%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Trans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 130mg (43%)Sodium: 559mg (24%)Potassium: 921mg (26%)Fiber: 1.9g (8%)Sugar: 2.4g (3%)Vitamin A: 400IU (8%)Vitamin C: 13.2mg (16%)Calcium: 50mg (5%)Iron: 3.1mg (17%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Originally published January 2015. Updated with new photos, new process photos, new video and most importantly, Dozer added!

More Thai Food favourites

  • Thai Chili Basil Chicken Stir Fry

  • Pad See Ew and Thai Drunken Noodles

  • Thai Red Curry and Green Curry

  • Massaman Curry

  • Thai Fish Cakes

  • Chicken Satay skewers with Peanut Sauce

  • See all Thai Recipes


Life of Dozer

On auto pilot, I labelled this photo “Dozer guarding front door”.

LOL, what a joke! If a robber ever broke in, he’d lead them straight to all my valuables!

Dozer guarding front door

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170 Comments

  1. NiccsMom says

    February 2, 2022 at 3:20 pm

    I love this recipe, except for the peanuts, which I left out. My son is half loas and I have always loved this dish and am so glad I finally have a recipe! I am so glad I found it, thank you very much for sharing it.

    Reply
  2. Heather says

    January 24, 2022 at 9:01 pm

    5 stars
    Made this tonight, and yum doesn’t quite cut it! Super super delish and quick! Made it with pork mince, and we had it as our main meal. Had to dial back the chilli as ‘himself’ isn’t too keen, so next time I’ll have some on the side to add in. There wasn’t much talking at the dinner table, just the crunching of lettuce leaves lol

    Reply
  3. Jeanette says

    January 21, 2022 at 10:36 pm

    Hi!! Just a tip for those wanting to make this – I used a very cheap lime juice to make this recipe (what I had in my fridge) and I think it affected the overall result. Next time I will make sure to use a good brand or juice the limes myself!
    Thank you Nagi for your awesome recipes – Thanks to you I have tried thai food for the first time – I used to be so scared of spicy food but I don’t want to miss out on all the yummy dishes anymore. I try to challenge myself to add more heat to each meal!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 22, 2022 at 9:42 pm

      Hi Jeanette – for Thai style recipes you definitely need to use fresh squeezed!! N x

      Reply
  4. Nicole A Fraser says

    January 17, 2022 at 9:30 am

    I can’t get birds eye chilis where I live, do you have any recommendations for subs?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 17, 2022 at 9:38 am

      Any spicy chilli will work Nicole. Maybe a red cayenne or a habanero (Scotch Bonnet) if you like really spicy! N x

      Reply
  5. Ashlee says

    January 10, 2022 at 12:13 am

    5 stars
    Nagi, I love your blog and have been making your recipes for quite some time!

    I’m curious if you have any alternatives to fish sauce for those of us allergic to shellfish? I used vegetarian oyster sauce and soy and it was yummy, but perhaps not that close to your recipe so wondering if you have any alternatives. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Steph says

      May 10, 2022 at 1:07 pm

      I use liquid aminos or soy sauce to replace the fish sauce. It adds umami so I think it substitutes just fine. The taste is very similar from what I’ve been told!

      Reply
      • Nagi says

        May 10, 2022 at 3:11 pm

        Thanks for that tip Steph! N x

        Reply
  6. Julie says

    November 3, 2021 at 9:32 pm

    5 stars
    This is a total winner. Minimum effort and time for maximum flavour! I think it went from start to finish in 10 mins max. Perfect!

    Reply
  7. Bharti says

    July 23, 2021 at 8:14 pm

    Just Wow!!
    Nagi, I’ve been following your blog for a while now and each dish has come out tasting amazing.
    Now my 11 year old has started to show interest in cooking and this is blog she always goes back to choose the meal.
    I can’t thankyou enough. 💕

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 24, 2021 at 4:10 pm

      That’s awesome Bharti!!! N x

      Reply
  8. Barbara says

    June 2, 2021 at 11:31 am

    5 stars
    No words…..Just ❤️❤️❤️

    Reply
  9. Marieke says

    April 16, 2021 at 7:38 pm

    So easy to make. Another keeper. Thank you Nagi. Cheers from the Northern Beaches 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 17, 2021 at 2:57 pm

      You’re so welcome Marieke! N x

      Reply
  10. Emma says

    March 23, 2021 at 1:52 am

    5 stars
    I could not believe how simple, quick, and delicious this was. Will be making it for the second time this week!

    Reply
  11. Alison Donnelly says

    March 11, 2021 at 7:47 am

    5 stars
    Everyone I cook this for falls completely in love with it!
    Do not mess with the recipe – it is absolutely perfect as it is.
    I cook for a couple of pro-sportsmen and they love how light it is for lunch on training days
    Brilliant!

    Reply
  12. Marcia Foster says

    January 23, 2021 at 7:37 am

    5 stars
    We gobbled this up. Stepson said it’s flavor evoked memories of Mongolian BBQ.

    Reply
  13. Watna says

    January 17, 2021 at 12:34 pm

    5 stars
    This is the 6th recipe we have tried since we discovered your website a month ago! We have loved everything we have tried so far! We had this last night for dinner, it was delicious and so appropriate for the warmer weather!

    Reply
  14. Dean Frank says

    December 31, 2020 at 8:20 am

    Absolutely delicious. I’ve cooked it 4-5 times and am going in for more. Crazy how it all comes together and tastes so good.

    Reply
  15. Jemma Hansen says

    December 27, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    Could I make this 24 hours a head, refrigerate and eat the next night?

    Reply
  16. Josh says

    September 17, 2020 at 7:09 am

    I made this last night and it was terrific. I made it with the pad see ew (although didn’t use any chicken in the noodles). This is bad news for the local Thai restaurant – the home cooked stuff was even better than what we order in!

    Reply
  17. Sarah says

    September 5, 2020 at 10:52 am

    Well, another crazy addictive dish from Nagi! I made this as meal prep for lunches and ended up eating at least half the night I made it. I am so grateful to you for making Asian dishes so accessible to me. I used to be so nervous I would mess up but now with your recipes I am confident I will have awesome results every time.

    Reply
    • Ally says

      December 14, 2020 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      10/10 would recommend! Had truly authentic flavors without being overpowered by the fish sauce. I replaced the minced meat with diced boneless/skinless chicken thighs and it was incredibly moist, picking up the flavor perfectly! I’m so happy I stumbled on this site and can’t wait to try the other recipes 🙂

      Reply
  18. Aimy says

    September 4, 2020 at 9:40 am

    Could I make this with beef instead? My mum doesn’t like any other kind of mince

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 4, 2020 at 9:58 am

      Hi Aimy, you can – the flavour will be different but definitely doable. N x

      Reply
  19. Maryem Zia says

    August 19, 2020 at 3:06 am

    5 stars
    Loved the recipe!! Tried it today.. was not only quick to make but so so so flavorful!! I omitted mint as didnt have any on hand. Paired it with the peanut sauce you mentioned and have kept chicken tenders in satay maniration for tomorrow!! I’m sure that too will turn out Yum!!! Big hello from dubai!

    Reply
  20. JJ says

    July 31, 2020 at 10:27 pm

    5 stars
    Very good recipe ! Added in Thai basil too for more flavour

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 2, 2020 at 9:02 am

      Sounds perfect JJ! N x

      Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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