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Chinese Lettuce Wraps (San Choy Bow )

By:Nagi
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One of my favourite Chinese starters – Lettuce Wraps with pork or chicken, loads of hidden crunchy vegetables in a tasty savoury brown sauce, bundled up in fresh lettuce. Also known as San Choy Bow, it’s arguably the ultimate “just happens to be healthy” food in the whole wide world …..

This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!

Close up of Chinese Lettuce Wraps

San Choy Bow – Chinese Lettuce Wraps

The Chinese name for Lettuce Wraps is San Choy Bow which is how it’s written in menus at Chinese restaurants here in Sydney, though the spelling varies widely from place to place and I’m yet to find a definitive answer for what the proper spelling is.

I may not know how to spell it, but I do know you’re going to love them!!

Close up of Chinese Lettuce Wrap being held by a hand, about to be eaten

How to make Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are made with ground / mince meat and vegetable filling with a savoury Chinese sauce spooned into lettuce cups, then wrapped into a roll shape to eat.

For a great Lettuce Wrap, it all comes down to the sauce. It takes more than just a splash of soy sauce to make a truly delish Lettuce Wrap.

Get the sauce right and you can pretty much put anything into the filling. And it is one of those rare recipes that is genuinely great made entirely vegetarian. I would just as happily scoff down a meat free version of this as I would a traditional pork version.

Filling for Chinese Lettuce Wraps made with pork or chicken and vegetables in a savoury brown sauce.

What goes in a Lettuce Wrap filling

I don’t think there are definitive rules for what goes in Lettuce Wraps, but the common ingredients I see at Chinese restaurants are:

  • pork (chicken and turkey are ideal subs)

  • water chestnuts

  • onion

After this, things get a bit blurred. Other common ingredients which I’ve included in my recipe are:

  • Baby corn

  • Shiitake or other mushrooms

  • Carrots

And those that border more towards “Western” Chinese have all sorts of other vegetables in it, like normal corn, capsicum etc.

Make it real with water chestnuts!

If you can find them, I really urge you to use Water Chestnuts. It doesn’t have a strong flavour, but the unique thing about Water chestnuts is the texture.

Even canned, it is crunchy and a bit juicy and it’s a quintessential part of the Chinese Lettuce Wrap experience. ☺️ Nowadays in Australia, they are found in both the Asian section and canned vegetable section of supermarkets (Woolies, Coles etc).

A can of Water Chestnuts

Lettuce wraps are a fantastic quick and easy meal that also happens to be healthy. In Chinese restaurants, it’s served with crisp Iceberg Lettuce which tends to crack when folded. For a more practical option, use soft lettuce leaves like Butter Lettuce or Bib Lettuce (US).

Enjoy!– Nagi x

More quick and easy Chinese restaurant favourites

Close up of Chinese Lettuce Wrap being held by a hand, about to be eaten

Watch How To Make It

This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!

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San Choy Bow - Chinese Lettuce Wraps on a plate ready to be eaten

San Choy Bow (Chinese Lettuce Wraps)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Appetizer, Dinner
Chinese
4.99 from 104 votes
Servings3
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. One of my favourite starters at Chinese restaurants, the ultimate (almost) carb free healthy dish of all time! It all comes down to the Sauce – with a great Sauce, you can change up the filling to your taste. I’ve copied the filling served by Chinese restaurants but feel free to substitute with other vegetables or make it entirely meat free (this is a great recipe to make vegetarian).

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1 1/4 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp water, separated
  • 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 1)
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 1)
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (or sub Mirin or dry sherry, Note 2)
  • 1 tsp white sugar (can omit)

Filling (Note 6)

  • 1 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1 clove large garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp ginger, minced
  • 300g / 10oz pork mince (ground pork) (Note 3)
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot, finely chopped
  • 100g/ 3.5oz canned water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped (Note 4)
  • 5 baby corn, canned or fresh, finely chopped (Note 4)
  • 5 mushrooms, finely chopped(shiitake is best, I used Swiss Brown)

Serving

  • 8 leaves large or 16 – 20 small lettuce, preferably soft (Note 5)
  • Crushed peanuts
  • Finely sliced scallions / shallots

Instructions

  • Mix cornflour with 1 tbsp water until lump free. Then add remaining Sauce ingredients and mix.
  • Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and ginger, give it a quick stir then add onion.
  • Cook for 1 minute then add pork. Cook pork until it turns white.
  • Add all the vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes until the carrot is softened and pork is cooked through.
  • Add Sauce and cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until it thickens and glossy, coating the Filling.
  • Transfer Filling into serving bowl. Lay out lettuce leaves, peanuts and scallions on the side.
  • To serve, spoon some Filling into a lettuce leaf. Top with peanuts and scallions, bundle it up and enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

1. Light soy sauce adds the salt and the dark soy sauce adds a touch of colour. You can sub the dark soy with more light soy sauce, or just sub both the light and dark with ordinary soy sauce. The filling will just be a bit lighter in colour. Don’t just use all dark soy sauce – flavour is way too strong – or with a thick sweet soy sauce like kecap manis.
2. Chinese cooking wine – sub with Mirin or dry sherry. For a non alcoholic option, use chicken broth/stock (low sodium) in place of the Chinese wine AND water in the Sauce.
3. Protein – Also great with chicken but I prefer pork because it’s not as lean and has slightly more flavour. Chinese restaurants typically use pork. Never seen it with beef or lamb! Can also sub with 2 1/2 cups of chopped veggies of choice.
4. Water chestnuts – see in post for image. These are a key ingredient in San Choy Bow as served at Chinese restaurants here in Australia, but can be skipped. They have a natural light flavour, but it’s the texture that is unique – a fresh crunchiness.
Nowadays these are sold in both the Asian and canned vegetable section of major supermarkets.
5. Lettuce – Typically served at Chinese restaurants using crisp iceberg lettuce leaves which are cut into neat rounds so they are all the same size. My preference is to use soft lettuce leaves like Butter Lettuce or Bibb Lettuce (US) because iceberg has a tendency to crack when rolled to eat, causing juices to run out. I used Baby Gem Lettuce in the photos which come in twin packs at Woolworths.
6. Customise – I use 2 1/2 cups of chopped vegetables. You can substitute with whatever chopped vegetables you want, though I urge you to stick with the onion.
The meat can be substituted with 2 1/2 cups of any vegetable or chopped firm tofu. For a super quick version, make this with pork + frozen diced vegetables. Works a treat!
This recipe makes enough for 3 as a main (4 if it’s 2 adults and 2 kids) or around 6 as a starter.
7. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings. This is a fantastic healthy dinner!
San Choy Bow nutrition* 
* Originally published February 2017, updated for housekeeping matters.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 255gCalories: 253cal (13%)
Keywords: Lettuce wraps, San Choy Bow
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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280 Comments

  3. Susie says

    5 stars
    This is a family favourite often made with turkey mince. I have thrown in left over rice at the end to bulk it up and it was great. Mix leftovers with shredded lettuce for a delicious salad.

    Reply

  5. Chels says

    5 stars
    Yum! So fresh and light. Had leftovers of your pot sticker and fried rice recipes from last night so had a mini banquet, along with some spring rolls. Such a treat. Thanks Nagi

    Reply

  6. Gaz says

    Where are all these reviews coming from?

    Texture was great, but flavour was non existent. Needs at least double I reckon .

    Reply

  8. Bec says

    5 stars
    This recipe is great. I doubled everything. I have used quite a few Nagi recipes so far. I trust them. I love cooking Asian food and I’ll check her recipes first from now on.

    CHANGES:
    I did not have oyster sauce so replaced with hoisin.
    I only had normal soy sauce.
    Used honey instead of sugar.

    Reply

  9. Deb says

    5 stars
    Another recipe hit – I made this with very lean turkey mince for a super healthy lunch and it was delicious – will definitely be adding this to my rotation. Thanks again Nagi, you never fail me!

    Reply

  10. Mel says

    Made this again tonight using chicken mince and as usual, they were amazing. Not one recipe I have ever made from Recipe Tin Eats has ever failed me.

    Reply

  13. zoedog66 says

    5 stars
    Made this using pork substitute – Deliciou – which I bought at Woolworths. Used iceberg lettuce, cut one fresh carrot I used into small batons, used slightly wilted celery for crunch as I had no water chestnuts. Must be something about this recipe. I was dubious it would work out okay but it got compliments from husband and the dogs wolfed down the small amount of leftovers we had. For those who like spice, I added a fair splodge of sriracha to mine. It also complimented it really well, as did the nutty brown basmati rice I served alongside this for a main meal. I guess jasmine rice would be the more traditional option?

    Reply

  15. Nelly says

    5 stars
    I make this at least once a fortnight. The whole family enjoys it – absolutely no complaints.
    I often serve with rice, so the kids can load their gem lettuce cups up with rice and meat to fill them up!
    A fabulous and inexpensive meal

    Reply

  16. Ashleigh says

    5 stars
    Absolutely amazing! I used a total of 500g pork mince and it was still amazing and saucy enough. The whole family enjoyed it. Will be making it again in the near future.

    Reply

  18. Jo Butler says

    5 stars
    Bloody hell, you’ve done it again! Nagi, every time I put a new meal of yours on the table my family are happy. My husband declared this one the best San Choy Bow he has ever had. Thank you!

    Reply

    • zoedog66 says

      5 stars
      I have to agree. I think it is a combination of her cooking knowledge and the way she explains things. There’s magic in this here recipe!

      Reply

  19. Judy says

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi,
    I made this for a small get together and the people raved over them!!! We have a restaurant chain called P.F. Changs (it’s a pricey restaurant), and so I was over the moon when they liked your recipe better. I love the bib lettuce because it’s so easy to fold it when you are eating them. Iceberg lettuce just seems to fall apart and break. Thanks so much for your great recipes.

    Reply