Italian Lettuce Wraps with Turkey (Printable Version)

Crisp lettuce cups with seasoned turkey, tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil—ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1.1 lb ground turkey or chicken
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 tsp dried oregano
06 - 1 tsp dried basil
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Vegetables & Wraps

09 - 1 large head butter lettuce or romaine, leaves separated and washed
10 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
11 - 1 small cucumber, diced
12 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced

→ Cheese & Toppings

13 - 4 oz fresh mozzarella, diced or mini balls, halved
14 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
15 - 2 tbsp balsamic glaze (optional)
16 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
02 - Add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 5–7 minutes until browned and cooked through.
03 - Stir in dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Cook 1–2 more minutes to blend flavors. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - Lay out lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Fill each with a spoonful of the turkey mixture.
05 - Top with diced tomatoes, cucumber, and red bell pepper.
06 - Add mozzarella pieces and sprinkle with fresh basil. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired, and finish with a grind of black pepper.
07 - Serve immediately, folding the lettuce leaves over the filling to eat.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything you love about Italian flavors without the pasta coma afterward
  • The cold crisp lettuce against warm seasoned turkey creates this amazing temperature contrast
  • You can prep everything in under 30 minutes and feel fancy doing it
02 -
  • Lettuce tears easily, so separate the leaves carefully and wash them gently, then dry them completely so the fillings dont get waterlogged
  • The turkey mixture needs to cool slightly before going into the lettuce or the leaves wilt immediately from the heat
03 -
  • Butter lettuce works best because the leaves naturally form these perfect cups, but romaine gives you more structure if youre heavy handed with fillings
  • Room temperature mozzarella tastes so much better than cold straight from the fridge, take it out while you cook

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