These zesty vegetarian lettuce wraps have a chipotle black bean filling, and are topped with tangy mango salsa and guacamole!
As much as we love cooking together as a couple, we’re at our happiest cooking with or for other people. There’s something about chatting away while chopping veggies that just feels right. The past few years, we’ve involved friends in our cooking process, inviting them over to cook, taste test, hang out while we photograph the food (and if they’re lucky, hand-model). And finally, we eat — though it’s usually cold by that time! Adding community to our cooking process and sharing it with others makes it many times more enjoyable. And community is where this vegetarian lettuce wraps recipe came from! Keep reading for the recipe.
Related: Best Gluten Free Dinner Recipes
How to make vegetarian lettuce wraps
Our friend Russell has participated in a few cooking and shooting sessions with us (here’s the most famous image with his hand) and claims he’s our “biggest fan.” He’s an engineer, a runner, and a passionate cook who’s always whipping up something new, always healthy and many times vegetarian. We joked a while back about him contributing a recipe to our blog, and several weeks later, he cooked it with us in our kitchen. This guy delivers.
These are Russell’s vegetarian lettuce wraps (which are also vegan lettuce wraps), and it would be no exaggeration to say these are one of the best lettuce wraps I’ve tried. The combination of guacamole, spicy chipotle black beans, and mango salsa is an explosion of flavor and textures. For a vegetarian lettuce wrap, they’re surprisingly filling. And you can’t beat the health factor: they’re chock full of vegetables and accommodating for many diets. While it does take a bit of time in the kitchen to put together all the components, it was time well spent. It’s a great option for a dinner with friends, or just a night in — perhaps to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
Thanks to Russell for the delicious vegetarian lettuce wraps!
A few notes on timing
These vegetarian lettuce wrap are so delicious with homemade guacamole and mango salsa! It can take a bit of time to prepare all of the components at home. The prep time for the lettuce wraps below does not include the mango salsa and guacamole, so make sure to plan accordingly. If you don’t have that kind of time prior to serving, do the following:
- Use high quality purchased guacamole. OR
- Use purchased mango salsa, which can be found at some grocery stores.
Looking for more healthy dinner ideas?
This vegetarian lettuce wraps recipe is one of our favorite healthy dinner ideas! Our some of our other top healthy dinner ideas on A Couple Cooks:
- Veggie Burrito Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
- Veggie Packed Quinoa Fried Rice
- Feta and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
- Hearty Sweet Potato and Kale Soup
- Chickpea Couscous Bowls with Tahini Sauce
- Raw Falafel Buddha Bowls
- Chipotle Black Bean Tortilla Soup
- Moroccan Cauliflower Soup
- Coconut Lentil Curry with Greens
- Thai Sweet Potatoes with Peanut Drizzle
- Baked Falafel Salad Bowl
This recipe is…
This vegetarian lettuce wraps recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
These zesty vegetarian lettuce wraps have a chipotle black bean filling, and are topped with tangy mango salsa and guacamole.
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Mango Salsa (or purchased mango salsa; fresh is best!)
- 1 recipe Simple Guacamole (or purchased guacamole)
- 1/2 large red onion
- 1 green pepper
- 1 ½ cups corn (frozen or fresh)
- 15-ounce can black beans (or 1 ½ cups cooked or Instant Pot black beans)
- 7-ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (1 pepper plus 1 ½ tablespoons adobo sauce; omit the pepper if desired)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon each oregano, cumin and paprika
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- 2 heads Bibb lettuce
Instructions
- Dice the red onion. Dice the green pepper. Place them in a bowl with 1 ½ cup corn. Drain and rinse the black beans. Mince the chipotle chili pepper (if using).
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add red onion, green pepper, and corn, and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add black beans and the oregano, cumin, paprika, liquid smoke, and kosher salt, and a few grinds fresh ground pepper. Add ¾ cup water and let simmer until water cooks down, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, remove the lettuce leaves and wash and dry the lettuce.
- To serve, spread guacamole on a lettuce leaf, then top with black bean filling and mango salsa. If desired, serve with homemade tortilla chips.
Notes
The prep time below does not include making the mango salsa and guacamole homemade. Be sure to plan timing accordingly.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps, Vegan Lettuce Wraps, Dinner Ideas, Healthy Dinner Ideas, Vegetarian, Vegan, Mexican, Mexican Lettuce Wraps
These sound super tasty and fresh. I love the idea of the combination of the spicy beans with the brightness of your mango salsa and the creamy guacamole. So good.
These look so vibrant and fresh, perfect for Cinco de Mayo! And that mango salsa, I would probably eat that whole bowl. Beautiful and colorful, the way food should be! :)
This looks like the perfect summer meal! So healthy and yummy.
It’s definitely more fun to cook with friends. And thanks to Russell for contributing a beautiful, healthy dish!
I’m usually a regular taco kind of gal, but these look so perfect that I think they need to be a regular in my rotation! I love when friends contribute, tell Russell his recipe looks amazing!
This looks so tasty! Great idea using liquid smoke. That flavor will really take those beans over the top! This is perfect Cinco de Mayo party food!
I have been on a mango kick lately, so this is right up my alley! Thanks for sharing!!
XO – Sarah
http://beautyandblooms.com/
Wow! I love lettuce wraps and these look amazing. Something that’s traditionally an Asian dish, you’ve make Mexican, which is fab, because Mexican food is traditionally so unhealthy….love it!
Cooking for others is always the best part of the meal :) I know these will be popular with our next bunch of dinner guests, or to cheer up my weekday lunchboxes. Thanks for sharing!
As a gluten free vegetarian, I am always looking for tasty fillings for a lettuce wrap. This one looks delicious. I wish I had friends to cook with… sounds like fun.