Korean Steak and Noodle Lettuce Cups

Sticky sweet Korean style steak is tossed with peppers, carrots, green onions, rice noodles and served in crispy lettuce cups.

We rented Straight Outta Compton last night on Amazon and you guys, I feel like my world was just turned upside down.

I HAD NO IDEA EAZY-E DIED OF AIDS!

Like 20 years ago…

…moves rock she’s been living under….

Seriously though, I feel like this changes everything.

What does this change?

Ok, nothing really.

But in my head N.W.A was all still very much alive and kicking.

Besides that revelation, I also realized I’m officially old.

When Dre started keying the beat to Nothin’ But A G Thang as Snoop walks in the house I got all nostalgic and caught myself going “aaawww, shit…good song!”

1993 Snoop is to me what The Beatles are to my parents and omfg, I’m old.

I guess I’ve officially reached that inevitable point in life where I prefer nostalgic music from my high school and college days to the new stuff on the radio.

To be fair though, I still like and listen to the new stuff but none of it gives me that “oooh! good song!” feeling like a classic 90s rap throwback does.

It’s cool though because old people make things like Korean steak and noodle lettuce cups, take pictures of them, house them standing up leaning over the sink for lunch between recipes and then tell the whole internet about them.

With the 90s rap station blasting on Pandora of course.

If you love the flavors of Korean steak (think thick, sticky and sweet garlic soy sauce), this is such a fun and healthier way to enjoy it – all wrapped up in a handheld size lettuce cup.

I used flank steak here but skirt steak or tri tip steak would be good substitutes. You can even use the air fryer to cook the steak (like this air fryer skirt steak recipe) if preferred.

Making the rice noodles an addition to the lettuce cup rather than the base of the meal really helps on the portion control too so you’re not eating upwards of 200g carbs in rice noodles.

Enjoy!

Love this Korean Steak and Noodle Lettuce Cup recipe?

Check out this honey orange sesame chicken or this spicy beef and red pepper rice bowl for more Asian inspired quick dinner ideas!

Korean Steak and Noodle Lettuce Cups

Author: Gina Matsoukas

Sticky sweet Korean style steak is tossed with peppers, carrots, green onions, rice noodles and served in crispy lettuce cups.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

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For the sauce

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon red chile paste
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger

For the lettuce cups

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil divided
• 1 pound flank steak or london broil thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot cut in half width-wise then thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper thinly sliced
• 6 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 green onions chopped
• 4 ounces rice noodles
• handful fresh cilantro chopped
• 1 head bibb lettuce outer leaves carefully removed, washed and pat dry
• sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

 

• Whisk all the ingredients together for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add rice noodles, cook according to package directions, drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
• Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
• Add the carrots, peppers and mushrooms to the pan and cook, tossing occasionally until just softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a plate or bowl and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil to the skillet then add the steak and cook until browned on one side, flip and cook on the other side until completely browned. Drain any excess fat and return to the stove top.
• Add the sauce and green onions to the skillet, toss with the steak until all the pieces are coated, lower the heat to medium-low and reduce until thickened and sticky, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the vegetables and rice noodles back in the pan and toss everything together until well combined and coated with the sauce.
• Remove from heat, add the cilantro and give one final toss.
• Spoon the steak and noodle mixture into the lettuce leaves and garnish with sesame seeds before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1SERVING | Calories: 523kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 531mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

Cuisine Korean

Course Main Dishes

Keyword Korean steak, Korean steak and noodle lettuce cups, Steak and noodle lettuce cups

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Gina Matsoukas

About

Gina Matsoukas is the writer, founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients as much as possible. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.