Thai Lettuce Wraps are a fabulous way to start off your January! Supple butter lettuce wrapped around crispy baked fish, topped with a gingery homemade Asian slaw. Drizzle with sweet and spicy Thai Peanut Sauce and you have an easy and healthy Asian-inspired weeknight dinner! Originally published January 10, 2019.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this Thai Lettuce Wraps Recipe!
- What is Thai Peanut Sauce
- Thai Lettuce Wrap Recipe Ingredients
- How to shred cabbage for Thai Lettuce Wraps
- How to Make Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce
- Thai Lettuce Wrap Recipe Variations
- Thai Peanut Lettuce Wraps Recipe FAQs
- Fish Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce Recipe
This post is sponsored by Gorton’s Seafood, but all opinions are my own of course! Thanks for supporting the amazing brands that keep The Food Charlatan chugging along.
We had the CRAZIEST winter storm the other night here in Sacramento. I thought our giant sycamore was going to crash into our house! The power went out for about 7,000 households, and some didn’t get it back for 24 hours.
We were lucky enough to have the power on within 20 minutes or so. Long enough to light all the candles and imagine what it would be like if we really had to go by candle light after dark, darning socks and churning butter or whatever. We are so dang spoiled, you guys.
The kids were very excited to do our bedtime stories by candle light, but the lights flipped on during family prayer. So we shut off all the lights and pretended instead. There’s just something a little magical about candle light, right?
Why you’ll love this Thai Lettuce Wraps Recipe!
Here’s why you’re going to love these Thai lettuce wraps:
- It’s January and you’re eating FISH. That was one of your goals for 2019, right?? (Incorporating more fish in my diet always seems to be on my to-do list…)
- You get to eat something with the word “slaw” in it. I don’t know why that word always makes me giggle. (I think I just figured it out. It’s because of Sloth from Goonies. “Sloth love Chunk!” Sloth loves slaw too, no doubt.
- You get to wrap your meal in butter lettuce, which is almost as good as butter, but with the benefit of not making you feel like the slug that you were all through December. I know you.
What is Thai Peanut Sauce
I told my kids I was making them peanut butter sauce, and Charlotte said, mom, this does NOT taste like peanut butter. I think she was expecting a liquified peanut butter sandwich? But I swear, this Thai Peanut Sauce could not be further in it’s flavor profile from a PB&J. It’s a combination of peanut butter, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, and lime.
If you haven’t tried it, it might sound weird, but trust me, it is more savory than sweet and 100% delicious, especially when paired with crispy fish. I love me some slaw and butter lettuce but I still couldn’t stop myself from eating a few solo fish sticks dunked deep into this Thai Peanut Sauce.
Thai Lettuce Wrap Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for these Asian lettuce wraps. Scroll down to the recipe card for a complete list!
- Gorton’s 100% Whole Fillet Fish Sticks
- Butter lettuce
- Rice vinegar
- Granulated sugar
- Soy sauce
- Fresh ginger
- Sesame oil
- Purple cabbage
- Green cabbage
- Carrots
- Green onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Peanut butter
- Coconut milk
- Garlic
- Limes
- Brown sugar
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt
I’m so excited to be partnering with Gorton’s seafood on this post! I can’t look at their bright yellow packaging without smiling. Have you tried their new Alaska Pollack fish sticks? They are made with whole pieces of fish, not minced up fish, and you can absolutely tell the difference. It’s kind of like the difference between eating homemade fried chicken and McDonald’s chicken nuggets ;) I love using Gorton’s fish as the starting point for so many different meals, and my kids love them. Can’t beat that!
What is the best lettuce for lettuce wraps
I love butter lettuce! It’s so tender and…well…buttery. There really is something so smooth and soft about it that makes eating lettuce almost a stand-alone experience. It makes any dish a little fancy, even if it’s just a quick weeknight meal. Look for a package that says butter lettuce, Boston lettuce, or Bibb lettuce.
What is Thai peanut sauce made of?
Thai peanut sauce is a combination of peanut butter, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, and lime. Ingredients can vary a little but this is the basic idea. It’s pretty simple, but the flavor profile is nothing like your lunchtime peanut butter sandwich. I could drizzle this stuff on just about anything.
You can also pick up a jar of pre-made Thai peanut sauce at the store if you are in a pinch. Squeeze your Thai lettuce wraps with lime juice if you buy pre made stuff, it will brighten up the flavor. Homemade is always better, but some days there is just no time!
How to shred cabbage for Thai Lettuce Wraps
Here’s a refresher on how to shred cabbage. You can slice it even thinner than this, if you want. I love angel hair cabbage that is super thin! I’ll tell you the best secret about today’s recipe: you can totally cheat. Buy a couple bags of pre-chopped angel hair cabbage and add it to the slaw dressing as listed in the recipe.
How to Make Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce
Here’s a quick overview of how to make these lettuce wraps. For complete instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
- Bake your fish sticks, turning over halfway through.
2. Make the Asian slaw by whisking together the rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil, then adding the shredded purple cabbage, green cabbage, carrots, green onions, and cilantro. If you want even more crunch, add some sliced water chestnuts!
3. Make the Thai peanut sauce by blending together the peanut butter, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt.
4. Assemble the wraps by placing two fish sticks on a leaf of butter lettuce, drizzling with Thai peanut sauce, and topping with Asian slaw. If this doesn’t feel manageable (or you’re wearing a fancy top you can’t bear to drip on), just make the whole thing a salad. No shame!
Thai Lettuce Wrap Recipe Variations
I like these wraps just the way they are, but make them your own! Here are a few ideas.
- If cutting up ginger makes you want to scream, grab some ginger paste from the produce section of your grocery store (it’s usually near the fresh herbs). You can substitute it in equal quantities to what’s called for in any recipe.
- Short on time? Grab a bag of coleslaw mix from the grocery store instead of using red and green cabbage and carrots. You can still include or skip the green onions and cilantro, as you prefer. It’ll still be great!
- Got kids who think lettuce is the enemy? Add the fish sticks, sauce, and toppings to a tortilla. Voila, fish tacos!
- Make the whole thing a salad. Just chop the butter lettuce and add the fish, sauce, and toppings. This is a great solution if you’re lettuce wrap challenged and your lettuce keeps breaking and your hands are covered in peanut sauce.
Thai Peanut Lettuce Wraps Recipe FAQs
Keeping lettuce crisp can be an annoying challenge. Butter lettuce often comes with the root still attached in a little plastic clamshell. The problem is that this doesn’t allow for a lot of airflow. When you get your butter lettuce, wash it with cold water, dry it with a salad spinner or towel, and keep it in a container with perforations (like the washing basket of a salad spinner, for example). If your lettuce has already started de-crisping, you can freshen it up by plunging it into a lil’ bath of ice water for 20-30 minutes. Dry it, then use as soon as possible!
More easy fish stick recipe ideas!
Beer-Battered-Fish Burrito Bowl with Orange Avocado Salsa << so much flavor!
Easy Fishstick Tacos << bad photo, fabulous recipe. Super easy weeknight meal.
Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad with Crispy Fish << I love love LOVE this salad! So crunchy!
Sweet and Sour Shrimp Lettuce Wraps from Rachel Cooks
Grilled Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps from Honey and Birch
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps from Foodie with Family
Ginger Lemongrass Pork Lettuce Wraps from Snixy Kitchen
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Fish Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 (19-oz) package Gorton's 100% Whole Fillet Fish Sticks
- 2 heads butter lettuce
For the Asian slaw
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- 3 cups purple cabbage, shredded
- 3 cups green cabbage, shredded
- 3 cups shredded carrots, 3-4 large carrots
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
For the Thai Peanut Sauce
- 2/3 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup coconut milk from a can
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/4 cup lime juice, about 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Bake the fish sticks:
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray (line with foil first for easy cleanup).
- Line up Gorton’s 100% Whole Fillet Fish Sticks on the pan; there are 20 in a package. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to flip each fish stick over. Return to the oven and bake at 450 for another 5-8 minutes, until the fish sticks are crispy and golden. Remove and turn off the oven. Return to the oven to keep warm once the temperature inside has gone down a bit.
Asian Slaw:
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 3 tablespoons minced ginger. While you whisk, slowly pour in 1/4 cup sesame oil. You must be whisking or the oil and vinegar will not emulsify.
- Add 3 cups each shredded purple cabbage, green cabbage, and carrots. (See photos for a cabbage shredding refresher). Add the green onions and cilantro and stir it together to coat the slaw with the dressing.
- Set aside for at least 15 minutes to let it marinate.
Thai Peanut Sauce:
- While the slaw is marinating, make the peanut sauce. In a blender or food processor, add 2/3 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup coconut milk*, 2 tablespoons ginger (you can just chop off a knob that looks like it will be about 2 tablespoons), 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Blend it all together until smooth and creamy. Taste it and adjust the seasonings to taste. You can add more salt, red pepper flakes, or lime to juice to brighten it up even more if you like.
Assemble:
- Separate the butter lettuce leaves and wash thoroughly, letting them dry on a paper towel.
- Place 2 fish sticks on 2 butter lettuce leaves. Drizzle with Thai Peanut Sauce. Top with Asian slaw. Devour animal style.
This was SO good! Super easy to throw together, especially if you use pre chopped cabbage. The sauces and slaw made a ton so we had leftovers of that for a while! Lol thanks for another amazing recipe Food Charlatan!!!
Not a big fish taco/wrap girl but the colorful picture pushed me over the edge. Plus. Since new years I’ve been leaning Asian food. This was the bomb! I even made it after work. Bonus. Used hot sesame oil instead of regular, good and spicy. Also used romaine leaves cause that’s what I had. Another short cut, use packaged shredded carrots. Def a keeper
Is it possible to use that recipe for unfried fish?
Hi Jessica! Sure, use whatever kind of fish you like and just be sure to cook thoroughly. Enjoy!
Ok…..RUN…do not walk to make this. I am still drooling after eating this for two days. The peanut sauce is just perfection. I made this with Chrissy Teigen’s sweet and salty rice and the tangy coleslaw was a perfect compliment to that. WOW!!!!!
Oooh love the idea of pairing this with rice and coleslaw! Good picks Michelle! Thanks so much for reviewing :)
For the Thai peanut sauce, you put 2 tbsp of ginger. Do you mean fresh or ground? I see you indicated fresh for the slaw, but the sauce doesn’t specify.
Hey Janelle! Thanks for pointing that out! Use fresh ginger. I usually just chop off a knob that looks like it would be about 2 tablespoons, then toss it in. Enjoy!
Please tell me why something like this never occurred to me to do? >thud<
Haha!! I’m glad you found my recipe April!! Enjoy the wraps!
Thai food is amazing, wraps are amazing, fish sticks are amazing, and your photography makes food look amazing. What’s not to love?! I also love your attempt to equate butter with butter lettuce–if only lettuce tasted as good ;)…..
Thank you so much Lily! You are so sweet. And I’m so glad you commented about the butter lettuce, I was hoping someone would call me out on that, hahaha!!!
I cannot wait to try this! What a great idea to bring a little fancy to fish sticks which my kiddos love!Â
“fancy to fish sticks” yes, I love that! Thanks Leigh, let me know how it goes :)