Pad Thai Pork Lettuce Cups
Sticky, tangy pork mince with crunchy beansprouts, spooned into crisp lettuce leaves and eaten with your hands.
Made with Pad Thai sauce and Nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time20 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.65 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the pork mince and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned with crisp edges.
7 min - 2
Add the garlic and half the spring onions and cook for 1 minute.
1 min - 3
Pour in your ready made pad thai sauce (see the base recipe) and cook for 2 minutes, until it clings to the pork and goes sticky.
2 min - 4
Stir the beansprouts through off the heat, so they stay crunchy.
- 5
Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter. Spoon in the pork and top with carrot, herbs, remaining spring onion and peanuts.
- 6
Serve with the nuoc cham from your base recipe in a small bowl for spooning over.
Tips
- Cook the mince until it really browns before adding sauce. Boiled grey mince tastes flat.
- Little gem leaves are sturdy and cup shaped. Use iceberg leaves if you prefer.
- Leave out the peanuts and use toasted sesame seeds for a nut free version.
Storing and freezing
Keep the cooked pork for 2 days in the fridge, cooled within 1 to 2 hours. Reheat until steaming and add the cold leaves and herbs fresh.
Questions
Can I use turkey or chicken mince?
Yes, swap in the same weight. Cook it for a little longer and add 1 extra tbsp of oil, as poultry mince is leaner and can dry out.
Is it low in carbs?
It uses lettuce instead of noodles, so there is no rice or pasta. The sauce does contain sugar, so it is not a no added sugar dish.
How do I stop the leaves tearing?
Separate them gently, rinse and dry them well and keep them chilled until serving. Cold, dry leaves stay crisp and hold the filling.
More made with pad thai sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
