This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Delicious and easy Pork Lettuce Wraps are packed with sweet pineapple rings, a spicy chili sauce, and juicy pork tenderloin. These pineapple and pork wraps are ideal for quick and simple lunches, dinners, and even appetizers!
Who says salad’s the only option for a quick and easy meal? These pork lettuce wraps are just as fresh, with sriracha, brown rice, and pineapple, which are way more fun and fork-free. Heck, you might not even need a plate. You’re welcome.
When I first started playing around with this recipe, I was after something spicy and handheld. I marinated the pork in a savory sauce, cooked it up, and drizzled it with a Sriracha-chili glaze. I added a little rice (because carbs are life), but something was still missing… so I caramelized some pineapple rings and bam! Flavor explosion.
These sweet and spicy lettuce wraps are light, bold, and seriously satisfying. You’ll want to make them on repeat!
Why I Love This Pork Lettuce Wraps Recipe
- It’s light: Pork lettuce wraps are a lighter option when craving something flavorful but not too heavy. Pork tenderloin is naturally lean, and you can include any rice you like, or toss in some quinoa.
- Great for meal prep! Sometimes I like to cook the pork and the rice ahead of time, and then they’re ready to reheat and serve on a fresh bed of lettuce at a later date.
- Customizable: Lettuce wraps are easily customized, so feel free to do just that. Add in any veggie you like (zucchini, onion, pepper, etc.). You could even try this recipe with Kalua pork (Hawaiian pulled pork), chicken, or beef, though I think pork is best here.
Ingredients For These Pork Lettuce Wraps
Now it’s time to get into the ingredients! You’ll need pork, rice, lettuce, and pineapple. I’ve included some notes below to help with swaps, but please scroll to the recipe card for full details.
- Pork: Pork tenderloin is perfect for this recipe because, when sliced thin, it cooks super quickly, and it comes out nice and juicy.
- Soy Sauce: I like to use low sodium soy sauce.
- Granulated Sugar: To help the meat brown when cooking.
- Sesame Oil: Divided. For added savory flavor.
- Chopped Green Onions: For the marinade, but feel free to add more for garnish.
- Garlic: Minced, try to use large cloves if you can.
- Ginger: I like to use minced fresh ginger as a final touch in the marinade.
- Sriracha: This offers spicy chili flavor – adjust to your preferences.
- Honey: Adds a little bit of sweetness to counter the spiciness.
- Vegetable Oil: You can use another cooking oil like canola or olive oil.
- Pineapple: Grab some pineapple rings and halve them before starting. You could also use pineapple chunks if you’d rather.
- Light Brown Sugar: For caramelizing the pineapple rings.
- Cooked Rice: To add in with the pork. You can also serve rice on the side instead.
- Lettuce: I like to use Boston, Bibb, or butter lettuce when I make this recipe. Make sure you separate, wash, and pat the lettuce dry before starting.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: For garnish.
How to Make Pork Lettuce Wraps
- Chill the Pork: Wrap the pork tenderloin in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. This will make it easier to slice it thin. You don’t have to do this part, but it does help.
- Mix Together the Marinade: In a mixing bowl whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, ½ tablespoon sesame oil, green onions, garlic, and ginger.
- Marinate the Pork: Remove pork from freezer and slice it into about ¼-inch thick strips. Place the pork strips in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Mix Together the Chili Sauce: In a small mixing bowl, combine the Sriracha, the honey, and the remaining sesame oil. Stir to combine and set aside for later.
- Cook the Pork: Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet. Using tongs, remove the pork from the marinade and transfer to the skillet. Cook the pork, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.
- Caramelize the Pineapple: In the meantime, arrange halved pineapple rings on a baking sheet covered with foil. Sprinkle the pineapple with brown sugar and bake in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden and caramelized.
- Remove Pork from the Heat: Spoon several tablespoons of rice into the center of a lettuce leaf. Top with a few pork strips, pineapple, sesame seeds, and drizzle with previously prepared chili mixture. Garnish with green onions and serve.
Serving Suggestions
There are plenty of ways to serve pork lettuce wraps, from stuffing them with cooked biryani rice to pairing them with a side of zucchini noodles. You can also round out the meal with pan-fried oyster mushrooms, seared asparagus, or a tray of oven-roasted veggies.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Store any leftover pork and rice in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Don’t save the pork with lettuce leaves because it’s best to use fresh leaves the next time you make it, so that they’ll be crispy and strong.
- Freezer. You can freeze the leftover pork and rice mixture in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months. I would not recommend trying to freeze the pineapple.
- Reheat. You can reheat your leftovers in a skillet set over low heat, and cook until warmed through.
ENJOY!
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Pork Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
For the Pork
- 1½ pounds pork tenderloin
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
- ⅓ cup chopped green onions, plus more for garnish
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the Pineapple
- 6 pineapple rings, halved
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
For Serving
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 small head lettuce, use Boston, Bibb, or butter lettuce, leaves separated, washed, and patted dry
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep. Wrap the pork tenderloin in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. This will make it easier to slice it thin. DO NOT freeze it.
- Make the marinade. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, ½ tablespoon sesame oil, green onions, garlic, and ginger.
- Marinate. Remove the pork from the freezer and slice it into about ¼-inch thick strips. Place the pork strips in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Make the sriracha mix. In a small mixing bowl, combine the Sriracha, the honey, and the remaining sesame oil. Stir to combine and set aside for later.
- Cook. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let it stand for about 15 minutes on the counter to bring it to room temperature. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet set over high heat. Using tongs, remove the pork from the marinade and transfer to the skillet. Discard the marinade. Cook the pork, stirring frequently, for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.
- Cook the pineapple rings. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425˚F. Arrange halved pineapple rings on a baking sheet covered with foil. Sprinkle the pineapple with brown sugar and bake in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden and caramelized. Remove from the oven.
- Assemble. Remove pork from the heat. Spoon several tablespoons of rice into the center of a lettuce leaf. Top with a few pork strips, pineapple, sesame seeds, and drizzle with previously prepared chili mixture.
- Finish and serve. Garnish with green onions and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
This was a nice recipe to make and serve, although I did make some changes to the recipe shown. First off, I used chicken breast in place of pork. I cut the chicken in very thin slices then cut into bit sized pieces. I only used 1/4 tsp sriracha spice which was plenty enough to produce heat. I also used coconut aminos to replace the soy sauce since, I am restricted to a low sodium diet. Next, I added 1 tsp lime juice to the chili mix. I slide one red pepper into thin strips and added them to the lettuce wrap, placing them on top of the chicken pieces. These adjustments resulted in an excellent meal. It was eaten up in a flash!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
This recipe is a flavor explosion: Sweet, sour, spicy. Thanks for making eating healthy taste so good.
I’m very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐