Lettuce Wraps Falling Apart? Swap For This Trendy, Crunchy Vegetable Instead

If you've ever prepared a lettuce wrap, you know the despair of witnessing its contents spill out before you've been able to savor the first bite. Lettuce isn't the only leafy green you can use for your wraps, thankfully. You can also go for something slightly crunchy, firmer, and just as healthy: cue the cabbage leaf wrap. Since cabbage is a sturdier alternative to lettuce, you can trust that the contents — especially sauces and condiments — won't cause the cabbage leaf to easily wilt or separate. You also don't have to worry about the cabbage leaf not being able to hold everything you want to cram it with. 

Opting for larger leaves makes it easier to mimic the burrito-style creations so that it holds well. You could also layer the leaves so that you have an even more reliable wrap to hold everything firmly together. If you're into bite-sized tapas-style cabbage wraps, you could also prepare your main dish, place it in a serving bowl, and then spoon it into the smaller cuts of cabbage and roll and fill them as you go. It works well if you have leftover cabbage leaves that you don't want to waste or if you're looking for a vegetable that has a reputation for being boring but is actually versatile and super affordable.

In Korean and Thai cuisine, cabbage wraps feature as a veggie-filled and treasured meal. One way to keep these flavors flowing is by serving with peanut sauce for dipping as well as a saucy addition within the wrap. In case you're not a fan of peanut-flavored condiments, you could choose good ol' mayonnaise for added creaminess, sriracha sauce for some heat, or coconut aminos for an umami and mildly sweet touch that lightly seasons the cabbage. Coconut aminos also serves as a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce to keep this wrap truly gluten-free (and perfect as a way to house your tuna salad).

One of the best fillings for these wraps is chicken Caesar salad, which adds a perfect creaminess paired with the crunch from the raw cabbage leaves. If you'd like to vamp up the flavors even more with a crispy addition, consider chopping up some onion rings for a Caesar salad upgrade — thank us later. The aromatic onion flavor brings some bolder notes to the wrap and some warmth to pair with the uncooked cabbage leaves. 

Finally, keep in mind that there are several varieties of cabbage that would work effectively for this quick meal. You could stick to white cabbage, which is typically widely available and offers the right levels of crunch, or you could grab some savoy cabbage for a softer leaf that is easier to roll. For a burst of color, we recommend red cabbage, which is also selected in Thai cabbage wrap recipes.