Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps (TVP, Egg, Edamame)

This is not a P.F. Chang’s copycat recipe because, funny enough, I’ve never actually eaten at a P.F. Chang’s. These Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps are a protein-forward, vegetarian adaptation of Fu Pei Mei’s recipe, with 18 grams of protein per serving and plenty of savory flavor and crunch.

Fu Who? Fu Pei Mei was Taiwan's first celebrity TV chef, and in my opinion, she belongs in the same legendary conversation as the Chinese family behind P.F. Chang's (especially Philip Chiang's mother). This recipe is simple to make, whether you serve it as a satisfying appetizer or a filling meal!

Did you know the main protein for the original lettuce wrap recipe was minced pigeon? Lettuce wraps, or sometimes called san choy bow in Cantonese, are said to have come from the Machu people, who have an affinity for hunting and enjoy the taste of wild pigeons.

My version swaps in Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), egg, and edamame for a satisfying vegetarian filling, and I use fresh jicama for crunch instead of canned water chestnuts. The result is a fresh, savory, protein-forward dish.

Recipe Testing Notes

• Dark soy sauce in the sauce is a must! I tested this recipe multiple times, and across all the variables I tried, dark soy sauce in the sauce was the key differentiator.
  
  It gives the dish not only a dark, rich brown color, but also a deeper, more savory flavor that neither regular Japanese soy sauce nor reduced-sodium soy sauce comes close to. The Woks of Life has an in-depth article about dark soy sauce that echoes my sentiment.
  
  All that being said, however, I would not use dark soy sauce as part of the TVP marinade, as it would make the whole dish too dark.

• Air-fried mung bean noodles were a flop! To save on calories, I tried air-frying mung bean noodles (what I had at home) to emulate the crispy, fried rice noodles.
  
  The first time, I tried air frying them without oil; the second time, I used 1 Tablespoon of oil. Both came out terrible, lol! If you told me they were plastic strips, I would have believed you. (Testing using actual rice noodles pending.)
  
  However, egg noodles work wonderfully (they remind me of the crispy Japanese ramen snack)! I did not include them for aesthetic reasons, but see the recipe notes for how to make them.

• Omit the cornstarch! I tried both having and not having cornstarch (part of Pei Mei's recipe), and not having it did not seem to make a difference. So, I am leaving it out of this recipe.

Key Ingredients

Find the complete list of ingredients with measurements on the recipe card below.

• The "Meat" - Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) and nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is very un-Chinese, but trust me on this one! I learned how to use it when I was vegan, and have since kept it in my pantry because I love its savory, umami taste, which is useful in mimicking the "meat" taste.
• The Marinade - Water, reduced-sodium soy sauce (you can use regular soy sauce), sugar, and Shaoxing wine. I would not skip using Shaoxing wine unless you are not able to consume alcohol.
• Egg - I tried using only the yolk (per Pei Mei's recipe) as well as the whole egg, and I couldn't tell the difference, so whole egg it is! Omit it to make this recipe vegan.
• Peas and Shelled Edamame - They add a nice contrast of dark and light green to the dish, as well as some protein.
• The Aromatics - Onions and shiitake mushrooms.
• Jicama - I love how crunchy water chestnuts are, but I prefer fresh whenever possible! If jicama is not readily available for you, use water chestnuts or bamboo shoots, as written in Pei Mei's recipe.
• The Sauce - Water, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper. Dark soy sauce is a must, as mentioned above in the Recipe Testing Notes section.
• Salt - Personally, I find the recipe to be just fine as is (i.e., no salt), but my taste tester (aka my fiancé) prefers it to be a little more salty. So, to taste!
• Lettuce - Use any lettuce you like, as long as it can hold the filling! I like using Little Gem Lettuce because they are more bite-sized.
• Green Onions - Sprinkle onto your lettuce cups as garnish!

How To Make These Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

Here is a quick visual rundown! Find the full instructions with ingredients below.

Preparation

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, add Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) and nutritional yeast.

Step 2: Mix until combined.

Step 3: Add the marinade liquid and mix well. Then, add the beaten egg mixture and mix until combined.

Step 4: Let it sit for 10 minutes to rehydrate.

Step 5: While you wait for the TVP to rehydrate, prepare the other ingredients: dice onions, shiitake mushrooms, and jicama; have the shelled edamame and peas ready; and make the sauce.

Cooking

Step 1: First, stir fry the onions on medium-high heat.

Stir fry until they are soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.

Step 2: Then, add shiitake mushrooms.

Stir fry until they are soft, about 1-2 minutes.

Step 3: Turn the heat to high, add the marinated TVP.

Stir fry until the moisture has mostly evaporated, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: Add shelled edamame, peas, and jicama.

Mix everything with your spatula.

Step 5: Finally, add the sauce.

Stir fry until everything is evenly browned, before turning off the heat, about 1 minute.