Vegan san choy bow (lettuce wraps) featuring crumbled tofu and vegetables for a hearty filling with a luscious savoury sauce. It’s a healthy, easy to make and ready under 15 minutes!
This meat-free version of the Chinese restaurant favourite san chow bow is the perfect quick and easy dinner recipe!
We are keeping things nice and classic around here too. To keep them vegetarian, tofu is crumbled up like mince (aka ground meat) and cooked with lots of finely chopped vegetables in a yummy hoisin soy sauce. Then serve in lettuce wraps for the ultimate touch. I love topping mine with crushed roasted peanuts and freshly sliced chilli, but sriracha is also delicious too. They are so yum!
Ingredients you’ll need
This vegan san choy bow is filled with fresh veggies, some Asian seasonings and is perfect to meal prep.
- Tofu: Use a firm or extra firm tofu, NOT silken tofu. It needs to be firm enough so you can crumble it like mince / ground meat.
- Vegetables: Carrot and mushrooms are the mix I’m using today. Love the texture the diced carrots give to the filling, and the savouriness the mushrooms bring. However, feel free to use what you’ve got! Any sauté-able vegetables will work fine.
- Garlic and ginger: Our aromatics. Fresh is best in vegetarian dishes.
- Spring onion (green onion): I prefer spring onions in asian dishes but a shallot will work too.
- Sauces: We use a combination of soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil for a rich delicious authentic flavour.
- Canned water chestnuts: They have a strong flavour, but the crunchy is the texture is a quintessential part of the Chinese lettuce wrap experience.
- To serve: lettuce leaves, I like baby cos lettuce/ Bibb lettuce, crushed roasted peanuts and fresh chilli to garnish.
How to make vegan san coy bow
Crumble tofu: Drain tofu and roughly chop into chunks. Then use your fingers to crumble into a mince. It will crumble with little effort. Don’t make the crumbs too fine, you can always break the tofu up more when cooking – just like cooking mince/ground meat!
Tofu veggie filling: In a large non stick pan, heat the oil over high heat then cook the tofu, spring onion, carrot, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, water chestnuts and tofu for 5 minutes. The mushrooms should be soft tender and “wilted”.
Sauce it! Pour in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil, then let it come to a simmer. Stir for 1 minute or until it thickens up.
Serving: Transfer the filling into a bowl. Put it out on the table with the lettuce leaves, crushed peanuts and sliced chilli. Then let everyone make their own wraps! Bundle / wrap or fold like tacos (for crisper lettuce leaves) then devour!
Tips and variations
- Use fresh ginger and garlic. The flavour is stronger and tastes so much better fresh in these vegetarian san choy bow compared to dried powders.
- Make it spicy. Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or chilli sauce to the tofu filling.
- Not a fan of tofu? Use canned brown lentils instead or omit and use 1kg of mushrooms.
How to store leftovers
- Refrigerator: Leftover tofu filling can be stored in a large container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Reheat: Warm tofu filling on the stovetop over low heat or use the microwave in 30-60 second intervals, stirring in between, until warm.
Recipe FAQ
You can use any type of green leafy lettuce for lettuce wraps, but popular types of lettuce include bib lettuce (cos lettuce), romaine hearts and iceberg lettuce.
Firstly, larb originates from Laos whereas san choy bow is a Chinese dish, which influences the flavour profile of each of the dishes. Larb uses fish sauce, coriander and lime, whereas san choy bow is more umami in flavour thanks to soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil.
Replace hoisin sauce with oyster sauce (if vegetarian) or teriyaki sauce.
More meat free dinners
Vegetable Teriyaki Udon Noodles
If you try this vegan san choy bow recipe or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
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Vegan San Choy Bow
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Dinner, appetiser
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Description
Vegan san choy bow (lettuce wraps) featuring crumbled tofu and vegetables for a hearty filling with a luscious savoury sauce. It’s a healthy, easy to make and ready under 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- 300g (10.5oz) extra firm tofu
- 1/2 cup spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 250g (9oz) mushrooms, diced
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 225g canned water chestnuts, diced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Lettuce wraps, chilli, crushed peanuts to serve
Instructions
- Drain tofu and roughly chop into chunks. Then use your fingers to crumble into a mince. It will crumble with little effort. Don’t make the crumbs too fine, you can always break the tofu up more when cooking – just like cooking mince/ground meat!
- In a large non stick pan, heat the oil over high heat then cook the tofu, spring onion, carrot, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, water chestnuts and tofu for 5 minutes. The mushrooms should be soft tender and “wilted”.
- Pour in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil, then let it come to a simmer. Stir for 1 minute or until it thickens up.
- Transfer the filling into a bowl. Put it out on the table with the lettuce leaves, crushed peanuts and sliced chilli. Then let everyone make their own wraps! Bundle / wrap or fold like tacos (for crisper lettuce leaves) then devour!
Keywords: vegan, vegetarian, neat free, san choy bow, lettuce wraps
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