You know when you get back from an amazing trip somewhere life-changing-ly incredible and you show a friend the pictures you took, trying to convey to them just how gorgeous and surreal it was, but the pictures are nothing compared to the actual experience?
A couple pictures in and you’re all, “these don’t even do it justice!” and “this canyon was 3,000 feet deep!”
Today, that’s me. These pictures, although I’m proud of them, do not do this dish justice. These lettuce wraps are truly beet-tiful tasting. Beet-tiful, get it?!
If you don’t like beets, you’re not going to like this dish. If you do like beets, you’re going to probably send me a hand-written thank you note.
The beets soften as they cook in the skillet and infuse the turkey meat with such an intense beet flavor. Everything turns beet red, also, if you haven’t noticed.
Again, the consistency of the beet rice is unlike any other type of beet dish you’ve ever tried. You couldn’t grate beets to get this texture. You’ll just have to try it for yourself.
It’s messy. Very messy. Wear gloves, like I suggest in my video on how to spiralize beets. You can find that on YouTube or Vimeo.
Now that you know how to make the beet noodles, you just place them in a food processor until they look rice-like and you’re done: a big bowl of beet rice!
Once you add the pesto to the skillet, the beet juice and pesto fuse together for an absolutely wonderfuly savory flavor. The parmesan cheese in the pesto adds the perfect hint of indulgent creaminess!
Plus, eating lettuce wraps is fun- a nice change from bowls of rice. I thought of making some zucchini spaghetti lettuce wraps, but found the most gorgeous beets in the supermarket and had to change up my game plan.
The lettuce wraps are light, crispy and refreshing when stuffed with the pest turkey and beet rice.
While the pictures make it look like a sloppy red mess, the final product is delicious – AND, an easy dish to make on a Sunday night and have leftovers for the week. You could just eat the “stuffing” without the lettuce wraps and it would be totally satisfying. Or, perhaps throw it over a bed of lettuce!
Make sure you serve this dish with lots of paper towels and extra lettuce wraps. It’s definitely a beet-iful mess.
Do you like eating lettuce wraps?
Pesto Turkey & Beet Rice Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- For the pesto:
- 4 cups packed basil
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- For the rest:
- 1 very large beet peeled, Blade C
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/2-1/3 pound lean ground turkey
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano flakes
- 2 heads of bibb lettuce
Instructions
- Take your spiralized beet noodles and place them into a food processor. Pulse until made into rice-like bits. Set aside.
- Place all of your ingredients for the pesto into a food processor and pulse until creamy. Taste and adjust to your preference.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in your olive oil. Once oil heats, add in your garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds and then add in your red onion. Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes or until translucent and then add in your turkey meat, oregano and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the turkey meat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Then, add in the chicken broth and let reduce. Once reduced, add in the beet rice and toss to combine.
- Let the beet rice cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. If watery (from the beet juice), pour the contents of the skillet into a colander, drain and put back into the skillet.
- Next, fold in the pesto sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. When done, spoon into lettuce wraps and enjoy!
Instructions with Pictures
Take your spiralized beet noodles and place them into a food processor. Pulse until made into rice-like bits. Set aside.
Place all of your ingredients for the pesto into a food processor and pulse until creamy. Taste and adjust to your preference.
Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in your olive oil. Once oil heats, add in your garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds and then add in your red onion. Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes or until translucent and then add in your turkey meat, oregano and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the turkey meat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Then, add in the chicken broth and let reduce.
Once reduced, add in the beet rice and toss to combine.
Let the beet rice cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. If watery (from the beet juice), pour the contents of the skillet into a colander, drain and put back into the skillet.
Next, fold in the pesto sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. When done, spoon into lettuce wraps and enjoy!
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