These Low Carb Burger Lettuce Wraps are made with double-stacked patties sandwiched between layers of cheddar cheese and special sauce!

Low Carb Burger Lettuce Wraps with Special Sauce

Sometimes you just want a burger without the bun! I looooooove making these and pairing with tater tots or fries on the side. It’s a little bit lighter but you still get all the deliciousness

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Healthier burger: Enjoy your favorite burger in a low-carb version.
Secret sauce: The special sauce is soooo good. You’ll want to add it to everything!

Ingredients and substitutions

Ground beef – if you’re looking for a leaner option, use ground turkey.
Cheddar cheese – use grated or sliced cheddar or another cheese of your choice.
Boston lettuce – iceberg or romaine lettuce leaves would also work.
Plum tomatoes – use heirloom, Roma or red vine tomatoes instead.
Red onion – yellow onions or sweet onions would also be good.
Pickles – for a similar texture and crunch, use banana peppers (if you’re a fan of some heat!)

Special sauce

Light mayo – use sour cream as a lighter alternative.
BBQ sauce – mix together some ketchup and Worcestershire sauce for a similar flavour.
Garlic powder – onion powder or garlic salt would also work.
Paprika – use chili powder, cayenne powder or crushed chili flakes instead.

Or try my latest Special Burger Sauce that’s even tastier!

How to make burger lettuce wraps

Steps 1 and 2 for making burger lettuce wraps: Make the special sauce and prep your veggies.

Step 1: Make the special sauce.

Mix the special sauce ingredients together.

Step 2: Prep the veggies.

Wash and cut up all the veggies.

Steps 3 and 4 for making burger lettuce wraps: Form and cook your patties then assemble wraps.

Step 3: Form then cook the patties.

Form the ground beef into thin patties, then grill until cooked. Stack on top of each other and add the cheese.

Step 4: Assemble your wraps.

Serve the patties with toppings in the lettuce leaves.

What kind of lettuce should I use?

You want to make sure you’re choosing the perfect lettuce to hold all your yummy toppings:

Boston leaf lettuce: This is my go-to for these burgers. It’s super nutritious and high in folate, iron and potassium, and is super malleable which makes it a great option for wraps.
Iceberg lettuce: This lettuce doesn’t have as many nutritional benefits as Boston leaf lettuce, but it adds great texture since it’s crunchier. The leaves are sturdier, so they’re the least likely to get soggy.
Romaine lettuce: The perfect combo of nutritious and crunchy! It has some of the nutrients of Boston leaf with the crunchiness of iceberg.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are burger lettuce wraps healthy?

Burger lettuce wraps are definitely a healthier option since you’re using lettuce instead of hamburger buns, but it all depends on what you add to them. As long as you don’t go crazy with the unhealthy toppings, they should still be fairly healthy.

How do you wrap the burger?

Since Boston leaf lettuce basically forms ‘cups’ for all your fillings, you don’t have to worry about any fancy wrapping. Just add the patty and toppings to the lettuce leaves and enjoy.

How many carbs are in this recipe?

If you use Boston lettuce for this recipe, you’re looking at about 7g of carbs per serving. Since traditional buns have about 29g, you’re looking at way less carbs.

How many lettuce leaves do you need per burger?

It really depends on the kind of lettuce you’re using. If you’re using Boston leaf, you’ll only need about one leaf per burger, but if you’re using romaine or iceberg lettuce, you might want to use two to form a lettuce ‘bun’ on either side. It’s totally up to you!

Serving ideas

Here are some different ways you can serve these lettuce burgers:

Chop up the lettuce and patties to make more of a burger salad or burger in a bowl
Serve with sweet potato fries or animal style fries for a traditional burgers and fries combo
To keep things healthy, serve with cut-up veggies and dip

Storing and reheating

To store: Store the lettuce, sauce and burger patties separately in airtight containers for 5 days.
To reheat: Warm up the patties in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave for 1-2 mins. Assemble your wraps and dig in!
To freeze: Stack the patties with parchment paper in between, then freeze in a Ziploc for 3 months. Cook straight from frozen on the grill or on the stovetop.

More lettuce wrap recipes

See more related recipes

Meal prep tools

Or if you have no time to make the special sauce for this recipe, you can actually buy burger sauce online.
Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on storing leftover patties.
I get all my grass-fed ground beef from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.

4.72 from 7 votes (6 ratings without comment)

Low Carb Burger Lettuce Wraps

Why You’ll Love This Recipe