Korean Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps. Delicious crispy pork belly wrapped in perilla leaves and lettuce with ssamjang sauce and pickled radish. An easy and tasty weeknight meal idea that doesn’t require much cooking and can be enjoyed by the whole family. Ready in just 15 minutes. Great for dinner, lunch, side or appetizer.
There is nothing like pan fried pork belly slices wrapped in fresh perilla and lettuce leaves with a flavourful sauce and pickled veggies. All the ingredients in this dish compliment each other so well from the savoury meat to the unique flavour of the perilla to the tang from the pickled radish. Not to mention the kick from the ssamjang sauce.
Easy to make!
Now this recipe is super easy because two of the ingredients are already made and store bought. I like to keep things simple here and if I showcased two recipes within this recipe, I bet 90% of you wouldn’t even attempt to make this dish. So, you’ll need to find store bought ssamjang sauce dipping sauce and pickled radish that is found primarily at Korean grocers.
Once you have all your ingredients, you’ll wash and prepare your greens. Then pan fry the pork belly until it’s cooked. If you want the pork belly like crispy bacon, pan fry until golden brown on each side.
Next you’ll assemble everything into little wraps by placing the perilla leaf into the lettuce wrap with the pork belly, radish and a bit of the ssamjang and away you eat! If you’re serving a large family, leave everything separate so that everyone can help themselves.
Traditionally
The pork belly is grilled at the dinner table while everyone converses. The pork is grilled to each other’s desired texture from soft to crispy and then when ready you’ll take your pork belly and stuff it into the wrap at the table. It’s a great dish for a gathering.
This Korean pork belly wrap is very similar to bossam recipe however the main difference is bossam uses blanched napa cabbage and a very thick cut of the pork belly. It also uses a variety of different veggies to accompany the wrap.
Did you know?
Pork belly is a very popular meat in Korea. It was a cut of meat that they first didn’t know what to do with in the early 1980’s and then they started to cook with it in a variety of ways: pan frying to grilling or steaming under the ground! And now it’s used in many recipes like in ramen, kimchi fried rice and more.
Tips for making crispy pork lettuce wraps
I’ll be sharing tips on how to make this Korean pork belly lettuce wraps recipe:
- Use fresh thinly sliced pork belly that you can find at your grocer. They are popularly sold at Korean grocers.
- Purchase thinly cut pork belly for a crispy texture, it should be .75 cm thick.
- For crispy pork like bacon, fry the pork belly until golden crispy brown. For softer pork belly with a tender chew, cook just until the pork is no longer pink and is grey and remove off the heat immediately.
- Buy fresh greens! This is especially important for a crispy lettuce wrap.
- Prepare your greens just before serving so they don’t go soggy or room temperature.
- Assemble your wraps however you like! I usually like to place a perilla leaf onto the lettuce wrap, then I’ll spread some ssamjang followed by the pickled radish and then the hot pork belly on top.
FAQ
Where can I find ssamjang or Korean pork belly lettuce wrap sauce?
You can find it at Korean grocers in the sauce aisle.
Where can I find pork belly?
Most western grocers will carry this in the meat aisle, and you will find this item at many Korean grocers in different cuts. Pick the thin cut one.
Can I use any lettuce?
Yes any lettuce with a soft texture or crispy texture will work. I like using the traditional red and green one that is used in most Korean recipes.
Where can I find pickled fermented radish?
Most Korean grocers will carry this item premade near their refrigerated kimchi. If you can’t find this item, use kimchi.
Where can I purchase perilla leaves?
Korean grocers will carry them in their fresh produce aisle. If you can't find them item, omit them from the dish.
Other Korean recipes you may like!
If you enjoyed by pork belly lettuce wraps check out these recipes:
PORK BELLY KIMBAP
GYERAN MARI KOREAN ROLLED OMELETTE
VEGAN MUSHROOM KIMCHI FRIED RICE
GYERAN BAP KOREAN EGG RICE
BUCHUJEON GARLIC CHIVE PANCAKE
KOREAN STREET TOAST WITH HAM
SWEET SPICY GOCHUJANG CHICKEN
KOREAN POTATO SALAD
For this recipe
You will need the following ingredients for my Korean pork belly lettuce wrap:
- 250 grams pork belly, thinly cut into 20 pieces
- 1 head lettuce, red and green kind recommend and peel into 20 leaves
- Ssamjang dipping sauce, store bought kind and use as needed
- 20 perilla leaves, washed and dried with stem sliced off
- Pickled kimchi radish or kimchi, store bought and use as needed
How to make Korean pork belly wraps
- Before you wash your perilla leaves, take about 20 pieces and together slice off the stems together. This is easier than slicing the stems off individually.
- Then wash your lettuce leaves (about 20 pieces) and perilla leaves and dry them. Keep them cool.
- Prepare your ssamjang and pickled radish or kimchi by placing enough in serving dishes.
- Then in a frying pan or grilling plate set over medium heat, fry the pork belly pieces. For a crispy very chewy pork belly, fry on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden crispy brown. For a tender juicy softer pork belly, only cook for 30-60 seconds on each side until cooked and no longer pink.
- To assemble your wraps: place a perilla leaf into the lettuce wrap. Spread a thumb size of ssamjang sauce into the perilla leaf. Top off with pickled radish and the hot pork belly piece. Repeat for the other wraps or allow for your guests to assemble themselves. Tip: keep the pork belly warm for a more delicious wrap. You can do this by keeping the pork on the pan (while it’s off the heat) or removing the pork belly off the pan and placing it on a plate which is covered with tinfoil.
Give it a try!
Well, I hope you give my Korean Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps a try! It always excites me when you guys make my recipes and I hope this is one you try.
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Christie
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15-min. Korean Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 250 grams pork belly thin cut about .75 cm thick and then cut into 20 pieces
- 1 head lettuce red and green kind recommend and peel into 20 leaves
- Ssamjang store bought kind and use as needed
- 20 perilla leaves washed and dried with stem sliced off
- pickled radish or kimchi store bought and use as needed
Instructions
- Before you wash your perilla leaves, take about 20 pieces and together slice off the stems together. This is easier than slicing the stems off individually.
- Then wash your lettuce leaves (about 20 pieces) and perilla leaves and dry them. Keep them cool.
- Prepare your ssamjang and pickled radish or kimchi by placing enough in serving dishes.
- Then in a frying pan or grilling plate set over medium heat, fry the pork belly pieces. For a crispy very chewy pork belly, fry on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden crispy brown. For a tender juicy softer pork belly, only cook for 30-60 seconds on each side until cooked and no longer pink.
- To assemble your wraps: place a perilla leaf into the lettuce wrap. Spread a thumb size of ssamjang sauce into the perilla leaf. Top off with pickled radish and the hot pork belly piece. Repeat for the other wraps or allow for your guests to assemble themselves. Tip: keep the pork belly warm for a more delicious wrap. You can do this by keeping the pork on the pan (while it’s off the heat) or removing the pork belly off the pan and placing it on a plate which is covered with tinfoil.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
This looks so good. Pork belly is so rich and flavorful all by itself, but then the sauce and pickled radish you added really send the flavors over the top!
Lily
Is there anything I can use as a substitute for the Ssamjang? I do not have a Korean or Chinese grocery anywhere near me. I do have gochujang and doenjang in my fridge right now, as well as a number of other Chinese and Korean condiments. No perilla leaves either, unfortunately, but I've prepped the pickled veg and I have leaf lettuce. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
christieathome
Gochujang is a great substitute, but I would mix it with equal parts sesame oil, rice vinegar and honey and add more of each ingredient to taste. Hope this helps!
Kate
Dumb question, but is it 66 calories per wrap? 🙂 I notice some recipes say servings as *number* wraps and such. Thanks!
christieathome
Not a dumb question at all! Yes it's 66 calories per wrap 🙂