Skip the takeout queue! Dive into my Asian Turkey San Choy Bow for a healthy, flavourful explosion at home. These crisp Chinese lettuce cups cradle juicy turkey mince simmered in a savoury sauce, bursting with fresh veggies and noodles. It's a fun, interactive dinner perfect for weeknights or gatherings. Get your hands dirty and taste the difference!
I almost think of these like tacos, but with lettuce instead of the taco shell. So. for me, a crispy lettuce leaf is needed to satisfy the urge for a crunch!
As you'll see in the video below, there was a bit of a mess involved in making these. I actually accidentally tipped one as I was trying to hold it up for a bite shot and it got all over my kitchen floor. But, thankfully I have a dog who is a fantastic vacuum cleaner (which is very useful for a messy cook like me!)
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San Choy Bow Ingredients
Sauce
Soy sauce. I use regular soy sauce for this recipe because there's not a heap (for recipes like Teriyaki Chicken, I'll use a low-sodium version but it's not necessary). Don't use dark or sweet soy sauce as it changes the flavour profile quite a bit.
Oyster sauce. Oyster sauce adds a huge depth of flavour. Think of it like 10 sauces all in 1! But, if you don't have any, or are vegan, you can substitute for more soy sauce.
Sesame oil. I absolutely LOVE sesame oil in Asian-style dishes like this Chinese san choy bow. It packs a good punch and adds a bit of nuttiness to the dish.
Mirin. Another staple in Asian-dishes is mirin. It's easy to come by in the supermarkets and is similar to sake (but less alcohol content and more sweetness). You can substitute for white wine vinegar or even white vinegar if you don't have any - but add a teaspoon of sugar to combat the acidity.
Sweet chilli. This is optional, and you could also use fresh chilli if you enjoy a real spicy kick to your Chinese lettuce wraps.
Ginger and garlic. It's not an Asian recipe without these flavour punches!
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations
Filling
Mince. You can obviously tell that I've used Ingham's turkey breast mince / ground turkey for these san choy bows. See below for substitutions & variations.
Lettuce. I use cos lettuce (or romaine) for this as I really like the crunch they give. If you're lucky, they can come in perfect boat shapes to hold your san choy bow filling.
I wouldn't recommend iceburg lettuce as its prone to breaking (and then you'll have lots of the filling all over your hands). Other types of lettuce can definitely be used - it's up to how much CRUNCH you're looking for.
Vermicelli noodles. As san choy bow is typically quite low in carbohydrates, I have added some noodles into the mixture to increase this macronutrient (I'm a busy girl and need my energy).
Vegetables. You could honestly use any vegetables you like to make this a fridge-cleaner meal - very similar to a Spaghetti Bolognese. Use all the vegetables you have leftover in your fridge at the end of the week, dice them up super small, and add them to this Chinese turkey mince.
In this recipe, I've used onion, carrot, zucchini, capsicum and my secret ingredient - water chestnuts to add a slightly nutty flavour as this san choy bow is without nuts! (traditionally you would often see crushed peanuts as a garnish).
Garnish. You can add a range of garnishes to your san choy bow - I like a bit of crunch and difference in texture so my chosen garnishes were sesame seeds and scallions. You could also use crushed peanuts, or even some fried shallots (trust me on this one!)
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations
How to make San Choy Bow
- Prepare vegetables
I like to start by prepping all of my ingredients, but you can definitely do step 2 before step 1 if you would like.
Because of the nature of this san choy bow dish, you want to diced the vegetables quite thin (be careful of your fingers).
If you're nervous about using a knife for this and REALLY hate slicing vegetables, I would recommend a vegetable chopper - it has a dicing option which can be used for this dish (plus, you'll definitely save your fingers). - Mix sauce ingredients
Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. You want to make sure that the cornflour dissolves as this is what helps thicken the sauce up when it's added to the pan with the other ingredients.
At this time, you can taste the sauce and adjust your flavours according to your preferences. For example, if you like a bit more spice, add some chilli flakes or a bit of sweet chilli if you're a classic white girl like myself. - Cook onions
Heat the oil up in a large wok or large and deep pan then add in the diced onions. You'll want to cook these until they begin to go translucent and are fragrant (this is the smell everyone always says "mmmmm that smells good").
- Cook turkey mince
Once the onions have cooked down, add in your turkey mince and break it up. Cook until it is mostly white. You don't want to leave any pink bits on the outside (if it's not completely cooked on the inside at this stage, it's fine).
- Add veggies and sauce
Add the diced veggies and san choy bow sauce to the turkey mince and onion. Allow the sauce to bubble and then reduce the heat to low. It is this stage that allows the flavours to really sink in.
Have a taste, see how you like it, and adjust the flavours if necessary. - Cook noodles
Add vermicelli noodles to a large bowl and pour over boiling water (make sure to read the packet instructions as it could vary). They'll begin to soften in a couple of minutes and you can then break it up with a fork and add the drained noodles to the mixture.
- Peel lettuce leaves
While the turkey mince filling is doing its thing in the background, begin to peel your lettuce leaves. If you use Cos Hearts like me, you can slice off the bottom (white bit) 1-2 cm. This will expose the leaves and allow you to break them apart individually.
Make sure you WASH WELL! Especially because dirt and gross things like to hide in leaves that are closely packed together. - Assemble
Now make your lettuce taco! Start with a lettuce leaf, spoon on as much mixture as you like, add on any garnishes, then eat it (like a taco).
Make sure you have a towel on hand as it can get a little messy 😉
Substitutions and Variations
Protein. I've used turkey breast mince in this recipe, but you could use normal turkey mince (includes more than just the breast) or other mince such as pork, chicken or beef.
Vegetarian. For a vegetarian option, you could crumble extra firm tofu or use TVP to make the san choy bow vegetarian. You could use any mince you like - traditionally, pork is used but you could mix-and-match with chicken mince, beef mince, or even crumbled tofu or TVP for a vegan or vegetarian san choy bow option.
Vegan. For a vegan san choy bow, substitute the meat mince for either crumbled tofu, TVP or lentils (or even a mixture of both). You'll also want to substitute the oyster sauce for either a vegan oyster sauce, or add in more soy sauce to replace the quantity.
SPICY. If you're a fan of spice (like my partner), add in some fresh chilli's or chilli flakes into the mix and/or as a garnish. I don't mind a little bit of spice, but I don't like it overpowering the dish, which is why I opt for sweet chilli in the sauce
Meal prep and leftovers
My meal preppers will love that this turkey san choy bow can be made into a meal prep recipe by making the ingredients beforehand and storing them properly.
You could also have it salad style as well for a different option!
Storing
Separate the ground turkey filling separately from the lettuce cups in air tight containers (I prefer to use glass containers. You could also try divided containers - but you might need to be careful about the size of your lettuce leaf boats). Dry the lettuce cups completely and add a paper towel between them as this will allow excess moisture to soak up, keeping the cost lettuce really crisp.
You should be able to enjoy leftover san choy bow for about 3 days (after this, the lettuce may start to wilt and change texture). If you're okay with texture differences, you could eat this for up to 5 days - or you could omit the lettuce leaves.
Reheating
You have a couple of options for reheating:
Microwave. Splash some water over the turkey mince and heat in the microwave on 1 minute intervals. Stir and repeat. Depending how much you're reheating, it'll take about 2-4 minutes until it's heated through.
Stove. Over medium heat, add a splash of water or soy sauce with the turkey filling and stir until heated through (approx. 5-10 minutes depending on size of pan and amount of filling).
Assemble as you did on the first day.
You can also have ground turkey san choy bow cold if you don't have access to a microwave or stove.
Freezing
You can definitely freeze the turkey breast mince san choy bow filling in either airtight containers, ziplock bags or in a vacuum sealer. These will last about 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat as above and assemble with fresh lettuce and toppings.
DON'T freeze the lettuce. Lettuce has a high water content (95%) and when it freezes, the water expands and forms ice crystals which make the lettuce mushy and soggy when thawing.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
San Choy Bow is extremely flexible and can be treated like a Spaghetti Bolognese where you can add in whatever veggies are leftover in your fridge - just chop them nice and small. Traditional recipes feature shredded carrot, cucumber, and bean sprouts, feel free to explore your favourites. I've included carrot, zucchini, water chestnuts, onion and capsicum (bell pepper).
Technically, yes! The chilled filling and lettuce cups offer a refreshing summer twist. However, the san choy bow sauce is more flavourful when warmed up. You can prepare the filling separately and serve slightly warmed after first making it and if having for leftovers, heat up the filling (with the sauce) before assembling.
For easy wrapping, choose large, sturdy lettuce leaves like romaine, gem or iceberg. Trim the bottom stem and separate the leaves carefully. Wash and dry them thoroughly and serve them as:
Cups: Cut the base of each leaf to create a stable bottom, leaving the larger part intact for holding the filling.
Boats: Cut the leaves in half lengthwise (or use gem lettuce), creating sturdy "boats" to cradle the filling (like a taco).
Both come from turkey, but their fat content and texture differ:
Turkey mince: Ground from various parts of the turkey, including dark meat. This version has a higher fat content (around 10-15%) and stronger flavor, making it ideal for browning and adding richer notes to your San Choy Bow filling.
Turkey breast mince: Made solely from lean white meat. This option boasts lower fat content (around 5%) and a milder flavor. It's ideal for those seeking a lighter filling or those sensitive to darker meats.
Ultimately, the choice depends on your preference. Both options work well in a Turkey San Choy Bow and offer different flavor and texture profiles for you to explore!
Other Chinese-style recipes
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Recipe
Asian Turkey San Choy Bow with Noodles (Chinese Lettuce Cups)
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce (see post for vegan substitution)
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon mirin
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ teaspoon ginger crushed
- 2 teaspoon cornflour
- 3 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoon sweet chilli optional
Lettuce Cups and Filling
- 12 large lettuce leaves see Note 1
- 200 g vermicelli noodles
- 400 g turkey breast mince (see post for substitutions)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 brown onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 capsicum diced
- 225 g canned water chestnuts sliced, water removed
- Sesame seeds optional, for garnish
- Shallots optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Mix together sauce ingredients into a small bowl. Make sure the cornflour dissolves.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent and fragrant (approx. 5 minutes).
- Add turkey mince to the onion and cook until it turns mostly white (approx. 5 minutes).
- Add vegetables and sauce to the mince mixture, and let simmer until the sauce begins to bubble. Reduce heat to low and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the sauce has been mostly absorbed.
- Add filling to the lettuce cup and top with your choice of garnishes. Eat like a taco! See post for information on meal prep and leftovers.
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