Rice Free Pumpkin Seed Crunch Grass-Fed Beef Lettuce Cups
These lettuce cups deliver everything you want from a satisfying handheld meal — savory, a little tangy, warmly spiced, and finished with a genuinely addictive crunch. The filling comes together in one skillet, starting with zucchini softened in garlic-infused olive oil before grass-fed ground beef joins the pan and gets coated in coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, and turmeric. That combination gives the beef a deep, slightly sweet-savory glaze that tastes far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Butter lettuce leaves stand in as the vessel, keeping things light and crisp while holding the filling beautifully without falling apart. The real star might be the toasted pumpkin seeds — just pepitas and sea salt in a dry skillet, but they pop up golden and nutty and add a textural contrast that makes every bite feel complete. For anyone navigating a rice-free lifestyle, this kind of recipe is a genuine win because there are no hidden grains, no fillers, and no substitutions required — it's just built this way from the ground up. A squeeze of lime and a handful of fresh cilantro at the end brighten the whole dish and make it feel like something you'd order at a restaurant.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pumpkin seed crunch
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- ¼ tsp sea salt
For the beef
- 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 medium zucchini, finely diced
- 2 green onions (green tops only), thinly sliced
For serving
- 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast, stirring frequently, until they begin to pop and turn golden, about 4–5 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Remove from heat, toss with 1/4 tsp sea salt, and set aside.
- 2
Heat the garlic-infused olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the diced zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 3 minutes.
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