Xanthan Gum Free Pumpkin Seed Crunch Grass-Fed Beef Lettuce Cups

Total time30 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time15 min

Xanthan Gum Free Pumpkin Seed Crunch Grass-Fed Beef Lettuce Cups

These lettuce cups deliver a seriously satisfying combination of savory, gingery beef and crispy toasted pepitas, all wrapped up in cool, tender butter lettuce. The filling comes together in one skillet — zucchini softens alongside grass-fed ground beef, then gets coated in coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, and a warm hit of turmeric and fresh ginger for a deeply flavorful sauce. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of xanthan gum, which means no label-scanning or worrying about hidden thickeners sneaking into your meal. The pumpkin seed crunch on top is a small step that makes a huge difference — just a few minutes in a dry skillet and they pop into something golden and irresistible. Butter lettuce leaves act as the perfect edible vessel, keeping things light while still feeling like a complete, filling dinner. A squeeze of lime and a handful of fresh cilantro at the end brighten the whole dish and tie all those bold flavors together. This one is the kind of weeknight recipe that looks impressive enough to serve to guests without any extra effort.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the pumpkin seed crunch

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
KIND Raw Pumpkin Seeds Now Foods Raw Pumpkin Seeds Raw - 1 lb Seed Aurora Natural Organic Raw Pumpkin Seeds, 10 oz Raw Pumpkins Seeds Raw Pumpkin Seeds
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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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