Beef in Betel Leaves (Bò Lá Lốt)
Ground beef mixed with spicy, herbaceous aromatics, wrapped in betel leaves, and seared until charred. Serve with nuoc cham for dipping—a 25-minute Vietnamese classic that tastes way more complex than it is.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 24g
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground beef
- 3 clove garlic cloves, minced
- 1 whole shallot, minced
- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
- 12 leaf fresh betel leaves
- ½ whole Thai chili or serrano pepper, minced
- 1 whole lime (for serving, cut into wedges)
Instructions
- 1
Mix ground beef, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, and minced chili in a bowl until just combined.
- 2
Lay a betel leaf flat, glossy side down. Place 1 tbsp beef mixture at the base of the leaf.
- 3
Fold the sides of the leaf inward, then roll away from you into a tight cylinder. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
- 4
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high until shimmering, about 90 seconds.
- 5
Sear rolls seam-side down 2 minutes until deeply charred, then flip and cook 2 minutes more.
- 6
Transfer to a plate and serve hot with lime wedges and a small bowl of fish sauce for dipping.
Tools you’ll need
- medium mixing bowl
- 12-inch skillet
- tongs
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
