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Thai Basil Beef Rolls

Thai basil beef rolls with crispy lettuce cups overflowing with deeply caramelized ground beef and fresh Thai basil in a glossy oyster-fish sauce glaze. Quick high-heat stir-fry gives browned, caramelized edges, then basil is folded in at the end so it stays bright.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Thai-American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Thai basil beef rolls
  • 1.5 lb ground beef 80/20
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil for stir-frying
  • 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves reserve to fold in at the end
  • 1 jalapeño Thai chilies 3-4 Thai chilies or use 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce for the sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce for the sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce for the sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar for the sauce
  • 8 butter lettuce or romaine leaves for lettuce cups
  • 4 fried eggs optional but traditional
  • 1 sliced red chili for topping
  • 1 lime wedges for serving
  • 1 jasmine rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the savory sauce
  1. Whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar in a bowl until smooth and glossy. Set aside so it’s ready to pour when the beef is browned.
Stir-fry the Thai basil beef
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until visibly smoking. Add garlic and chilies and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  2. Add ground beef and cook over high heat, breaking it apart, for 5-6 minutes until deeply browned with caramelized edges. Drain any excess fat.
  3. Pour the sauce over the beef and toss to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce caramelizes and turns sticky-glossy on the meat.
  4. Remove from heat and fold in fresh Thai basil until just wilted. Stop as soon as the leaves turn glossy green.
Assemble and serve
  1. Spoon the hot beef into butter lettuce or romaine leaves to form lettuce cups. Top with fried eggs and extra sliced red chili.
  2. Serve immediately with lime wedges alongside jasmine rice. Squeeze lime over the rolls just before eating.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the basil off the heat so it wilts but stays fragrant and vivid. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat beef gently in a skillet until warm and assemble fresh lettuce cups. Freezing is not recommended for the lettuce; freeze the cooked beef up to 2 months, then thaw and reheat. For a lower-fat option, use 90/10 ground beef and drain more strictly after browning.