Spicy Buffalo Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Carrot-Celery Slaw

It’s football season again, and if you’re craving the flavor of Buffalo sauce without the extra calories, these Buffalo turkey lettuce wraps with carrot-celery slaw are perfect. They’re light, flavorful, and guaranteed not to disappoint.

This post was originally published on September 12, 2014. I’m sharing it again because I love recipes that deliver big taste with fewer calories.

The recipe is simple and quick:

Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a frying pan. Add 1/2 pound of unseasoned ground turkey, break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink.
Stir in 1–3 tablespoons of Frank’s Buffalo sauce, adjusting to your spice preference.
In a bowl, shred 2 carrots, chop 2 celery stalks, and mix with 2 tablespoons of blue cheese dressing to make the slaw.
Assemble: place a spoonful of the carrot-celery slaw on a butter lettuce leaf, top with the Buffalo turkey, and enjoy.

This dish works well as an interactive appetizer—serve the components separately so guests can assemble their own wraps. The full, printable recipe follows.

Living in the United States for the past nine years has shown me how deeply rooted sports culture is here. Unlike most places in Europe, where soccer, tennis, or ski jumping dominate, American football is a phenomenon. People of all ages and backgrounds tend to be fans, and sporting events often feel like community gatherings.

One striking American tradition is playing the National Anthem before many games. In my home country of Poland, I usually hear the anthem at official ceremonies or during the Olympics, but seldom at regular sporting events. I find the tradition in the U.S. unifying and memorable.

Of course, sports culture brings classic game-day food: chicken wings, pizza, nachos, chili, fries, and more—usually accompanied by cold draft beer. In our house, kickoff means wings and pizza, and we treat it as a welcomed indulgence.

That said, football season is long and games are frequent. If we only ate wings and pizza all season, we’d quickly tire of it. So I created healthier alternatives that still capture the flavors of game-day favorites.

These Buffalo turkey lettuce wraps with carrot-celery slaw and blue cheese dressing are one of those healthier swaps. My husband tried them and liked the flavors—though he joked that football food isn’t supposed to be healthy. I’m fine with changing the rules.

The idea was inspired by chicken lettuce wraps from PF Chang’s. I’ve always loved the concept of using lettuce as a wrapper, so I adapted that idea into an American Buffalo-style version—light, satisfying, and full of familiar flavor. You won’t miss the heaviness, and these are perfect for game day or a quick weeknight meal.