Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
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At A Glance
Thai shrimp lettuce wraps are one of my go-tos when I want a fast, delicious dinner that still feels like real comfort food. You get juicy shrimp, crunchy veggies, lots of lime and herbs, and just enough heat to keep things interesting.
These wraps are best assembled right before eating, so the lettuce stays crisp, but the filling is great for meal prep.
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Why You’ll Love These Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
- They cook fast and use minimal dishes.
- You get tons of flavor without tons of heavy sauce.
- You can totally adjust the heat level to your own liking.
What Are Lettuce Wraps?
Lettuce wraps are basically anything you wrap inside a large lettuce leaf instead of a wrap or tortilla. They are great for a lighter meal that won’t weigh down your tummy, they make a quick lunch, and are great for warm-weather meals.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
- Pre-cooked, frozen shrimp, thawed – Or fresh, deveined, and cooked.
- Coconut oil
- Garlic cloves – Choose the biggest ones you can find.
- Fresh ginger
- Soy sauce – Or coconut aminos.
- Lime juice
- Sambal oelek chili paste – This is a small jar found in the ethnic aisle at most grocery stores. Thai Kitchen is a great brand to use. (Not paid to promote them.)
- Shredded carrots
- Sliced red bell pepper
- Chopped fresh cilantro – Optional for garnish.
- Fresh mint
- Green onions – Thinly sliced
- Lettuce leaves – Opt for larger leaves so you can properly wrap the filling.
- Optional toppings – Chopped peanuts, lime wedges
How To Make Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Gather, measure, and prep all your ingredients as indicated.
Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger to the skillet and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. They are already cooked, so they don’t need a lot of time here.
Stir in the soy sauce, lime juice, and sambal oelek. Cook for an additional minute to combine the flavors. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the shrimp mixture cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded carrots, sliced red bell pepper, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, and sliced green onions.
Add the slightly cooled shrimp mixture to the bowl and toss to combine.
To assemble the wraps, spoon the shrimp and vegetable mixture onto each lettuce leaf. Top with chopped peanuts and a squeeze of lime juice if desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
Just a few tips to make these turn out great every time.
- Get the best flavor by using fresh shrimp.
- To keep the lettuce crisp, chill it before you use it. Use it straight from the fridge.
- Keep your vegetable slices even and uniform by using a mandoline for slicing.
- Save time by pre-washing and drying the lettuce leaves.
- To cook this as quickly as possible, use a large skillet or wok.
Sauce Options And Heat Level
- Spicy lime – Which is what this recipe already uses. It’s great for those who love a medium spice level.
- Peanut sauce – This is a great, lower-spice option. It also turns this into a heartier meal.
- For no spice at all – Skip the sambal and add extra lime as well as a pinch of ginger. Peanut sauce is not spicy, so it can also be used for extra flavor.
Make Ahead And Meal Prep
You can make the shrimp up to two days ahead of time. Just leave that separate from the lettuce until you are ready to eat it.
Storage And Leftovers
Storage
Store the filling separately from the lettuce leaves. The filling will keep for up to three days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freezing
This dish is not recommended for freezing.
Reheating
You can reheat the filling with a quick toss in a skillet with a spritz of oil. But this doesn’t require reheating. You can enjoy it cold from the fridge too.
Ingredient Substitutions And Dietary Notes
Trying to avoid one of the ingredients in this recipe? Here are a few suggestions for substitutions you can make:
- Soy sauce – Tamari or coconut aminos.
- Lime Juice – Rice vinegar
- Shrimp – Ground chicken, tofu, or tempeh
- Butter lettuce – Romaine or iceberg lettuce
- Carrots – Bell peppers or zucchini
- Peanuts – Cashews or almonds
Additional Options
- Avocado – For added creaminess
What To Serve With Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
If you want to round out the meal, here are some ideas for other dishes you can serve with Thai shrimp lettuce wraps.
- Thai cucumber salad
- Fresh spring rolls
- Thai sweet chili sauce
- Instant Pot coconut rice
- Papaya salad (coming this summer)
- Thai iced tea (coming this summer)
- Coconut milk ice cream
- Brown rice
If you want more Thai-inspired dinners, browse my Thai recipes here.
FAQs
Can I Make This Ahead Of Time?
Yes. You can make the shrimp filling ahead of time, but wait until you are ready to eat to put the filling into the lettuce cups.
What Type Of Shrimp Should I Use?
Use medium or large shrimp. You can use fresh, peeled, and deveined shrimp, or use frozen shrimp that have been properly thawed.
What Lettuce Is Best For Wraps?
Use any of the following types of lettuce for making these Thai shrimp lettuce wraps: Butter lettuce, Bibb lettuce, Romaine lettuce, or Iceberg lettuce. I use butter lettuce the most because the leaves are nice and rounded like little bowls, making them easy to fill and wrap without much mess.
Can I Use Other Types Of Seafood Or Protein?
Yes, you can! Try small chunks of salmon fillet, or for a no-seafood option, use small chunks of chicken.
What Can I Do With Leftovers?
You can add the shrimp wrap filling to salads, stir-fries, sandwiches, and tacos. Try mixing them with rice or noodles for a fast meal.
Shopping Tips For Spain And Europe
At first, I had a very hard time finding these ingredients in Spain. If you are outside of the US, this is where I have gotten my ingredients:
- Sambal oelek is often easiest online or at Asian grocery shops, and it also shows up in larger markets that carry international sauces, such as Carrefour.
- Coconut aminos are commonly available online in Spain and the EU. That’s where I get mine. Here’s the link on Spanish Amazon.
More Wrap Recipes
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Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 lb. pre-cooked shrimp (thawed if frozen)
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 large garlic cloves (pressed or minced)
- ½ tbsp. fresh, grated ginger
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tsp. sambal oelek
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
- ¼ cup fresh, chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp. fresh, chopped mint
- 2 large green onions (thinly sliced)
- 8 large lettuce leaves (try butter, bib, or iceberg lettuce)
Optional Garnishes
- chopped peanuts
- lime wedges (for squeezing over the filling just before you wrap it)
Instructions
- Gather, measure, and prep all your ingredients as indicated.
- Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger to the skillet and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. They are already cooked, so they don't need a lot of time here.
- Stir in the soy sauce, lime juice, and sambal oelek. Cook for an additional minute to combine the flavors. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the shrimp mixture cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded carrots, sliced red bell pepper, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, and sliced green onions.
- Add the slightly cooled shrimp mixture to the bowl and toss to combine.
- To assemble the wraps, spoon the shrimp and vegetable mixture onto each lettuce leaf. Top with chopped peanuts and a squeeze of lime juice if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted on 7/2/24.
