Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
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Lettuce wraps are a fantastic way to enjoy a warmer-weather meal. While these do require a bit of cooking, your time in the kitchen is minimal, and the rewards are delicious.
Thai shrimp lettuce wraps are a delicious and hearty meal that is super low in calories and great for lunch or dinner.
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
- Iceberg lettuce
Can I Use Other Types Of Seafood Or Protein?
Use leftover shrimp and vegetables in salads, stir-fries, or as a filling for sandwiches and tacos. You can also mix them with rice or noodles for a quick meal
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.
Recipe Tips
Just a few tips to make these turn out great every time.
- Use fresh shrimp for the best flavor.
- Chill the lettuce leaves for extra crispiness.
- Use a mandoline for evenly thin vegetable slices.
- Pre-wash and dry lettuce leaves to save time.
- Use a large skillet or wok to cook the shrimp quickly and evenly.
- Serve immediately to keep the lettuce wraps fresh and crisp.
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
- Mango sticky rice
- Steamed edamame
- Thai basil chicken
- Papaya salad
- Coconut soup (Tom Kha Gai)
- Vegetable stir-fry
- Thai iced tea
- Brown rice
- Coconut milk ice cream
Ingredient Substitutions
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.
- Rice vinegar – Lime juice
- 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
About The Ingredients
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 oleic – 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 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 oleic. Cook for an additional minute to combine the flavors. Remove the skillet from 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.
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.
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 oleic
- 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 oleic. Cook for an additional minute to combine the flavors. Remove the skillet from 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.