Spicy Shrimp Lettuce Cups (Printable)

Bright shrimp with crisp vegetables wrapped in refreshing lettuce leaves for a light, tasty bite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 garlic clove, minced
04 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
05 - 1 tsp sriracha or chili sauce, adjust to taste
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Vegetables & Greens

08 - 1 head butter or iceberg lettuce, leaves separated and washed
09 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
10 - 1 small cucumber, julienned
11 - 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
12 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
13 - Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

→ Sauce

14 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
15 - 1 tbsp lime juice
16 - 1 tsp sriracha
17 - 1 tsp honey
18 - 1 tsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free

# How To Make It:

01 - In a bowl, combine shrimp with olive oil, garlic, ginger, sriracha, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp mixture; cook for 2-3 minutes per side until shrimp turn pink and opaque. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice, sriracha, honey, and soy sauce until smooth.
04 - Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Fill each leaf with cooked shrimp, carrots, cucumber, red bell pepper, and green onions.
05 - Drizzle or serve with the prepared sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately as an appetizer or light main dish.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Ready in under 30 minutes, which means you can pull this together on a Tuesday night without stress.
  • It's a hands-on meal where everyone builds their own cup, turning dinner into something interactive and fun.
  • Low-carb and naturally light, but the spiced shrimp and creamy sauce make it feel genuinely indulgent.
02 -
  • Don't skip washing and drying the lettuce leaves—any trapped water will make them wilt and slide apart when you fill them.
  • Shrimp cook so fast that overcooked shrimp becomes rubbery and hard. The moment they turn pink all the way through, they're done—pull them off the heat.
03 -
  • Buy frozen shrimp if fresh isn't available—thaw them in the fridge overnight and they're just as good, often fresher than what's sitting in the case.
  • Make extra sauce even if you think you won't need it, because people always end up wanting more once they taste how good it is.
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