Tuck shrimp, cilantro, and quick pickled veggies into lettuce leaves for a light lunch or appetizer.

Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

If you want to eat a refreshing, light dinner but you’re in a hurry, these shrimp lettuce wraps are for you.

These easy, yet sophisticated Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Wraps are ready in a flash. This recipe takes the smart strategy of tucking shrimp, cilantro, and quick pickled veggies into lettuce leaves for a light lunch or appetizer.

The shrimp is lightly charred on the grill, gaining a nice boost of flavor from the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and rice vinegar marinade. Luckily, the quick pickles and sauce come together in the time that it takes for the shrimp to marinate and the grill to heat up. The quick pickled carrots and radishes still retain a bit of crunch, only softening slightly as they macerate in sugar and salt, which enhance the vegetables’ natural flavors. The mayo-based sauce is thick enough to hold up well on the lettuce leaves, which provide the perfect pockets to marry all of the elements in this dish.

And you can even make it ahead of time: Prepare and chill the shrimp, pickled vegetables, and mayonnaise mixture the day before. Talk about meal prep success.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound medium peeled, deveined raw shrimp
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, grated (about 1 tsp.)
  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tsp.)
  • 1 tablespoon plus ½ tsp. lower-sodium soy sauce, divided
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced matchstick carrots 
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus leaves for garnish
  • 2 teaspoons grated lime zest plus 1 tsp. fresh juice (from 1 lime)
  • 16 large butter lettuce leaves or Bibb lettuce leaves

Directions

  1. Prepare the grill:

    Preheat grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F).

  2. Prepare elements of the wraps:

    Stir together shrimp, oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce in a medium bowl until combined.

    Toss together radishes, carrots, salt, and sugar in a small bowl until combined; set aside.

    Stir together mayonnaise, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce in a separate small bowl until combined; set aside.

  3. Grill shrimp:

    Place shrimp on oiled grates. Grill, uncovered, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, and transfer shrimp to a plate to rest.

  4. Prepare each wrap:

    To assemble each wrap, stack 2 lettuce leaves together; spread ½ generous tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture on top lettuce leaf. Top with some of the shrimp and some of the vegetable mixture; garnish with cilantro. Repeat with remaining lettuce, mayonnaise mixture, shrimp, vegetable mixture, and cilantro; serve immediately.