These flavourful shrimp lettuce wraps are an easy weeknight meal you need in your rotation! Quick pan-fried shrimp are coated in a glossy honey-soy sauce (spice optional), with diced yellow pepper for a pop of color and extra veggies! Served in soft butter lettuce cups and finished off with crunchy salted peanuts, fresh herbs, and a bright squeeze of lime, it’s a restaurant-quality dinner the whole family will love, made at home in under 30 minutes!

Three lettuce wraps filled with spicy shrimp, chopped avocado, peanuts, and herbs are displayed on a plate, with lime wedges on the side. Bowls of diced cucumber and peanuts are nearby. Bright and fresh presentation.

Lettuce wraps are one of those meals I think deserve a lot more credit. They’re quick to throw together, veggies are built-in in a fun way, and I mean, everyone loves a choose your own toppings adventure. These Thai-inspired shrimp lettuce wraps are exactly that. 

Save This Recipe Form

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & I'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!

I love shrimp for an easy dinner protein because it cooks up in minutes, and instantly makes a meal feel  more elevated with minimal effort (if you like the sounds of a fast shrimp dinner, you’ve gotta try my easy shrimp ramen noodles with the dreamiest peanut sauce next).

I wanted these lettuce cups to feel like you ordered them off your favorite menu, and let me tell you, the easy 4-ingredient sauce here nails that! While there’s no fish sauce (often found in traditional Thai recipes) we get that sweet, salty, sour balance from ingredients you likely already have in your pantry including soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar. I’ve left the chili flakes optional because while I personally love them cooked right into the sauce, my youngest kid, not so much. haha

From a dietitian’s perspective, these are kinda the perfect meal. You’ve got protein from the shrimp, fibre and crunch from the veggies, and nourishing fats from the peanuts and sesame oil to help keep you full and satisfied. PFF combo for the win! If we’re eating these as our main meal, we’ll usually add a bed of rice too.

An overhead view of labeled ingredients for shrimp lettuce wraps, including cilantro, garlic, cornstarch, rice vinegar, sesame oil, raw shrimp, honey, yellow pepper, soy sauce, butter lettuce, cucumber, roasted peanuts, and lime wedges.

My Test Kitchen Secret for the BEST Sauce 

I learned this hack from my Dad, and it honestly feels like a little kitchen magic. 

Do not skip the cornstarch!

I tested this recipe without it the first time thinking I could simplify it, but the sauce turned out thin and watery. Adding just one tablespoon of cornstarch transforms it into a glossy, thick sauce that clings to the shrimp, loading flavour into each bite. This technique of using a cornstarch slurry to create a velvety, glossy coating is a hallmark of classic Chinese stir-fries. Combining that rich, savory glaze with our fresh, zesty toppings gives these lettuce wraps the best kind of modern Asian-fusion vibe!

And yes, you will have leftover cornstarch in the cupboard but once you try it here, I guarantee you’ll be popping into other sauces like this 5-minute honey garlic for my crispy cauliflower bowls!

Let’s Make These Thai-Style Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

A clear measuring cup filled with a reddish-brown liquid sauce, flecked with chili flakes and seeds, is held by a hand over a light wooden surface.
Whisk together your sauce (chili flakes optional)
Shrimp being sautéed in a stainless steel pan; some pieces are lightly browned while others are cooking, with seasoning visible on the shrimp.
Season the shrimp generously and cook undisturbed (we want golden edges!)
Shrimp cooking in a pan with diced yellow bell peppers and a reddish sauce, likely being sautéed or stir-fried.
Toss in the peppers and sauce
Shrimp cooking in a skillet with diced yellow mango pieces and a glossy, reddish-brown sauce.
Cook until the sauce is thick and glossy
Three lettuce wraps filled with saucy shrimp, diced avocado, chopped peanuts, and herbs are arranged on a plate. A bowl of extra peanuts and a pan with remaining shrimp are nearby. Lime wedges are on the plate.
Assemble those wraps with your favourite toppings!
The Feel-Good Meal Plan Cookbook

The Feel-Good Meal Plan My Bestselling Cookbook is Now Available!

A fresh take on meal prep with over 100 nourishing recipes to feed your family with ease.

Order Now »
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Three lettuce wraps filled with saucy shrimp, diced avocado, chopped peanuts, and herbs are arranged on a plate. A bowl of extra peanuts and a pan with remaining shrimp are nearby. Lime wedges are on the plate.

Quick Thai-Inspired Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Lindsay Pleskot, RD
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main DIsh, Meal Prep
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Asian Inspired
  • Diet: Pescatarian
Print Recipe

Description

These flavourful asian-inspired shrimp lettuce wraps are an easy weeknight meal you need in your rotation! Quick pan-fried shrimp are coated in a glossy honey-soy sauce (spice optional), with diced yellow pepper for a pop of color and extra veggies! Served in fresh butter lettuce cups and finished off with fresh herbs, and a bright squeeze of lime, it’s a restaurant-quality dinner the whole family will love, made at home in under 30 minutes!

Ingredients

Scale

Honey-Soy Sauce:

  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, divided
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)

Lettuce Wraps:

  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 3 cloves grated or minced garlic, divided
  • 1 lb (454g) thawed raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated and washed
  • Optional: serve on a bed of cooked jasmine rice

Topping:

  • 1 cup diced cucumber
  • 1/3 cup salted roasted peanuts
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. To a bowl, add the soy sauce, honey, water, rice vinegar, cornstarch, and chili flakes if using. Whisk to combine and set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
  3. Pat the shrimp dry and add it to the skillet in a single layer, spreading it out as much as you can. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 mins, without stirring, until golden on the first side. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes, until opaque. 
  4. Add the peppers and sauce to the same pan, toss to coat and cook another 3-4 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and the peppers to become tender crisp. Remove from heat. 
  5. To make your lettuce wraps, double up the lettuce leaves to form a cup shape. Top with the shrimp mixture, cucumber, peanuts, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

Notes

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Meal Prep: If you love a meal prep hack like I do, I highly recommend doubling this recipe. The leftovers make the easiest, most delicious lunch the next day (also great on a salad or rice bowl)!

Make it a balanced meal: If we’re eating this as our main meal, we’ll usually cook up the jasmine rice to go with it but if you’re going more appy style you may not need it. The rice also provides a great option to make these as a deconstructed bowl instead for tiny hands that might have troubles holding the wraps.