Parsley Lemon Pesto Shrimp Wraps are a delicious appetizer or main filled with sautéed garlic shrimps tossed in a light parsley lemon pesto stacked on top of vegan chickpea lemon rice and nestled in a crisp lettuce wrap. 
Build your own Lettuce Wraps
Parsley Lemon Pesto Shrimp Wraps are super fun to make for any gathering. You can make everything in advance and just let everyone build their own lettuce wraps. Parsley lemon pesto shrimp wraps are gluten-free, low fat, egg-free and filled with fresh spring flavours.
Why you are going to love our Parsley Lemon Pesto Shrimp Wraps
You are just going to love these parsley lemon pesto shrimp wraps as they are bursting with flavor and so easy to make. I really like the little crisp contrast of the lettuce next to the hearty vegan chickpea lemon rice and light and lovely parsley lemon pesto shrimps and I think you will too.
These wraps are not wimpy by any means. They are very hearty from the protein packed vegan chickpea lemon rice but are also light and bright from the parsley lemon pesto and from the squeeze of fresh lemon juice. I love contrast and texture differences in my food and this little recipe has it all going on. If you love shrimp and rice, you are going to want to try our Shrimp Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce.
Parsley the forgotten herb
Parsley most often gets overlooked in cooking. Parsley is most often used as a garnish only, but why is that? It is so delicious and it is growing in abundance in my herb garden above my kitchen window seal so I was determined to put it in the lime light today. Parsley and lemon together are even a better mix. Parsley, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper makes a beautiful marriage when thrown together in the food processor.
I think this parsley lemon pesto would also be great on fish, pasta, grilled chicken, salads and of course it rocks on seafood. If I were you I would double the recipe just to make sure you have leftovers for other recipes. Don’t tell me I did not warn you…
Bring on the Lemons
Lemons have really stole the show in the recipe and are used in everything from the cooking of the vegan chickpea lemon rice to the parsley lemon pesto and even to a fresh squeeze of lemon juice right before they are served. Fresh lemons really lightens up this dish and makes you feel like spring has finally really arrived.
I had full intension of just grilling my shrimp on the BBQ but then mother nature decided to crank up the humidity to 100%. I opted instead to just use my iron skillet with a little olive oil and garlic and it was a delightful and easy way to prepare the shrimp in a flash.
Meal Planning
If you make your ingredients in advance of your guests arrival, this would be one very fun idea for a casual gathering. Make your Parsley lemon pesto sauce and place in the refrigerator. Cook your vegan chickpea lemon rice. Wash and prepare your lettuce wraps and your lemon cheeks. Then all you need to do is cook your shrimp which takes less than 5 minutes and toss with the pesto lemon pesto, reheat your rice and enjoy.
Dietary Exchanges
If you are diabetic or watching carbs in your diet just leave out the vegan chickpea lemon rice and make the lettuce wraps with the delicious parsley lemon pesto shrimp and you are good to go. If you have a seafood allergy, then try with chicken or white fish.
In keeping with the budget friendly meal, I used regular old iceberg lettuce as they were 6 HKD a piece here at the local park n shop. However, you can use romaine, butter lettuce, radiccio or any lettuces you like.
I know some real shrimp lovers out there. You know who you are!!! This recipe is for you!
More Favorite shrimp recipes
Shrimp Boats with Pickled Radish
Gluten Free Thai Shrimp Pancakes
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Parsley Lemon Pesto Shrimp Wraps
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegan chickpea lemon rice
cooked and prepared
Parsley Lemon Pesto
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup parsley
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or more as needed to help get the food processor moving)
- 1/4 cup onion
- 2 cloves garlic
peeled - salt and pepper
to taste
Sautéed Garlic Shrimp
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
peeled and minced - 1 pound shrimp
peeled and deveined - salt and pepper
to taste - 1/4 cup red bell pepper
garnish - optional - 8 ice burg lettuce leaves washed and dried
Instructions
- Make your Vegan Chickpea Lemon Rice and set aside.
- Make your Parsley Lemon Pesto: In your food processor add lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- In a medium frying pan, add olive oil, garlic, shrimp and salt and pepper to taste and fry until pink and no longer translucent (about 3 minutes in an iron skillet). Add your chopped red bell pepper and stir fry. You could also grill your shrimp, if you like.
- Toss the shrimp and red peppers with the Parsley Lemon Pesto. Set aside.
- Create Parsley Lemon Pesto Shrimp Wraps: Place a dry and clean lettuce leaf on a plate and mound with a generous portion of Vegan Chickpea Lemon Rice and Parsley lemon shrimp and squeeze fresh lemon juice on top. Enjoy!
Can I come live wit yoooou… Pretty Please?! Holy yarm woman, these look phenom. I want this food in my life. I had a salt & vinegar cricket followed by some vegemite chocolate just now, pretty much destroyed the taste buds. A fresh and fabulous meal like this would return my mouth to normal. 🙂
This is a perfect summer meal for the two of us! I love adding lemon to shrimp and what you’ve done here steps it up quite a bit. Great idea to add the rice to the wrap, making it a well-rounded meal in a leaf of lettuce.
Could I be drooling anymore?! Um. NO!
Pesto sounds amazing with shrimp, why haven’t I thought of it before? Definitely going to try these!
Favorite meal of all time.
The colours are so alive in this dish. Everything looks so healthy, and the shrimp plump and juicy! Mmmm…A fun Sunday it is!
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
Your lemon pesto looks fantastic. I can make it with Meyer Lemons from my tree. The combinations of flavor in this dish are brilliant! Thank you
Looks so delicious! Yum yum yum 🙂
I love your blog, your recipes are fantastic!!
Bobbi, my favourite lettuce is iceberg for the crunch and I love using parsley in my cooking. Sadly my last planting was not a success.
OMG. This is waaaaay to tasty! I love it!
too* ( sorry, i was too excited by your shrimps 😛 )
Omg! I love, love, love lettuce wraps! And these look phenomenal! Everything in this dish, all of the flavors you have included are just perfect! Pinning for sure!
Light, savory, beautiful. What more could you need to feast?! Love it!
My mouth is watering at how delicious they look! This is classic party food, great recipe.
Thank you very much Nancy! I just love having easy gatherings where everyone can just help themselves. Wishing you a super weekend!
Perfect picnic food, pretty to look at and tasty of course.
This is my kind of dish! Healthy and delicious!!
I don’t think there was a dish in the 1970’s that wasn’t brought to the table without a parsley garnish! I do love how this dish has lots of texture and flavour – what a lovely combination xx
What a perfect spring meal. Lettuce wraps always steal the show!
Mmmm – love the flavours you have used here – unfortunately I don’t cook shrimp because we don’t get good ones here – but I can imagine the flavours:-)
Bobbi, I just harvested the first batch of basil from the garden, but this recipe is bookmarked for the next cutting. I enjoy a lemon spiked pesto, and the dish so beautifully photographed here will be served to the family soon.
I haven’t made nor eaten lettuce wraps in a long time! Your shrimp version looks spectacular!!!
What a creative way to cook shrimp! Looks so delicious 🙂
What a lovely picnic this would make! So colorful and delicious.
I am on a huge lemon kick – so I would so love these low carb wraps! That shrimp tossed with that parsley lemon pesto sounds pretty darn incredible!
What a pretty dish! Love the idea of a lemony pesto and the healthiness of the lettuce cups! Another great add to my Healthy Food board! 🙂
I really love the sound of that lemon pesto & this looks like a fun meal to make. The very simple ingredients are fantastic.
LOL, I know you love shrimp as much as I do, Bobbi! I’m just staring at these beautiful shrimp with that awesome pesto and it’s all I can do not to lick the screen. Your photos always make me feel like I’m right in the kitchen with you – gorgeous! You know I’m going to make this as soon as I can. Cliff just saw your post so it looks like I’m making them this weekend! Sharing all over 🙂 Gosh, I just love your recipes, girl!
Oh Bobbi, these shrimp wraps look so good…I almost wanted to reach in the computer screen to have a bite of it…light and tasty…beautiful photos!
Have a great week 🙂
Looks delicious, must try it. Beautiful photos.
What a scrumptious and healthy looking shrimp dish! I love that you don’t have to roll these up. I always make a mess. Scooping the shrimp right into a lettuce leaf is perfect!
We have loads of parsley growing in our garden — we’ve heavy users. 😉 So this is a dish for us. Really terrific recipe — totally love it. Tastes like spring to me!
After a brilliant couple of hours watching one of the beginning episodes of our new series of Masterchef I would not have thought myself capable of being enthusiastic about any further food tonight but both the pesto combined with the chickpea lemon rice [and the prawns] has me wanting to race into the kitchen at 10pm + and have a delicious midnight supper . . . well, perhaps I can wait till tomorrow . . .
Hello Eha, you are just too funny! Is Masterchef a new series in Australia? I am here in HK and am lucky to have the Asian Food Network and of course we have BBC.
No, this is the 7th year and it is very, very popular and, if I may say so, very good. Many of my foodie blogfriends in Europe watch it a year or two later and prefer it to that of their own countries. . And I better watch what I put down in blog comments ’cause you are the second today to tell me I’m supposedly ‘funny’ ! Well, ‘funny ha-ha!’ would be great, ‘funny peculiar!’ . . . oops I better watch out . . . . anyways I have just watched this evening’s Masterchef: an elimination round purely on fish and it surely got exciting . . . Have a great weekend Milady!!! [Try to see whether you can get MC Au . . . it’s on our Channel 10 – socalled tenplay.]
Hello Eha, I always miss out on all of the good tele programs here in HK. I will have to see if I can download that on HULU. However, I must admit that I do not watch too much TV. However, when I do, I just gravitate to all of the foodie shows, go figure! You are fun in a fun loving way and always a pleasure to receive your delightful comments as they make me smile. Have a super weekend dear!
You had me at succulent garlic shrimp…but that chickpea lemon rice just sounds perfect here! And the pesto! Swooning…I wouldn’t be able to stop eating.
What bundles of yumminess you have created. I want to make these for a picnic.
Oh this is so awesome, I had shrimps in my freezer and I just made pesto a few days back, all I need is to make the rice and I have a meal ready! Thank you so much for the awesome recipe!