These are not your average lettuce wraps! Pesto Shrimp Salad Wraps are super hearty almost like eating a main dish and a salad at the same time. Each is filled with lemon pesto shrimp, lemon pepper rice and nestled in a crisp lettuce wrap.
Build your own Lettuce Wraps
Pesto Shrimp Salad Wraps are super fun to make for any gathering. You can make everything in advance and just let everyone build their own lettuce wraps. This recipe gluten-free, low fat, egg-free and filled with fresh spring flavors.
Hearty and Delicious
You are just going to love these shrimp and rice 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. Yes, you guessed it! The lettuce wrap fillings are served slightly warm or at room temperature to nourish and Feed your Spleen.
These wraps are not wimpy by any means. They are very hearty from the protein packed lemon pepper 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 together, 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. It is most often used as a garnish only, but why is that? Parsley and lemon together make a delightful pesto. Parsley, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper makes a beautiful marriage when thrown together in the food processor. Have extra fresh basil? Try our easy traditional Ligurian pesto and try your hand at making homemade trofie pasta.
Have Extra Pesto?
I think this parsley lemon pesto would also be great on fish, pasta, grilled chicken, Chicken and Parsley Pesto Calzone, 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 lemon pepper 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.
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 lemon pepper 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 lemon pepper rice or try it with cauliflower rice instead. Do you have a seafood allergy, then try with chicken or white fish instead.
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, radicchio or any lettuces you like.
More Favorite Shrimp Recipes
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Pesto Shrimp Salad Wraps
Ingredients
- 4 cups lemon pepper rice cooked and prepared
Parsley Lemon Pesto
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or more as needed to help get the food processor moving)
- ¼ cup onion
- 2 cloves garlic
peeled - salt and pepper
to taste
Sautéed Garlic Shrimp
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
peeled and minced - 1 pound shrimp
peeled and deveined - salt and pepper
to taste - ¼ cup red bell pepper
garnish - optional - 8 ice burg lettuce leaves washed and dried
Instructions
- Make your Lemon Pepper 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.
- Assemble Pesto Shrimp Salad Wraps: Place a dry and clean lettuce leaf on a plate and mound with a generous portion of Lemon Pepper Rice and Parsley lemon shrimp and squeeze fresh lemon juice on top. Enjoy!
Brooks says
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.
thatskinnychickcanbake says
I haven't made nor eaten lettuce wraps in a long time! Your shrimp version looks spectacular!!!
Juliana says
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 🙂
saffronandhoney says
What a lovely picnic this would make! So colorful and delicious.
shashi at runninsrilankan says
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!
nancyc says
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! 🙂
dianeskitchentable says
I really love the sound of that lemon pesto & this looks like a fun meal to make. The very simple ingredients are fantastic.
Robyn says
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!
RubyDee says
Looks delicious, must try it. Beautiful photos.
The Foodie Affair says
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!
kitchenriffs says
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!
Eha says
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 . . .
Healthy World Cuisine says
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.
Eha says
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.]
Healthy World Cuisine says
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!
Monica says
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.
Maureen says
What bundles of yumminess you have created. I want to make these for a picnic.
Jasline @ Foodie Baker says
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!