These flavourful Asian-style shrimp lettuce wraps are an easy weeknight meal to add to your rotation. Quick pan-fried shrimp get a glossy honey-soy glaze (spice optional) with diced yellow pepper for color and extra veggies. Served in crisp butter lettuce cups, finished with fresh herbs and a bright squeeze of lime, this restaurant-quality dinner comes together in under 30 minutes and is loved by the whole family.
Lettuce wraps are an underrated weeknight winner: they’re fast, fun to assemble, and pack vegetables into every bite. These Asian-inspired shrimp lettuce wraps hit all those marks. Shrimp cooks in minutes and instantly elevates a simple dinner. The four-ingredient honey-soy sauce gives a perfect sweet-and-salty balance with a touch of tang from rice vinegar and an optional kick from chili flakes.
From a nutrition perspective, this dish is well balanced: lean protein from shrimp, fiber and crunch from the vegetables, and satisfying fats from peanuts and sesame oil to help keep you full. I often double the recipe—leftovers make a great lunch the next day or a simple topping for rice or salad.
Kitchen tip for the best sauce
Here’s a small trick that makes a big difference: don’t skip the cornstarch. I learned this from my dad—adding one tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a little water transforms the sauce into a glossy, clingy glaze that coats the shrimp instead of running off. If you try the recipe without it the sauce can be thin, so the cornstarch is worth keeping around for future quick sauces too.
How to make Thai-style shrimp lettuce wraps
Quick Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Honey-Soy Glaze
- Author: Lindsay Pleskot, RD
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Dish, Meal Prep
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Asian Inspired
- Diet: Pescatarian
Description
These flavourful Asian-inspired shrimp lettuce wraps are a fast, family-friendly weeknight meal. Pan-fried shrimp are tossed in a glossy honey-soy glaze with diced yellow pepper for color and texture. Serve in butter lettuce cups with cucumber, peanuts, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime for a bright, satisfying dish made in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Honey-Soy Sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1 ½ Tbsp rice vinegar, divided
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp water
- ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
Lettuce Wraps:
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced, divided
- 450 g large raw shrimp (about 1½ lb), peeled and deveined
- 1 yellow pepper, diced
- 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated and washed
- Optional: serve on a bed of cooked jasmine rice
Toppings:
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- ½ cup crushed salted roasted peanuts
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, cornstarch, water, and chili flakes if using. Set aside.
- Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Pat shrimp dry and arrange in a single layer in the skillet. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook 2–3 minutes without stirring until golden on the first side. Flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until opaque.
- Add diced yellow pepper and the prepared sauce to the pan. Toss to coat and cook 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens and the peppers are tender-crisp. Remove from heat.
- Double up lettuce leaves to form cups. Fill with the shrimp mixture, top with cucumber, peanuts, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately.
Notes
To make this a complete meal, serve the shrimp and toppings over jasmine rice in each lettuce cup.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.