Description
Lettuce Wrap Summer Rolls are a fresh, light, and vibrant appetizer perfect for warm weather. These no-cook rolls combine crisp butter lettuce with a colorful mix of vegetables, herbs, and your choice of protein like shrimp or tofu, wrapped together and served with a flavorful dipping sauce such as peanut or hoisin-lime. They are quick to assemble, naturally gluten-free, and easily adaptable for vegan or pescatarian diets.
Ingredients
Scale
Lettuce Wrap Base
- 8 large butter lettuce leaves
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 cup cooked rice noodles (optional)
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup fresh basil or cilantro leaves
Protein
- 1 cup cooked shrimp or tofu, sliced
Additional Toppings & Sauces
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts (optional)
- Dipping sauce of choice (such as peanut sauce or hoisin-lime)
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Wash and dry the butter lettuce leaves carefully, shred the carrots, slice the cucumber into thin matchsticks, thinly slice the red bell pepper, slice the avocado, and prepare the herbs by rinsing and drying the mint and basil or cilantro. Cook the rice noodles if using and set aside. Cook and slice the shrimp or tofu as needed.
- Lay out the lettuce leaf. Place a large butter lettuce leaf flat on a clean surface, making sure it is wide enough to hold the fillings and fold easily.
- Add fillings. If using rice noodles, place a small amount in the center of the lettuce leaf. Then layer a few pieces of shredded carrots, cucumber, bell pepper, avocado, and shrimp or tofu.
- Add herbs. Top the veggies and protein with a few fresh mint and basil or cilantro leaves for a burst of flavor.
- Roll the wrap. Fold the sides of the lettuce leaf inward to encase the fillings, then roll tightly from the bottom upward to form a compact wrap.
- Repeat and serve. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients to make 8 rolls total. Serve immediately with your preferred dipping sauce such as peanut or hoisin-lime for dipping.
Notes
- Assemble the rolls just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp and fresh.
- Feel free to swap ingredients according to seasonal availability or personal preference.
- For a vegan option, use tofu or another plant-based protein and select a vegan dipping sauce.
- You can omit the rice noodles if you prefer a lower-carb option.
- Chopped peanuts add a nice crunch but can be omitted to make the recipe nut-free.
