Cashew shrimp is always a favorite takeout meal, but it's super simple (and healthier!) to make at home. Cook up a batch and serve as lettuce wraps for a light meal or appetizers. 169 calories and 3 Weight Watchers SP
Cashew Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Cashew shrimp lettuce wraps have all of the flavor of your favorite takeout, but with a fraction of the fat, sodium and sugar. I usually find myself cycling my favorite shrimp recipes when dinnertime rolls around because they're always quick to prepare. According to my family, these lettuce wrap earned a permanent place in the dinner rotation!
In this recipe, I added zucchini and red bell pepper for an extra dose of veggies. Broccoli, snow peas, mushrooms and carrots are also good options. Use whatever is available in your fridge! For extra crunch, add some diced water chestnuts, which are sold in a can and available in the international aisle of most grocery stores.
What is the best lettuce for lettuce wraps?
- The most common greens used for lettuce wraps are iceberg, butter, Boston bibb and romaine lettuces.
- While iceberg lettuce is one of the most popular options because of its availability, affordability and wonderful crunch, I find that it can be a bit difficult to roll.
- Butter lettuce is my favorite option because it's so easy to roll and has a pleasing buttery texture. Boston bibb lettuce is a type of butter lettuce and can be found in most grocery stores.
Tips for making cashew shrimp:
- The nuttiness of raw cashews is intensified when toasted, and a quick turn in a dry skillet is the easiest way to lightly toast the nuts. If you've ever toasted cashews, pine nuts or any other types of nuts, you know how quickly they can turn from golden brown to scorched. Stir often and keep a close eye on them!
- If you've tried any of my shrimp recipes, you know that I'm going to warn you about overcooking shrimp. They cook quickly and can turn rubbery when left in the skillet too long. For large shrimp like I used in this recipe, it only takes about 1 minute per side when cook over medium-high heat.
- To sear the shrimp rather than steaming it, as tends to happen when the pan is crowded, cook the shrimp in two separate batches. When adding the shrimp back to the stir fried veggies, use a slotted spoon to avoid including the accumulated juices.
- The bell pepper and zucchini are cut into small pieces, so don't take long to cook. I don't know about you, but I'm not a big fan of overcooked zucchini! Stir fry the veggies for 2 to 3 minutes until they are slightly undercooked, then finish them off in the sauce.
- One of the sauce ingredients is cornstarch, which helps to thicken the sauce as it bubbles away in the pan. This should take no more than two minutes! The longer the sauce cooks, the more it will reduce, intensifying the salty flavor.
Other healthy shrimp recipes:
Shrimp Corn Tomato Salad {Cookin' Canuck}
Grilled Moroccan Shrimp Potato Salad {Cookin' Canuck}
Healthy Skinny Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles {Foolproof Living}
Shrimp & Asparagus Stir Fry with Lemon Sauce {Home Cooking Memories}
Printable Recipe
Cashew Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
The lettuce wraps:
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
- â…› teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup diced zucchini (½-inch pieces)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 14 butter lettuce leaves
The sauce:
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon agave nectar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
The lettuce wraps:
- Lightly toast the cashews in a medium-sized skillet set over medium heat. Stir often to stop the cashews from burning.
- In a bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon canola oil, â…› teaspoon pepper and the salt.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Take care not to overcook the shrimp. Transfer the shrimp to a plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- Carefully wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and return to the heat.
- Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in the skillet and add the white and light green portions of the green onions, bell pepper and zucchini. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are just barely tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the sauce and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the shrimp (drain out the accumulated liquid first), cashews and dark green portions of the green onions.
- Serve the shrimp mixture with the butter lettuce leaves, using about ¼ cup of the shrimp per lettuce wrap.
The sauce:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, cornstarch, agave nectar and sesame oil.
Notes
Nutrition
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Rocky Mountain Woman
Love all the fresh veggies! Perfect for these hot days.