Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Nuoc Cham, a light and refreshing lunch or appetizer, perfect for warm summer days. Flavorful, healthy and low in carbs and calories.
Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Nuoc Cham, a light and refreshing appetizer, perfect for hot summer days. Flavorful, healthy and low in carbs and calories. #shrimp #shrimpappetizer #lowcarb #shrimpwrap #lettucewrap
The summer we have wished for all winter long is finally here- with its all its heat and intensity. The last time I was this hot, we were in Vietnam, last spring, staying in a little town called Hoi An.  The heat literally melted our appetite away. I began to feel this way a few days ago and remembered how light and cooling Vietnamese dishes could be, so I recreated a salad we had there, into these shrimp lettuce wraps.
Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Nuoc Cham, a light and refreshing appetizer, perfect for hot summer days. Flavorful, healthy and low in carbs and calories. #shrimp #shrimpappetizer #lowcarb #shrimpwrap #lettucewrap

This recipe starts with fresh veggies and lots of fresh herbs. Butter lettuce seems to work the best as the wrap or cup. For each bunch of butter lettuce, plan on 12 good size leaves.

The Vietnamese wraps are loaded up with shredded veggies. Carrots, radishes, daikon, cabbage, cucumber or even beets- use what you have!
Avocado gives this a little more heartiness and is the only “fat” in the recipe. The flavorful dressing, Nuoc Cham, a traditional Vietnamese condiment, is completely free of oil. The result is a cooling and satisfying summer dish, which is healthy, low fat, and full of Vietnamese flavor.
In our catering business, we often serve variations of these on large platters as appetizers. It seems to be a big hit during the hot months.  Tonight, it serves as our dinner. The good thing is… it’s very easy and fast to prepare, and involves no stove or oven, keeping your house nice and cool.
Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Nuoc Cham, a light and refreshing appetizer, perfect for hot summer days. Flavorful, healthy and low in carbs and calories. #shrimp #shrimpappetizer #lowcarb #shrimpwrap #lettucewrap

Nuoc Cham, a Vietnamese dressing or condiment is easy to make and requires only a few ingredients. Lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, chili peppers, garlic and water. For those of you wrinkling your nose at fish sauce,  know this: When properly balanced, you don’t really taste it. Without it, the dish falls short.

Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Nuoc Cham, a light and refreshing appetizer, perfect for hot summer days. Flavorful, healthy and low in carbs and calories. #shrimp #shrimpappetizer #lowcarb #shrimpwrap #lettucewrap

In Vietnam, Nuoc Cham Dressing is a staple, like ketchup is here.  Variations of the basic recipe are used to flavor many dishes, and we most commonly know it as- the sauce that is served with fresh spring rolls.

Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Nuoc Cham, a light and refreshing appetizer, perfect for hot summer days. Flavorful, healthy and low in carbs and calories. #shrimp #shrimpappetizer #lowcarb #shrimpwrap #lettucewrap

The sauce is a delicate balance between sour, sweet, salty and spicy, bringing all the elements together in harmony.   If you have an aversion to fish sauce, my guess is …you had something where it was overpowering and not properly balanced. Try giving it another shot. Once you experience Nuoc Cham, in its balanced state, you will fall in love. And fish sauce, believe it or not, is really good for you too.

Once the dressing is made, the rest comes together very quickly. I can put this together in 10-15 minutes if I work fast.
Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Nuoc Cham, a light and refreshing appetizer, perfect for hot summer days. Flavorful, healthy and low in carbs and calories. #shrimp #shrimpappetizer #lowcarb #shrimpwrap #lettucewrap
Shrimp Lettuce wraps, Vietnamese Style!
xoxo
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Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Nuoc Cham, a light and refreshing appetizer, perfect for hot summer days. Flavorful, healthy and low in carbs and calories. #shrimp #shrimpappetizer #lowcarb #shrimpwrap #lettucewrap

Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 12 lettuce wraps 1x
  • Category: appetizer
  • Method: assemble
  • Cuisine: Vietnamese

Description

Vietnamese-style Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Nuoc Cham, a light and refreshing appetizer, perfect for hot summer days. Flavorful, healthy and low in carbs and calories.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 Head Butter Lettuce
  • 1 large avocado, sliced (optional)
  • 12 large prawns – cooked, peeled with tails off ( if they are very small, double the amout and do two prawns per wrap)
  • 3 cups shredded or sliced veggies: carrots, radishes, daikon, cabbage, cucumber etc.
  • 1/2 cup chopped mixed herbs ( mint, basil, cilantro)
  • 2 scallions diced
  • kosher salt

Nuoc Cham Dressing ( make one batch)


Instructions

Make Nuoc Cham. Stir sugar into lime juice, then add the rest of the ingredients. Garnish with a few herbs and a couple of slices of fresh chili. See post.

Assemble wraps. Arrange butter lettuce leaves on a platter. Distribute prawns on each leaf. Add a slice of avocado and divide the veggies among each leaf. Sprinkle liberally with fresh herbs and scallions and a light sprinkling of kosher salt.

Serve immediately with Nuoc Cham.



Nutrition

  • Calories: 95

 

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Comments

  1. Another home run! I steamed shrimp in the pressure cooker – who knew they would be so tasty?! – and the dish came together in no time. First time we’ve tried Nuoc Cham and it made all the difference. I didn’t have fresh chiles so used red pepper flakes and the sauce had a nice heat. Used Red Boat fish sauce. A big plus for this dish is that most of it can be made in advance.






  2. Perfect summer meal. I used Red Boat fish sauce and about 6 thai chiles of different colors. Bet it’ll be even better tomorrow.






  3. Was alittle sceptical but these were the hit of the party. So refreshing and light but amzing flaovrs. Will make again.






  4. This looks a truly delicious recipe. I adore Vietnamese food – I was in Vietnam recently so managed to pick up a number of new recipes when I was there (a few are on my blog ;o). Yours looks lovely though so I will definitely make it at home. Great photos by the way! Best Torie

  5. This looks very fresh and wonderful, I do like the sound of the sauce to go with it. A little sweet, hot and sour!

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