Lemon Basil Shrimp Salad Cups (Print Version)
Protein-packed shrimp and cottage cheese in crisp lettuce cups with lemon, basil and fresh vegetables.
# List of Ingredients:
→ Seafood
01 - 10 oz medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
→ Dairy
02 - 7 oz cottage cheese
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 small cucumber, diced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
05 - 4 green onions, thinly sliced
06 - 8 large butter lettuce leaves (or romaine hearts)
→ Fresh Herbs & Citrus
07 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
08 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
→ Pantry & Condiments
09 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - ½ tsp sea salt
11 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
# Step-by-step Instructions:
01 - Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for 2–3 minutes until pink and opaque. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water to halt cooking. Pat dry with paper towels and roughly chop if desired.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, green onions, and chopped basil.
03 - Add the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Gently fold everything together until well combined.
04 - Add the cooked shrimp to the bowl and fold gently until evenly distributed throughout the salad. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Arrange the butter lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Spoon the shrimp salad evenly into each cup.
06 - Garnish with additional fresh basil or lemon wedges if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cottage cheese turns into something unexpectedly luxurious when it mingles with lemon juice and olive oil, creating a creamy dressing without any mayonnaise.
- It comes together in the time it takes to boil water and cook shrimp, which means less than half an hour from fridge to plate.
02 -
- Wet shrimp will dilute the dressing and make the lettuce cups soggy, so patting them dry after rinsing is non negotiable.
- Making the salad ahead is fine but assembling the lettuce cups should happen at the last minute because the leaves wilt within thirty minutes of contact with the dressing.
03 -
- Grate the lemon zest directly into the bowl using a microplane so the fragrant oils spray straight into the mixture rather than landing on your cutting board.
- Let the assembled salad sit in the refrigerator for ten minutes before serving because the flavors meld and the cottage cheese absorbs the lemon juice in a way that makes it taste richer.