Cottage Cheese Herb Lemon Shrimp (Printable)
Protein-packed shrimp salad with herbed cottage cheese served in crisp lettuce cups
# List of ingredients:
→ Shrimp
01 - 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
05 - Zest of 1 lemon
06 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
→ Salad
07 - 1 cup cottage cheese, small curd preferred
08 - 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
09 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely sliced
10 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 1 small cucumber, diced
12 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
13 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
14 - 1/4 tsp chili flakes, optional
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For Serving
16 - 8 large butter lettuce leaves (or little gem or Boston lettuce)
17 - Extra lemon wedges, for garnish
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss shrimp with olive oil, salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 6 to 8 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Let cool slightly, then coarsely chop.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, dill, chives, parsley, cucumber, red onion, garlic powder, and chili flakes if using. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Fold the chopped shrimp into the cottage cheese mixture until evenly distributed.
05 - Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Spoon the shrimp and cottage cheese mixture into each leaf, dividing evenly to form 8 salad cups.
06 - Garnish with extra fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cottage cheese quietly doubles the protein without making anything feel heavy, which is a trick most people never expect.
- Everything comes together in under thirty minutes, leaving you more time to actually enjoy whoever is sitting at your table.
02 -
- Overcooking the shrimp even by one minute turns them rubbery, so pull them from the oven the second they are fully pink.
- Wet lettuce leaves will make the cups slide right off the platter, so pat them completely dry before assembling.
03 -
- A tiny splash of hot sauce folded into the salad at the end adds a complexity that most guests will notice but never quite identify.
- Pressing the diced cucumber between paper towels before mixing it in prevents the salad from becoming watery after it sits.