Cottage Cheese Basil Shrimp Cups (Printable)
Protein-packed shrimp with cottage cheese, basil and lime spooned into crisp lettuce cups for a bright, low-carb bite.
# List of ingredients:
→ Shrimp
01 - 8 oz medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Salad Base
05 - 1 cup cottage cheese
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
08 - Zest and juice of 1 lime
09 - 1/2 small cucumber, finely diced
10 - 1/2 small red bell pepper, finely diced
11 - 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Assembly
13 - 8 leaves butter lettuce or little gem lettuce
14 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish
15 - Lime wedges for serving
# Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, then sauté for 2 to 3 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly, then chop into bite-size pieces.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, chopped basil, chives, lime zest, lime juice, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, and chili flakes if using. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper to taste.
03 - Gently fold the chopped shrimp into the cottage cheese mixture until evenly distributed throughout.
04 - Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Spoon the shrimp and cottage cheese salad evenly into each lettuce cup.
05 - Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately with lime wedges alongside.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Cottage cheese sounds unusual in a shrimp salad, but it creates the creamiest texture without needing mayonnaise.
- These cups come together in under thirty minutes, which makes them perfect for unexpected guests or a quick afternoon snack.
02 -
- Wet shrimp will splatter oil everywhere, so take the extra thirty seconds to dry them with paper towels before they hit the pan.
- Overcooking shrimp past that gentle C curl turns them rubbery, so pull the skillet off heat a few seconds before you think they are done.
03 -
- Let the filling sit in the fridge for ten minutes before assembling so the lime juice has time to marry with the cottage cheese and herbs.
- A squeeze of lime directly into each cup right before eating wakes up every flavor at once.