These shrimp summer rolls combine citrus shrimp wrapped up with avocado, carrots, cucumbers, fresh herbs, and crunchy butter lettuce. Eat plain or dip in our semi-homemade ponzu sesame dipping sauce!
Recently I’ve been craving recipes that are bright, light, and don’t require a lot of work. It’s just too hot to be messing around and wasting hours putting together a meal.
That’s why these shrimp summer rolls are PERFECT for hot summer days!
They combine a quickly cooked citrus shrimp wrapped up in rice paper with butter lettuce, avocado, carrots, and crunchy cucumber.
So fresh and tasty for summer!
I paired these simple-to-make summer rolls with a semi-homemade ponzu sesame dipping sauce.
This sauce is LOADED with flavor and the perfect pairing for these shrimp summer rolls.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for shrimp summer rolls
- Shrimp – I used deveined and peeled shrimp for this recipe. I like to use medium-small sized shrimp as they fit into the wrapper perfectly.
- Olive oil – I used a touch of olive oil to help cook the shrimp to give them a slightly crisp exterior.
- Lime juice – I love the hint of citrus in the shrimp as it brings a brightness to the recipe.
- Rice paper – This is what we use to wrap our summer rolls. You can find them in the international aisle of the grocery store or online.
- Butter lettuce – This type of lettuce is softer and sweeter than regular romaine so it wraps better in the thin rice paper. If you can find butter lettuce, baby greens, or spring mix will work too.
- Vegetables – I’m using carrots, cucumber, avocado, and green onion as my fillings but you can use anything you like – radish, mango, and rice noodles are also common additions to summer rolls. Feel free to mix and match to create your perfect roll!
- Fresh herbs – Fresh herbs add a bright earthiness to the summer rolls. Thai basil is my favorite but it can be difficult to find so parsley and mint can be used as well.
- Sesame ponzu sauce – I made this sauce out of a mix of store-bought ponzu sauce, sweet chili sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. It’s an umami bomb with sesame and citrus flavors perfect for dipping!
Using pre-cooked shrimp
I used fresh shrimp for this dish that I quickly cooked in olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lime.
However, if you want to make this dish 100% no-cook you can easily use pre-cooked shrimp!
You’ll want to remove any tails and shells from the cocktail shrimp and for added flavor, you can toss it in a small amount of lime juice.
Both options are equally delicious but I do prefer the freshly cooked route because I feel like the shrimp just tastes a bit fresher and I can be sure it won’t be overcooked.
Other protein options
Shrimp might be one of my favorite proteins but that doesn’t mean it’s everyone’s favorite!
If you’re looking for a few other delicious options here are some great choices:
- Cooked fresh lobster – I don’t typically have fresh lobster on hand but if I did I know it would taste great in these rolls!
- Imitation crab – I actually really love imitation crab and lucky for me it goes great in these summer rolls. It’s also budget-friendly!
- Fresh pulled crab – If you have fresh crab on hand stuffing it into a summer roll is delicious! It’s also great in my Air Fryer Crab Cakes!
- Marinated tofu – Looking to keep things vegan friendly? Any of your favorite stores or home-marinated tofu will work well here.
Storage and leftovers of shrimp summer rolls
A dish like this is best served and eaten the day it is made.
Stored rolls can get soggy, the avocado will start to brown, and the vegetables will lose their crunch.
I like to only make as many rolls as I can consume in one meal.
More shrimp recipes
- Want a fast and easy recipe? Try my Spicy Shrimp Egg Roll Skillet.
- Ready to grill? Try my Chimichurri Grilled Shrimp Skewers.
- Craving a little heat? Try my Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo.
- Looking for semi-homemade and fast? Try my Asian Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich.
Shrimp Summer Rolls
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 1/2 pound medium shrimp peeled, deveined, and tails removed (about 15 shrimp)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Summer Rolls
- 5 sheets rice paper
- 5 pieces butter lettuce
- 2 large carrots cut into matchsticks
- 1 persian cucumber cut into spears
- 1 avocado sliced
- 2 green onions cut into 1” pieces
- 10 fresh herb leaves parsley, thai basil, or mint
For the Sauce
- 1/3 cup ponzu sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
For the Shrimp
- Add the shrimp, two tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, and kosher salt to a large bowl and toss to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Once marinated, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add the shrimp, making sure to put them all in a single layer.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or just until the shrimp are opaque pink and c-shaped.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
For the Summer Rolls
- Fill a large shallow bowl with hot water.
- Dip one sheet of rice paper in the hot water for 5 seconds, or just until it begins to soften. Then, place it on a clean surface.
- Place 3 shrimp in the center of the rice paper. Add a piece of butter lettuce, a few sticks of carrot, a piece of cucumber, a slice of avocado, a few green onions, and two herb leaves on top.
- Roll the summer rolls the same way you would a burrito – by folding the bottom over the toppings, folding the sides in, and then rolling upward to seal.
- Repeat steps 2-4 with the remaining ingredients.
- Serve the rolls with the sauce (below) and enjoy immediately.
- I do not recommend storing summer rolls for later as they will become soggy.
For the Sauce
- Stir together the ponzu, sweet chili sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.
- Set aside until ready to serve.
Nutrition
