You guys are going to LOVE these Thai-inspired shrimp wraps, I just know it! They’re Paleo-friendly, a breeze to whip up, keep well for a make-ahead lunch option, and are packed with colorful, affordable, in-season vegetables!
This is the third installment of our Summer CSA/farmer’s market recipe series! In this recipe, I’m taking advantage of the abundant Swiss chard and cucumbers that are showing up all over my local farmer’s market. Some added crunch comes from the purple cabbage, carrots, and fresh cilantro. A few boiled shrimp are rolled into the lightly steamed chard leaf and then it’s ready for dipping! This sauce is one of my most favorite dipping sauces on earth. Note that while I used peanut butter (I tolerate it well), you can ABSOLUTELY substitute 1:1 with almond butter. Speaking of the dipping sauce, don’t be intimidated by (and definitely don’t skip) the fish sauce. It may be a unique (read: odorous) new ingredient for some of you, but it adds a certain umami to the sauce that can’t be replicated with any other ingredient! You’re going to love it. Trust me on this.
The inspiration for this recipe comes from my quiet obsession for shrimp spring rolls. I CAN’T GET ENOUGH of them! I love the shrimp, the crunchy vegetables, the rice noodles (which you could totally add to this recipe), and (most of all) the peanut dipping sauce. Believe it or not, but my favorite grocery store sells KILLER spring rolls. On big grocery shopping days, I’ll snag a package of them and enjoy (usually for lunch) while I unpack and organize my groceries. It’s one of those little weekly rituals I’ve just come to love!
While I do love my store-bought, rice paper-wrapped spring rolls, THESE are better. So much better! I know that all the ingredients are healthy and I love that the lightly steamed (and therefore more “rice paper like”) chard leaves add an extra dose of healthy nutrients to one of my favorite foods.
Remember to check out Lexi and Juli’s websites today as well for their Summer CSA recipe editions! Lexi cooked up this amazing looking Thai Curry Soup and Juli whipped up some incredible Easy Shrimp Skewers with Chard Cilantro Pesto. Enjoy!
Thai Chard Shrimp Wraps with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Swiss chard about 8 leaves
- 1 pound medium-sized shrimp peeled and deveined
- 3 carrots peeled and cut into matchstick pieces
- 1/2 cucumber cut into matchstick pieces
- 1/4 purple cabbage finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
For the peanut sauce::
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut or almond butter
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- To prepare the Swiss chard, steam the leaves for 5 minutes over a pot of simmering water (using a steamer basket) or in a microwave-safe bowl. While the chard cooks, prepare an ice bath with 2 cups ice and 2 cups cool water. Once cooked, submerge the chard in the ice bath for 3 minutes. Place the cooled chard on paper towels and blot dry.
- For the shrimp, bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Once boiling, add the shrimp and cook (even though it may not boil) for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and completely opaque. Add the shrimp to the ice bath to cool and then blot dry on paper towels.
- For the peanut sauce, whisk the nut butter, aminos, vinegar, sesame oil, and fish sauce together until smooth. Garnish with the sesame seeds.
- To assemble, cut the larger chard leaves in half cross-wise and use the smaller leaves as-is. Place an even amount of carrots, cucumber, cabbage, and cilantro on each leaf. Add 3 to 4 shrimp on top and carefully roll the leaf up, securing with a toothpick if needed.
- Serve with the peanut dipping sauce and enjoy!
These look so good! I’m actually growing Swiss chard in my garden this year, and I have so much! This is a perfect and creative new way to use it! Thanks!
Awesome! I hope you love it!