This keto shrimp recipe is great on warm summer nights for a light dinner and is tasty both hot and cold! I have loved shrimp since I was a little girl. I very distinctly remember my mom going to our local seafood market in Connecticut – where she went weekly to pick up fresh fish – and the owner would always give me a perfectly cooked jumbo shrimp every time we went in. I’m pretty sure that’s where my love of shrimp cocktail and basically all shrimp recipes came from.
So, of course, I have lots of keto shrimp recipes on here and have perfected my own cocktail sauce – without the sugar that most store-bought cocktail sauces are laden with – for when I serve shrimp cocktail as a starter?usually alongside a charcuterie board for my family and friends.
This tasty shrimp recipe is perfect for lunch or a light dinner – the jalapeño-cilantro crema adds tons of flavor and metabolism-boosting power, however if you’re sensitive to spices, you can omit it — the cilantro alone is delicious in it and is the perfect compliment to the shrimp and lettuce.
You can also make this with any fish you like – I sometimes substitute flounder or cod.

Shrimp in Lettuce Cups with Jalapeño-Cilantro Crema
Ingredients
FOR THE CREMA
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 jalapeños halved and seeds removed if you want it to be mild
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 lime juice
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- pinch of pink salt
FOR THE SHRIMP IN LETTUCE CUPS
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 pound large shrimp tails and shells removed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 shallot minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 - 10 romaine leaves with the heart.
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, combine all the crema ingredients until smooth and set aside. You can prepare this in advance and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- In a medium skillet, heat up the avocado oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic and shallots and cook until translucent. Don't let them brown or get crispy.
- Add the shrimp, cumin, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium.
- Sautè until shrimp is cooked through and pink.
- Arrange lettuce on plates and top with 3 - 4 pieces of shrimp.
- Drizzle with crema.