Name: Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 300g / 10 oz peeled whole cooked prawns/shrimp (medium size, about 600g/1.2lb unpeeled whole prawns); 75g / 2.5 oz dried vermicelli noodles (or glass noodles or rice noodles); 12 large or 16-20 small lettuce leaves (baby cos/romaine recommended, or iceberg, butter lettuce); 2 cups beansprouts; 2 cucumbers, julienned; 2 cups mint leaves; 2 cups coriander/cilantro sprigs (or substitute chives plus extra mint); 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped; 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 mm / 1/10″ batons; 1/2 large white radish (daikon), peeled and cut into 2 mm batons; 1 1/2 cups boiling water; 1/2 cup white sugar; 4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt; 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar (can substitute apple cider vinegar); 2 tbsp natural smooth peanut butter (unsweetened); 2 tbsp hoisin sauce; 1-2 tbsp lime juice (or substitute rice vinegar); 1/3 cup low fat coconut milk; 1 large garlic clove, finely grated; 1 tsp+ sambal oelek (or other chili sauce/paste, optional and adjust to taste); 1 tsp dark soy sauce; 1 tsp white sugar; 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt; 3 birds eye red chili, finely sliced (optional)

Description

These Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Lettuce Wraps offer a fresh and vibrant combination of prawns, vermicelli noodles, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and a rich, creamy peanut sauce. Perfect for a light meal or appetizer, the wraps balance savory, tangy, and slightly sweet flavors with a touch of heat for an exciting, healthy dish.

Ingredients

Scale

Protein and Noodles

300g / 10 oz peeled whole cooked prawns/shrimp (medium size, about 600g/1.2lb unpeeled whole prawns)
75g / 2.5 oz dried vermicelli noodles (or glass noodles or rice noodles)

Vegetables and Herbs

12 large or 16-20 small lettuce leaves (baby cos/romaine recommended, or iceberg, butter lettuce)
2 cups beansprouts
2 cucumbers, julienned
2 cups mint leaves
2 cups coriander/cilantro sprigs (or substitute chives plus extra mint)
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped

Quick Pickled Carrots and Daikon

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 mm / 1/10″ batons
1/2 large white radish (daikon), peeled and cut into 2 mm batons
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup white sugar
4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar (can substitute apple cider vinegar)

Peanut Sauce

2 tbsp natural smooth peanut butter (unsweetened)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1–2 tbsp lime juice (or substitute rice vinegar)
1/3 cup low fat coconut milk
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp+ sambal oelek (or other chili sauce/paste, optional and adjust to taste)
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Additional Garnish

3 birds eye red chili, finely sliced (optional)

Instructions

Prepare Quick Pickled Carrots and Daikon: In a bowl, combine boiling water, salt, and sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add rice wine vinegar and submerge the peeled, julienned carrots and daikon. Let them pickle for at least 2 hours, then drain before using or store in the refrigerator submerged in the pickling liquid.
Make Peanut Sauce: In a separate bowl, mix natural peanut butter, hoisin sauce, lime juice, low fat coconut milk, grated garlic, sambal oelek, dark soy sauce, white sugar, and salt. Stir well and set aside to allow flavors to meld while preparing the remaining ingredients. Start with 1 tablespoon lime juice and add more if desired for a tarter flavor.
Prepare Prawns: Slice the cooked prawns horizontally in half and remove the vein for a clean presentation and better texture.
Prepare Vermicelli Noodles: Soak the dried vermicelli noodles in boiling water according to package instructions until softened. Rinse under cold water immediately after soaking to prevent sticking, then drain thoroughly.
Assemble the Platter: Arrange all components — lettuce leaves, noodles, pickled vegetables, fresh vegetables, herbs, prawns, chili slices, and roasted peanuts — on a large serving platter or in individual bowls to allow guests to assemble their own wraps.
Assemble Lettuce Wraps: To assemble, place a lettuce leaf as the base, add a layer of noodles, then top with pickled carrots, daikon, beansprouts, julienned cucumber, and prawns. Stuff fresh herbs such as mint and coriander down the side, drizzle generously with peanut sauce, and sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts and chili slices if using. Fold the lettuce around the fillings to create a bundle and enjoy immediately.

Notes

Using medium-sized cooked prawns makes preparation easier and quicker; you can use unpeeled prawns and peel them yourself.
Choose natural, unsweetened peanut butter for the peanut sauce to avoid overly sweet flavors and maintain an authentic taste.
Low fat coconut milk is used to keep the sauce creamy but light; full-fat coconut milk could make the sauce richer but also higher in calories.
Dark soy sauce adds depth and color to the peanut sauce; if unavailable, regular soy sauce can be used but the flavor will be lighter.
If you prefer a milder dish, omit or reduce the sambal oelek and red chili slices.
The pickle can be made up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated to save preparation time.
This dish is best served fresh to keep the lettuce crisp and the noodles from becoming soggy.

Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 2 hours pickling time)
Cook Time: 0 minutes (using cooked prawns and soaking noodles)
Category: Appetizer
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keywords: Vietnamese lettuce wraps, peanut sauce, shrimp wraps, low-fat appetizer, fresh herbs, vermicelli noodles, quick pickled vegetables