Shrimp salad cups are a fun low-carb appetizer where tasty shrimp salad is eaten in a cup of cabbage or lettuce. And this recipe is inspired by the shrimp and macaroni salad I always make for the Denny family’s Super Bowl party!
PIN the shrimp salad cup recipe to try later!
Shrimp salad cups are a nice recipe where tasty shrimp salad is served as an appetizer in a cup of cabbage or lettuce. And the shrimp salad part of the recipe is inspired by a salad that is the most requested recipe for the Super Bowl menu in my extended family!
The famous shrimp and macaroni salad that I have been making for over 30 years is always a crowd pleaser. And now I make it with Fiber Gourmet Light Elbows for a more carb-conscious version. But if you want to keep it low carb, these Shrimp Salad Cups are a fun way to enjoy the flavors of shrimp salad!
Serve the tasty shrimp salad in low-carb cups of lettuce or cabbage, whichever you prefer. And if you’re wondering what cabbage is, just think about how cabbage with mayonnaise is so delicious on fish tacos! However you make them, Shrimp Salad Cups are a fun appetizer that will be a big hit with shrimp fans. I hope you try them soon!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is just a list of ingredients; scroll down for the full printable recipe. Or if you want the GO TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, which will take you directly to the full recipe with ingredient quantities.)
- frozen cooked shrimp, thawed overnight in the refrigerator
- celery
- green onion
- green cabbage or large leaves of lettuce
- mayo
- freshly squeezed lemon juice, I used my fresh frozen lemon juice
- Celery seed (affiliate link)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
A tip for success with the Shrimp Salad Cups:
What makes my famous shrimp and macaroni salad so delicious is the way I collect the ‘juice’ from the thawed shrimp and then simmer it into a very flavorful, shrimp-flavored liquid. That same tip will make a huge difference in the taste of these shrimp salad wraps, so Please do not skip this step!
How low in carbs are the Shrimp Salad Cups?
The tasty bites made with shrimp salad eaten in cabbage leaves or pieces of romaine lettuce contain only 4 net carbs each with 13 grams of protein.
To make shrimp salad cups:
(This is just a summary of the steps for the recipe; scroll down for the full printable recipe. Or if you want the GO TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, which will take you directly to the full recipe.)
- Thaw shrimp in the refrigerator overnight; then let it drain and collect the ‘juice’.
- Simmer the collected shrimp juice until it is reduced and the flavor is concentrated.
- Pull the tails off the shrimp. (I only had 3/4 pound of shrimp, but I wish I had more, so I make the recipe for one pound.)
- I used Kitchen scissors (affiliate link) to cut the shrimp into small pieces.
- Finely chop a cup of celery and chop about half a cup of green onion.
- Mix the mayonnaise, concentrated shrimp juice, lemon juice and the Celery seed (affiliate link) to make the dressing.
- The hardest part about making this was cutting out the core from the cabbage. Use a small, very fresh head of cabbage for the best flavor.
- Gently pull off whole cabbage (or lettuce) leaves to make cups.
- Mix the dressing with the shrimp, celery and green onion and fill each cabbage bowl with a scoop of the mixture.
- Serve Shrimp Salad Cups immediately and enjoy!
More low-carb shrimp appetizers!
Ingredients
Ingredients:
1 pound frozen cooked shrimp, thawed overnight in the refrigerator (see notes)
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup thinly sliced ​​green onion
1 small head cabbage (see notes)
Dressing ingredients:
May 5
1 T concentrated shrimp juice
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon. celery seed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator overnight or longer.
- Drain the shrimp in a colander placed over a bowl to catch the shrimp juice.
- Place the juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until reduced by at least half to concentrate the shrimp flavor.
- While the shrimp liquid is simmering, cut the shrimp into small pieces, chop the celery, and thinly slice the green onion.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the core from the cabbage and carefully pull off whole cabbage leaves to make heads.
- When the shrimp liquid has reduced, turn off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Then mix the mayonnaise, light mayonnaise, shrimp juice, lemon juice, celery seed, salt and pepper.
- Place the shrimp, celery and green onion in a bowl and mix with the dressing. (You may not need all the dressing; use the amount you prefer.)
- Fill cabbage or lettuce cups with a generous scoop of the shrimp mixture and serve immediately.
- The shrimp mixture will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two if you don’t eat it all in one meal.
Comments
The Shrimp Salad Cups can be made with cabbage or lettuce, depending on your preference. The nutritional information is based on one cup made with cabbage.
This recipe made by Kalyn.
Nutritional information
Yield
8
Portion size
1
Quantity per serving
Calories 137Total fat 7gSaturated fat 1gTrans fat 0 gramsUnsaturated fat 6gCholesterol 95 mgSodium 150mgCarbohydrates 7gFiber 3gSugar 4gEgg white 13g
Nutritional information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I use. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy as many variables influence these calculations.
Suggestions for a low-carb diet / low-glycemic diet / South Beach diet:
These tasty Shrimp Salad Cups are great for low-carb or Keto diets, as shrimp, celery, and cabbage or lettuce are all great low-carb foods. This recipe might also work for the Original South Beach Diet, which prefers reduced-fat mayonnaise.
Find more recipes like this:
Use Appetizers to find more low-carb snacks like these. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTokor on YouTube to see all the good recipes I share there.
Historical notes on this recipe:
These cabbage or lettuce cups filled with shrimp salad were first posted in 2013. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2026.
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