Bright, crunchy cabbage leaves filled with spicy seared shrimp, creamy avocado-yogurt crema, and a tangy radish-onion slaw. Light, hand-held cups with fresh citrus and herb accents.
Crisp Cabbage Cups with Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Crema
Bright cabbage leaves act as crunchy, low‑carb cups for smoky, chili‑spiced shrimp, a silky avocado‑Greek yogurt crema, and a tangy radish‑onion slaw—easy to pull together on a weeknight or to serve as a lively appetizer.
If you love the idea of tacos but want to skip the tortilla, these cabbage cups are the answer: large green cabbage leaves become sturdy, crunchy vessels that show off every vibrant filling. Trim the thick ribs so the leaves lie flat, and if you prefer them more pliable, blanch 20–30 seconds and shock in ice water—then pat dry and stack 12–16 leaves for assembly. The method keeps things fast and clean: no rolling, no extra carbs, all the hand‑held fun.
The shrimp get a quick, flavor‑forward treatment—olive oil, minced garlic, chili powder, ground cumin and smoked paprika with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sear in a hot nonstick skillet 2–3 minutes per side until opaque and just firm; chop larger shrimp so each bite is bite‑sized. The short cook time gives you a little char and lots of spice without drying the shrimp.
A creamy avocado‑Greek yogurt crema brightens the dish: ripe avocado, plain yogurt, lime, a pinch of salt, and a splash of water or olive oil blended until silky. A simple radish‑onion slaw adds peppery crunch and a tart snap—think thinly sliced radish, red onion, lime juice, and a touch of salt. Both components can be made ahead and kept chilled.
Assemble at the table for a casual dinner or prep everything for a party platter—warm the shrimp just before serving and top each cabbage cup with crema, shrimp, slaw, and a squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro. With about 15 minutes of hands‑on prep and 8 minutes of cooking, these cups deliver big flavor, bright texture contrasts, and an easy low‑carb win for four.
Ingredients
How to Make Shrimp Taco Cabbage Cups
- Prepare the cabbage cups: remove outer leaves, core the head, then carefully separate 12–16 large leaves; trim any thick ribs so leaves lie flat.
- Blanch the leaves (optional for pliability): bring a large pot of water to a boil, submerge leaves 20–30 seconds until bright and flexible, then transfer to an ice bath and drain on paper towels.
- Make the spice mix and season the shrimp: mince 1 clove garlic, in a bowl toss shrimp with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, half the salt and half the pepper, and the minced garlic; let sit 5 minutes.
- Cook the shrimp: heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp in a single layer, 2–3 minutes per side, until opaque and just firm; transfer to a plate and roughly chop larger shrimp into bite-size pieces.
- Make the avocado-yogurt crema: mash the avocado in a small bowl and stir in Greek yogurt, juice of 1 lime, remaining minced garlic (or finely minced), a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth; adjust lime and salt to taste.
- Make the quick radish-onion slaw: thinly slice radishes, finely chop the red onion and jalapeño (seed if you want less heat), toss with chopped cilantro, juice of the remaining lime and a pinch of salt.
- Assemble the cabbage cups: lay a cabbage leaf flat, place 2–3 shrimp (or about 3 oz) in the center, top with a spoonful of radish-onion slaw and a dollop of avocado crema, and garnish with extra cilantro.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges alongside; leftover components (shrimp, crema, slaw) keep separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days but assemble cabbage cups just before serving to keep them crisp.
Recipe Card
Shrimp Taco Cabbage Cups
Bright, crunchy cabbage leaves filled with spicy seared shrimp, creamy avocado-yogurt crema, and a tangy radish-onion slaw. Light, hand-held cups with fresh citrus and herb accents.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage cups: remove outer leaves, core the head, then carefully separate 12–16 large leaves; trim any thick ribs so leaves lie flat.
- Blanch the leaves (optional for pliability): bring a large pot of water to a boil, submerge leaves 20–30 seconds until bright and flexible, then transfer to an ice bath and drain on paper towels.
- Make the spice mix and season the shrimp: mince 1 clove garlic, in a bowl toss shrimp with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, half the salt and half the pepper, and the minced garlic; let sit 5 minutes.
- Cook the shrimp: heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp in a single layer, 2–3 minutes per side, until opaque and just firm; transfer to a plate and roughly chop larger shrimp into bite-size pieces.
- Make the avocado-yogurt crema: mash the avocado in a small bowl and stir in Greek yogurt, juice of 1 lime, remaining minced garlic (or finely minced), a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth; adjust lime and salt to taste.
- Make the quick radish-onion slaw: thinly slice radishes, finely chop the red onion and jalapeño (seed if you want less heat), toss with chopped cilantro, juice of the remaining lime and a pinch of salt.
- Assemble the cabbage cups: lay a cabbage leaf flat, place 2–3 shrimp (or about 3 oz) in the center, top with a spoonful of radish-onion slaw and a dollop of avocado crema, and garnish with extra cilantro.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges alongside; leftover components (shrimp, crema, slaw) keep separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days but assemble cabbage cups just before serving to keep them crisp.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 8
- Saturated Fat
- 1.3
- Sodium
- 650
- Fiber
- 3
- Unsaturated Fat
- 8.7
- Protein
- 28
- Fat
- 10
- Cholesterol
- 170
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 245
- Sugar
- 2.5