Name: Cucumber and Kelp Noodle Lettuce Wraps with Sesame Sunflower Sauce (Raw, Paleo, Vegan)
Prep time: 40 min
Ingredients: ½ package/6oz/170g kelp noodles; 2 Tablespoons/30ml fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 3 small carrots, finely shredded on a box grater; 3 Persian cucumbers, made into noodles with a julienne peeler or a spiralizer; Leaves from a butterhead lettuce for serving; 1-2 Tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped; Sesame sunflower sauce (see below); 2 Tablespoons/30ml toasted sesame oil; 2 Tablespoons/30ml coconut aminos; 1 teaspoon/8g coconut nectar; 2 Tablespoons/30g tahini; 2 Tablespoons/30g sunflower seed butter; 1 Tablespoon/15ml fresh lemon juice; ½ clove of garlic, finely grated on a microplane; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Carrots, cucumber, kelp noodles and a creamy sesame sunflower sauce fill these summer roll inspired lettuce wraps.

I’ve always been a fan of lettuce wraps, especially come summer when fast, no-cook meals are in heavy rotation. They’re quick and easy and one of the freshest things you can make other than a salad, each bite filled with plenty of pleasing crunch.

They make a great appetizer, lunch or light dinner and with their pretty presentation are a natural for entertaining, which is just another reason to love lettuce wraps.

All you really need is a good sturdy leaf for your base, something with crunch, that’s hardy enough to stand up to the filling but flexible enough to fold over (I like red butter lettuce.)

Next up is the filling, where anything goes really. I’ve used cucumber and kelp noodles here along with shredded carrots for a summer roll inspired wrap, but you can use whatever raw vegetables you have on hand. They key is to make a combination of thin slaw-like vegetables along with longer softer noodles, you want a contrast of flavors and textures in each bite.

If you’re not familiar with kelp noodles, they are made entirely from seaweed and go anywhere you’d normally use rice noodles. What makes them so unique is that they are virtually calorie-free at only 6 calories for 4oz of noodles and don’t require any cooking. They come out of the package a bit squeaky and stiff but the trick to getting soft and squidgy noodles is a quick lemon and salt bath.

Once you have your filling ready it’s just a matter of assembly. The dressing here is an Asian inspired sesame sunflower sauce, which I like to drizzle into the wraps as well as serve on the side for dipping into. (If you have any sauce leftover, it also makes a lovely dip for raw vegetables like snap peas and carrots.) A few chives scattered across the top and you’re all set.

Serves serves 4-6

Cucumber and Kelp Noodle Lettuce Wraps with Sesame Sunflower Sauce (Raw, Paleo, Vegan)

Sylvie Shirazi

Carrots, cucumber, kelp noodles and a creamy sesame sunflower sauce fill these summer roll inspired lettuce wraps.

40 minPrep Time

40 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

For the Lettuce Cups:

½ package/6oz/170g kelp noodles
2 Tablespoons/30ml fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 small carrots, finely shredded on a box grater
3 Persian cucumbers, made into noodles with a julienne peeler or a spiralizer
Leaves from a butterhead lettuce for serving
1-2 Tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
Sesame sunflower sauce (see below)

For the Sesame Sunflower Sauce:

2 Tablespoons/30ml toasted sesame oil
2 Tablespoons/30ml coconut aminos
1 teaspoon/8g coconut nectar
2 Tablespoons/30g tahini
2 Tablespoons/30g sunflower seed butter
1 Tablespoon/15ml fresh lemon juice
½ clove of garlic, finely grated on a microplane
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Rinse kelp noodles and place in a large bowl. Fill bowl with enough filtered water to just cover the noodles and add the lemon juice and salt. Stir gently to combine and set aside for 15-20 minutes until noodles are soft.
Meanwhile, make the sesame sunflower sauce. Combine all the ingredients for the sesame sunflower sauce in a large jar and shake vigorously until well combined.
Rinse and drain kelp noodles in a colander, set aside.
Divide kelp noodles, shredded carrots and cucumber noodles evenly between lettuce leaves, top with sesame sunflower sauce and garnish with chives.

Notes

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Raw, Paleo, Vegan