These Shrimp cakes are light, filling, perfectly browned, moist and tender. Use these tips to make the best shrimp cake from prep to plate!
Shrimp Cakes
Shrimp Cakes are very similar to crab cakes, but they are much cheaper to make. They may seem fancy or difficult to make at home, but they are really quite simple to make and absolutely delicious.
How do you prepare shrimp cakes?
You can use fresh or frozen shrimps for this recipe. However, if using frozen, make sure it is thawed).
The shrimp can be finely chopped or processed using a food processor. I recommend using a food processor because it helps the shrimps to stay together when cooking but mind that you don’t overdo it—we don’t want shrimp purée. It should still have a coarse texture.
After adding your chopped shrimp with the rest of the cake ingredients, know that the batter will be “wetter” than other batters; it’s supposed to be like that! If the batter is too dry, then the resulting shrimp cake will be dry.
Can you freeze shrimp cakes?
Yes! You can prepare them ahead of time and freeze them and cook later. However, I will advise against freezing them once cooked because it’s not good to re-freeze cooked shrimp (it changes the texture significantly).
How do you cook shrimp cakes?
Keep a close eye on your cakes as you sear them in oil, and don’t forget that flipping the cakes is not only for achieving the all-around crispiness but also to cook the cake all the way through! All that’s left is to garnish and serve.
How long will it take?
These cakes are ready in only 30 minutes!
How to serve shrimp cakes?
These shrimp cakes are incredibly versatile. They can be bite-size appetizers or patties to put on bread rolls. You can serve them with fresh greens and over rice to round out a meal.
Flavor Variations:
Throw in a handful of shredded cheese if you are a cheese lover
Gluten-free breadcrumbs can be used in place of the traditional panko bread crumbs.
I use a tbsp of mayonnaise to provide a bit more moisture to the shrimp cakes. If you choose not to use the mayonnaise, you can reduce the bread crumbs by 1 to 2 tablespoons.
Dipping sauce
I used Avocado cilantro sauce for this recipe because I simply craved avocados when making this recipe; also, mayo is not always my first go-to when it comes to the dipping sauce. However, many good dipping sauce options pair so well with shrimp cakes.
Place the shrimp in the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped – do not over process. If you love some texture in the shrimp cake, you can chop the shrimp into pieces with a sharp knife.
Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl. Add bread crumbs, eggs, chopped onion, crushed garlic cloves, red chili flakes, mayo, parsley, and spices. Stir gently until well combined.
Form the mixture into 8 to 10 patties.
In a large pan, heat oil over medium to high heat. Add the shrimp patties(don’t overcrowd) and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
For the sauce
Add all the ingredients in the food processor and blend until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Stop to scrape down the sides as necessary. Serve with the shrimp cakes with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
It’s best to add the water a little at a time. For a thinner consistency, add more water, and for a thicker, consistency add less water.
