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Shrimp cakes are the kind of dinner that feels a little fancy but comes together with minimal effort. These easy shrimp cakes are packed with fresh herbs, colorful veggies, and tender shrimp, then pan-seared until perfectly golden and crisp on the outside. It’s a delicious, fuss-free meal that’s sure to win over the whole family.
What Makes These Shrimp Cakes Work
These shrimp cakes strike the perfect balance between light and satisfying. The combination of chopped shrimp, crisp vegetables, and fresh herbs gives them incredible flavor and texture in every bite. A quick sear in the pan adds a golden crust that’s irresistibly crispy without being heavy.
What really sets this shrimp cake recipe apart is how simple it is to pull together. With just a handful of pantry staples and no deep frying required, you’ll have a batch of easy shrimp cakes on the table in under 30 minutes. Whether served with a dipping sauce or over a fresh salad, they’re a total crowd-pleaser.
What Goes Into These Shrimp Cakes
These shrimp cakes come together with fresh, vibrant ingredients that add plenty of flavor and texture. You’ll love how simple yet satisfying each bite is.
- Raw Shrimp: Fresh, peeled, and deveined shrimp form the base of these cakes, giving them a juicy, tender bite.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: These light, airy breadcrumbs help bind the mixture while keeping the texture crispy and light.
- Red Bell Pepper: Finely diced for a pop of color and a sweet crunch in every bite.
- Chives: Fresh chives add a mild onion flavor that brightens the shrimp mixture and makes a great garnish, too.
Note: Please see recipe card for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make These Shrimp Cakes
- Chop the Shrimp: Place the shrimp in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Avoid over-processing; the mixture should still have small chunks, not a paste.
- Mix the Ingredients: Transfer the chopped shrimp to a large bowl. Add the panko breadcrumbs, red bell pepper, chives, salt, pepper, eggs, and lemon zest. Stir gently until just combined.
- Form the Patties: Using clean hands, shape the mixture into even-sized patties. Press them together firmly so they hold their shape while cooking.
- Heat the Pan: Add the olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Let the oil heat until shimmering, but not smoking.
- Cook the Shrimp Cakes: Place the patties in a single layer in the hot pan. Cook for 4–5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve and Garnish: Remove from the pan and serve immediately. Top with extra chives, a dollop of sour cream, and lemon wedges if desired.
These shrimp cakes pair beautifully with light, fresh sides that let their flavor shine. Try serving them with a simple arugula salad, tangy coleslaw, or a Greek Chickpea Salad for a refreshing contrast.
For something heartier, go with Crispy Garlic Roasted Potatoes, Cheesy Garlic Roasted Asparagus, or rice pilaf. A creamy dipping sauce like tartar, remoulade, or a lemon aioli also takes them to the next level.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! Just make sure to fully thaw and pat the shrimp dry before using. Excess moisture can make the mixture too wet.
Be sure to pulse the shrimp until coarsely chopped, not pureed, and mix the ingredients just until combined. Press the patties firmly when shaping to help them hold together.
Simply chop the shrimp by hand with a sharp knife until finely diced. It takes a bit longer but works just as well for this easy shrimp cakes recipe.
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Shrimp Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper finely diced
- 3 tablespoons chives sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Place the shrimp in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped – do not grind into a paste.
- Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl and add the panko breadcrumbs, red bell pepper, chives, salt, pepper, eggs, and lemon zest. Stir gently to combine.
- Form the shrimp mixture into 6 patties.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the shrimp patties in a single layer and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Serve immediately, topped with additional chives and sour cream if desired. Garnish with lemon wedges if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
absolutly wonderful ..I served mine with homemade tarter sauce my hubby loved them
Love this recipe! We are in South Carolina at a shrimping boat business, thought I try this recipe. I brought some patties up to the fish market, both clerk and owner loved them. Both wanted the recipe!
I did add couple of drops of fish sauce and a little bit of lemon pepper seasoning. For sauce, mixed mayo and sweet chili sauce…..yum!
Thank you for a great recipe, this is a keeper! I made these for a guest at our bed and breakfast. I sat the shrimp cake on bed of sauteed baby spinach and topped them with a perfectly poached egg and sprinkling of grated Gruyère cheese . I subbed garden fresh green onion for the chives as that’s what was available. I always hand chop the shrimp, They were deliciously sweet and tender! . I am making them again for our guest’s breakfast tomorrow.This time I have to leave out any form of onion (our guest has dietary restrictions) and will add in a bit more red pepper. Hoping for the same perfect results!
We caught our shrimp and looking for new recipes. I came across this recipe and made it since we had a friend over for dinner. We had your shrimp cakes, fried fish and fried shrimp along with a couple of sides. It was the bomb and
thank you so much and many Blessings
yum sounds like a good eggs benni recipe must try thanks
I didn’t have chives for flavor so I added old bay seasoning. They were tender and absolutely delicious. Very easy to make as well.
Made these for my wife for Mother’s Day. Awsome!!!
Unbelievable , they was so easy to make and easier to eat . I never made them before until I saw your recipe
Made this for a party last night. Used ingredients I had on hand–parsley instead of chives, regular bread crumbs. And instead of adding pepper to the cakes, I served it with a spicy mayo. It was very successful! Easy, flexible, and fancy enough for parties! Thanks for the recipe!
Shrimp cakes
Made half a recipe to try. Outstanding, extremely flavorful. Enjoyed so much made a full recipe the next day. Thank you
can i use different breadcrumbs or Zatarain’s shrimp fry instead of panko? I ran out
The advantage to expensive panko bread crumbs is the crusty effect they give as an outer coating….such as is important for Japanese tempura. In a recipe like this, where the crumbs help bind a patty mixture together with the egg, they add nothing to the taste or texture. You could use any crumb, even cracker crumbs or matzo meal and it will make little difference. Wasting money on more expensive panko for this recipe is as foolish as using gourmet salt to season pasta cooking water.
These were absolutely delicious! Can they be prepared and frozen to cook later? Has anybody tried it?
Yes I freeze them, when I take them out I immediately place in a egg wash, batter and fry while frozen.