Lemon Garlic Shrimp Cakes

Name: Lemon Garlic Shrimp Cakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 pound shrimp; 3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (* gluten free, if necessary); 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 2 cloves garlic (* minced); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 egg; 2-3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (* for frying)

Published June 20, 2019. Last updated December 3, 2020 by Lauren Vavala

Move over crab cakes, there’s a new crustacean in town! This easy recipe for Lemon Garlic Shrimp Cakes are packed with so much flavor! They make a delicious summer appetizer or dinner.

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Very rarely do I talk out loud when no one is around, but when I first tried these Lemon Garlic Shrimp Cakes, I kid you not, I said “Oh my, these are good…” In fact, they are so good that I even made a recipe for Keto Shrimp Cakes for those that limit carbs or are gluten free. It’s equally as delicious.

These little shrimp cakes are full of fresh lemon and garlic, but not so much that the shrimp flavor gets lost. While the shrimp cakes are delicious on their own, I find that Roasted Garlic Lemon Aioli enhances the flavor even more. It really is the icing on the cake! I could almost eat it by the spoonful…almost.

Because I live in a rural area where it can be hard to find good fresh shrimp, I use frozen, pre-cleaned shrimp. I have made this recipe with both raw and cooked shrimp. Both options work out perfectly.

Why This Recipe Works

These shrimp cakes can be served as appetizers or the main dish.
Shrimp cakes are easy to make and full of delicious flavor.
You can use either raw or precooked shrimp for this recipe.

How to Make Lemon Garlic Shrimp Cakes

Prep!

If you use frozen shrimp, like I did, make sure to defrost them under cold water first and remove the shells and/or tails, if necessary.

Create!

Finely chop the thawed shrimp and combine in a medium size bowl with the bread crumbs, onion powder, paprika, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix in the egg.

Tip: to save time, you can also add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse a few times until the shrimp are finely chopped and everything is well combined. This typically results in a denser cake.

Make 8 shrimp cakes by rolling small handfuls of the mixture into a tightly packed ball, then flattening.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Add the shrimp cakes and cook about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. You may have to work in batches.

Enjoy larger shrimp cakes for dinner, or you can make them smaller and serve as an appetizer with a little drop of aioli.

Enjoy!

Tips and Techniques for the Best Shrimp Cakes

To save time, add all of the ingredients for the shrimp cakes (except for the olive oil) to a food processor fitted with a blade and pulse a few times until the shrimp are finely chopped and the ingredients are all well blended.
To serve shrimp cakes as appetizers, make them smaller and serve with a drop of aioli on each one.
Store leftover shrimp cakes in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

FAQ’s

Can you use frozen shrimp to make shrimp cakes? Yes, but defrost them first. You can use either raw or cooked shrimp for this recipe.
Can you freeze shrimp cakes? Yes, you can freeze cooked shrimp cakes. Allow them to cool, then freeze on a baking sheet and transfer to an air-tight container or freezer bag. Use within 6 months for best results.

Other Recipes to Try

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