If you love shrimp recipes, these shrimp cakes are for YOU! They are juicy, tender and so flavorful. These shrimp fritters always disappear fast! P.S. DO NOT skip the lemon aioli sauce.

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This is a surprising way to use shrimp but it’s also the best way to make a pound of shrimp go a long way. Biting into juicy shrimp, fritter style, is a real treat. The cheese creates an irresistible cheese pull inside and forms a golden crust on the outside. Watch the Video tutorial and you will just know; these are GOOD!

Shrimp Calories / Shrimp Nutrition:
- Purchase wild-caught shrimp whenever possible.
- Avoid “Farm Raised Shrimp” or anything marked “Farmed,” especially coming from overseas where they may be produced in unsafe or unhealthy conditions and could lead to health problems.
- There are about 99 calories in 100 grams of cooked shrimp.
How to Devein Shrimp:
Deveining larger sized shrimp is especially important. Check out our video tutorial on how to peel and devein shrimp. You can use a small pairing knife or a deveining tool like this one from OXO.
Ingredients for Shrimp Cakes Recipe:
The ingredients here are so simple and come together quickly for an easy appetizer or side with dinner or lunch. Combining raw diced shrimp with a batter creates an irresistibly good shrimp fritter. I hesitate to call them ‘fritters’ because fritters are often deep fried but you don’t need much oil at all in this recipe. I usually use 1 to 2 Tbsp for the entire batch. Seriously though, don’t skip the lemon aioli sauce – it is everything with these shrimp cakes; dunk after dunk.


Watch How to Make Sauteed Shrimp Patties:
Watch Natasha make these cheesy shrimp cakes. You will be surprised by how easy this recipe is! If you haven’t already, to our and click the bell icon so you’ll be the first to know when we post a new video.
Cook’s Tips: Here are our favorite measuring spoons that I bragged about in the video. Also, a trigger release ice cream scoop makes it so easy to portion and and sauté these while keeping your hands clean. Also, a non-stick pan works best to keep the patties from falling apart while cooking.

Easy Shrimp Recipes to Explore:
- Coconut Shrimp with a ridiculously good 2-ingredient dip
- Shrimp Cucumber Bites – so easy and good. They fly off the plate!
- Shrimp Ceviche Salsa – we are obsessed with this shrimp salsa
- Creamy Shrimp Pasta (with our favorite Alfredo sauce!)
Print-Friendly Sauteed Shrimp Cakes Recipe:
Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Aioli (VIDEO)

Ingredients
For the Shrimp Cakes/ Fritters:
- 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese, (1 1/2 cups shredded)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, or gluten free flour
- 2 Tbsp light olive oil, or high heat cooking oil of choice
For the Lemon Aioli Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, pressed or finely minced
Instructions
How to Make Shrimp Cakes:
- Pat dry shrimp with paper towels then dice into pea-sized pieces.*
- Transfer chopped shrimp to a large mixing bowl. Add 4 oz shredded mozzarella, 1 egg, 1/4 cup mayo, 2 Tbsp parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Stir together then add 1/4 cup flour and mix until batter is creamy and well combined.
- Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add 1 heaping Tablespoon at a time (or a level ice cream scoop) and flatten out the tops of your fritters as you go so they are about 1/2" thick patties. Saute about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown on the edges and cooked through.
How to Make Lemon Aioli Sauce:
- In a small bowl, add mayo and stir to remove any lumps. Add 1 tsp lemon zest, 2 Tbsp lemon juice and pressed garlic clove and stir to combine.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Would YOU try these sauteed shrimp fritters? We think you will be impressed 😉



Thank you!!
I have made this recipe a few times and I love it!!! I have also made it with Scallops..delicious!! My question is, can this patties be baked instead of fried?
Thank you for sharing Natasha!!
Hi Dee, I have not tried baking these shrimp cakes, but one of my readers said “Instead of frying them I placed mixture on parchment paper and baked them and dusted them with Chipotle Seasoning. Made a burger for my nephew using Keto Avocado Cloud Bread freshly made. He loved it!” I hope that helps!
Delicious recipe! Definitely a keeper!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Sarah!
Great recipe ! Absolutely delicious. Can left over patties be reheated ? If so , how ?
Hi Rosie! I’m so glad you enjoyed that! They sure can be!
In a saute pan over low heat and bring up to temperature
Can this be made with greek yogurt instead of mayo?
Hi Jessica, here is what one of our readers says in regards to omitting the mayonnaise. “My sister-in-law has to watch her sodium intake, so I changed a few things. Instead of mayonnaise, I used Greek yogurt and for salt I used Mrs. Dash. I will definitely be making these again.” Hope this helps!
Good Morning! We have a ton of cooked shrimp leftover. Can that be used in this recipe? Or do you think it will lose something in the taste. Just wondering what your thoughts were! Thanks and have a great day!
Hi Geri, it may work! Without knowing what was used to cook and season it, it is hard to say. If you experiment, please let me know how you like this recipe!
Can you premix this recipe in the morning and use later in the day or is it better to mix and use right a way???
Hi Carol, We normally have them fresh and haven’t really had a chance to experiment premixing it that long. If you try that let us know how you like them!
I did premix and put in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. I also used pre cooked shrimp. It was perfect after I formed the patties and cooked them. Yes, you can make it ahead of time.
Thank you for sharing your recipe for the shrimp cakes. They are so delicious and easy to make. My husband and I make them often. We always double the recipe. They go so fast. We add extra cheese
Take care.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
In another review I had said that you are one of my favorite cooking blogs but I need to change that and tell you that you are my #1 favorite. I find myself coming to your site to constantly try new dishes or make the tried and true favorites like these shrimp cakes which are sooo delicious! Everything I have made has been amazing and I have a happy husband and toddlers. Thank you for sharing all your delicious recipes, you rock!!
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much, Jelena for that sharing that thoughtful comment and feedback with me!
Hi Natasha, I was wondering if you have ever substituted the shrimp for crab in this recipe?? Thanks
Hi Mitchell, I have not tested that but several of our readers have with great results! If you experiment, please let me know how you like this recipe!
WOW! These are AMAZING! My husband and I absolutely loved them! I am so happy I didn’t skip the sauce like you said; I could eat it by the spoonful. I will definitely make this sauce for other dishes like crab cakes. I was surprised that the shrimp cakes were filling. I thought my husband and I would eat them all, but we actually had leftovers, which is always a bonus. We served with a side of grits. We are definitely adding this to our recipe collection and going to make as a regular summer dish. Thank you so much, Natasha!
Sounds like you found a new favorite Sara! I’m so so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
A wet mix led to mush in the pan.
Recommend small egg and dry breadcrumbs to absorb moisture from mayo, egg & shrimp.
Old bay seasoning for flavor or mix is bland.
Hi Laurie, I haven’t had that experience. It helps to pat the shrimp dry with paper towels – especially if using thawed from frozen shrimp.
hi! im super excited to try out this recipe with all of the rave reviews I’ve been reading through
I prefer not to fry my food and was wondering what oven directions I would have to follow in order to bake them instead
Hi Ellen, I haven’t tested these baked or air fried but my best guess comes from another reader. She said she sprayed the baking sheet, placed patties on the sheet and refrigerated 20 minutes then baked at 400˚F for 20 minutes per side. For an air fryer, they will bake twice as fast or even faster. I would flip after 10 minutes and then check after another 5 min for doneness. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
This shrimp cake recipe is truly amazing. I made it a couple of months ago and it was a hit. I couldn’t cook them quick enough!! This is a keeper. THANK YOU!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Could these be served on grilled bread sandwich style?
I imagine that should work. Please share with us how you liked it if you do an experiment.
This recipe is great! However I didn’t read thoroughly and didn’t use a non-stick pan so the first batch ended up being scrambled shrimp cakes. I brought this recipe back up on the computer before I cooked the last batch and see where you recommend using a non-stick pan, then they turned out marvelous! (will add a bit of hot sauce to the shrimp cake batter next time)
Hello Mary, I’m glad that your second batch was already perfect! Adding hot sauce will definitely add much flavor to this dish, that’s a good idea.
Hi Natasha, I’m heading to the grocery store now, and I can’t wait to try these! What would you recommend goes well with these as a main dish?
So many ideas! These can be served as an appetizer, as the main course, or as a side. One of our readers wrote, “they complimented my grilled salmon perfectly”. We love to serve this with a salad and at times mashed potatoes to make it a full meal. I hope that gives you a few ideas.
Hi Natasha!
I love all your recipes. What brand and size of the ice cream scoop are you using in this video?
Hi Vicky, This Ice Cream Scoop here. Its a size 20.
These were tasty! I added some cilantro..did not have parsley. Will definitely make again! Thanks!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Crystal!
I have made this several times and the recipe is wonderful. Very easy to make. The hardest part is chopping the shrimp. Definitely do not put them in the food processor. After cleaning the shrimp I suggest you put them (dry them off well) in the freezer for 30 minutes to stiffen up so that chopping/mincing them is easier. Also, you may not need the full 1/4 cup flour.
That’s a great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha,
Can I use almond flour instead of regular flour.
Thanks
LA
Hi Liza, one of our readers made a Keto version. Here is what she says: “This was amazing. I made mine keto-friendly by grating my own mozzarella and using almond flour. Will be making these again for my friends.” I hope this helps.