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.

Shrimp recipe for Cheesy shrimp cakes recipe on platter with lemon aioli

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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!

Sauteed Shrimp cakes in pan garnished with parsley

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.

Ingredients for shrimp cakes and lemon aioli sauce for how to make shrimp fritters

how to make lemon aioli recipe

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.

How to make sauteed shrimp patties

Easy Shrimp Recipes to Explore:

Print-Friendly Sauteed Shrimp Cakes Recipe:

Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Aioli (VIDEO)

4.98 from 327 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Cheesy Shrimp Cakes aka Shrimp Fritters with irresistible lemon aioli sauce. One of our favorite shrimp recipes! 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; this recipe is GOOD | natashaskitchen.com
If you love shrimp recipes, these shrimp cakes are for YOU! The cheesy crust creates a juicy, tender and flavorful center. P.S. DO NOT skip the lemon aioli sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 people (2 fritters per serving)

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:

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

*You can use a food processor to chop the shrimp, but pulse carefully so you don't turn it into ground shrimp meat.
Nutrition for Lemon Aioli Sauce is not included in the recipe since we usually don't consume the full amount with 1 batch of shrimp cakes. Based on 8 servings for the sauce, each serving has 96 calories, 89 mg sodium, 0 g sugars, 5 mg cholesterol (2%), 10 g total fat with 1 g saturated fat (5%). 

Nutrition Per Serving

258kcal Calories4g Carbs21g Protein16g Fat4g Saturated Fat233mg Cholesterol968mg Sodium93mg Potassium235IU Vitamin A4.8mg Vitamin C263mg Calcium2.1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Aioli (VIDEO)
Amount per Serving
Calories
258
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
16
g
25
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Cholesterol
 
233
mg
78
%
Sodium
 
968
mg
42
%
Potassium
 
93
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
4
g
1
%
Protein
 
21
g
42
%
Vitamin A
 
235
IU
5
%
Vitamin C
 
4.8
mg
6
%
Calcium
 
263
mg
26
%
Iron
 
2.1
mg
12
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Shrimp Cakes
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 258
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

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sautéed shrimp fritters or shrimp patties on a plate with lemon aioli sauce

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

4.98 from 327 votes (90 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Debbie Daugherty
    October 16, 2020

    Hi Natasha… we have appetizer Thursdays with some friends and I am always looking for something with a Wow factor…well these little guys were the bomb and the Aioli sauce with awesome!! This is a keeper for sure!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 16, 2020

      Yay, love it! Thanks for your awesome review, Debbie!

      Reply

  • Norma
    September 24, 2020

    Made these shrimp patties tonight for dinner. Hubby said they are better than you could get in any restaurant! He loved them! Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 24, 2020

      So lovely to hear that, Norma. Thanks for giving this recipe and try! I hope you and your hubby will love my other recipes too.

      Reply

    • Linda Iraca
      October 15, 2020

      Can’t wait to try them, they sound delicious!

      Reply

  • Evie
    September 20, 2020

    I made these today…OMG!!! They are the most delicious cakes I ever had. The aioli I could eat on it a on with a spoon. 🤣🤣🤣

    Yum!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 21, 2020

      So fantastic! Thanks for sharing that with us, glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Gay
    September 16, 2020

    Can I use crab meat instead of shrimp?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 16, 2020

      Hi Gay, 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!

      Reply

  • Asia
    September 4, 2020

    My kids totally loved this!!! Had to make it 2x in one week. This is a must try if you love shrimp.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 4, 2020

      Thank you so much for your awesome review, Asia. I hope you and your family will love every recipe that you will try!

      Reply

      • Ashley
        September 16, 2020

        Hi Natasha,
        I am trying this recipe this weekend and I do not have fresh parsley on hand. Can I substitute parsley flakes? If so, would the amount change?
        Thanks!

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          September 16, 2020

          Hi Ashley! I haven’t tested this with dry but it should work! Instead of 2 tbsp, use 2 tsp dried. You can add more if you feel that isn’t enough.

          Reply

  • Shay
    August 27, 2020

    This was an amazing recipe! The whole family loved it. The lemon aioli was such a great addition. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 27, 2020

      You’re welcome, Shay! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!

      Reply

  • Sveta
    August 25, 2020

    I tried this recipe tonight, and everybody in my family agreed that this was the best shrimp dish they had ever ate. They asked me to make it often, and I definitely will. So glad to find this fantastic recipe. Thanks a lot, Natasha!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 26, 2020

      Wow, what great feedback! Thank you so much for sharing the awesome comments with us. I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Ralph Lewis
    August 19, 2020

    Really enjoy the presentation and positive attitude. You get to business and get things done. Like that you are indicating the cost of the recipe. So important in these days we are going through.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 19, 2020

      Thank you for this lovely comment and great feedback Ralph!

      Reply

    • James
      March 3, 2023

      Texture was good as well as the aioli. I think this needs more flavor in the cakes. Overall impression is it’s a good foundation recipe to build on. I am thinking parmesan instead of mozzarella or at least a 50/50 blend, also old bay or lemon pepper seasoning in addition to some of the salt and pepper.

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        March 4, 2023

        Thank you so much for sharing that with me, James!

        Reply

  • Joanne Schulle
    August 16, 2020

    I made this to day and added about 1/2 to 1 tsp old bay seasoning. This was a WONDERFUL receipt and so easy!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 17, 2020

      I am so glad you loved it, Joanne! Thanks for trying out this recipe.

      Reply

  • Terri
    August 15, 2020

    Hi Can I use any cheese with this recipe? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 15, 2020

      Hi Terri, we love it with mozzarella cheese but others shared that they used another type of cheese and they loved it too.

      Reply

  • Mere Lamb
    August 2, 2020

    Make sure you get the shrimp DRY. I put 1/3 of the shrimp in the food processor, and hand chop the other 2/3. I use panko instead of flour. Chill in the fridge to help it bind for about 30 minutes before cooking. I season some panko with Old Bay and coat the cakes slightly so that have that crisp outside. Served with a chilled salad, it’s the perfect summer dinner!

    Oh! Do NOT skip the aioli, and kick it up a notch with a little sriracha!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 2, 2020

      Thank you for your tips and suggestions, it’s very helpful information!

      Reply

    • DW
      September 23, 2020

      Can you make the shrimp mixture ahead of time? And for how long?

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        September 23, 2020

        Hi DW, we have always made it fresh so I’m unable to advise. If you experiment thought I would love to know how it turns out!

        Reply

  • Sharon
    July 26, 2020

    Made these for dinner tonight and they were great! Paired with the sauce it made them fabulous! Truly a KEEPER. Thanks so much.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      July 27, 2020

      So great to hear that you enjoyed yur dinner. Thanks for giving this recipe a try, Sharon!

      Reply

  • John
    July 24, 2020

    Can i replace the flour with Almond Flour to make it more Keto-e?

    And … do they freeze well?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 24, 2020

      Hi John, 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. I haven’t tried freezing these shrimp patties but if I did, I would probably freeze them already cooked or they may not stay together well. If you experiment, let me know how it goes!

      Reply

      • John J Russo
        July 26, 2020

        Thanks for the info.

        I made more of these than i can eat in a week so i froze about a dozen of them after giving them a good fry with an excellent crust.

        Two days later i popped 3 in the microwave for just about 25 seconds and, man, they still had that crunch!

        Would not hesitate to make a large batch and freezing as many as you can’t eat.

        And, for the Keto-ites, using Almond Flour worked out great. These held together with no problem.

        J

        Reply

    • Aleda R Thompson
      August 19, 2020

      Carbalose works just like regular flour and only has 19 carbs per cup

      Reply

  • Su
    July 21, 2020

    Hi Natasha, can I omit egg in the recipe?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      July 21, 2020

      Hi Su, I haven’t tried making it without eggs yet. I’m not sure how it would work but if you want to do an experiment, let us know how that goes.

      Reply

    • Helen
      August 24, 2020

      You can do it without the yolk but you need the white.

      Reply

  • doreen dziokonski
    July 20, 2020

    Forgot to mention the ice cream scoop is a game changer. Works perfect

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 20, 2020

      Isn’t it the best! We use it each time!

      Reply

  • doreen dziokonski
    July 20, 2020

    Exceptional recipe. Ive made it with shrimp, then scallops and half of each.
    My only change was to grate 1/2 Vidalia onion & 1 celery stalk. Flavor bomb. Tyvm

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 20, 2020

      Isn’t it the best! Thank you for sharing that great review!

      Reply

  • Pat
    July 6, 2020

    This is by far my favourite recipe for cocktail and Oscar parties. I love it and the lemon aioli is killer! I made a couple of small tweaks the third time I made it. I used Gruyere instead of Mozzarella, I added 1 tbsp of dijon mustard, and I used 1 tbsp “Epicure” lemon basil seasoning, or lemon dilly dip, or some old Bay seasoning in addition to the salt and pepper. Let me tell you; wow! The only reason I didn’t give you a full 5 is because I found (everytime I made it) that it doesn’t always hold together well in the pan when turning it. Any advice?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 6, 2020

      Hi Pat, my best advice is to use a good non-stick pan which will make flipping much easier.

      Reply

      • Pat
        July 13, 2020

        Thanks Natasha! I’m serious…try with the gruyere and dijon. It elevates an already spectacular recipe to another realm!

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          July 13, 2020

          Thank you so much Pat! I will do that!

          Reply

  • Barb
    June 27, 2020

    Great recipe, but aioli try roasting the garlic a nice smooth taste and not bitter.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 27, 2020

      Thank you for that wonderful tip! I’ll have to try that!

      Reply

  • Beverly
    June 21, 2020

    I never buy raw shrimp. Always buy cooked frozen shrimp – 50 in a bag. Can these be used instead in all of your recipes? What would I do? Sorry – but I’m new to cooking.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      June 22, 2020

      Hi Beverly, I have had some people report good results using pre-cooked shrimp in this recipe, but it really depends on the recipe. I always suggest using what is recommended in a recipe before modifying.

      Reply

    • Marsha
      July 11, 2020

      I tried this recipe using pre-cooked shrimp and it works great. I had to add a piece of salmon (did’nt have enough shrimp). It was delicious with the aioli lemon sauce. A keeper for sure!

      Reply

  • Teresa Stevens
    June 18, 2020

    I tried this recipe tonight. It is definitely a keeper. The family loved it.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 18, 2020

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

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