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 326 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 326 votes (90 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Cindi
    January 24, 2023

    These were fantastic! I think next time I will chop the shrimp a little more fine (more pea sized as suggested vs. somewhat larger) so that I can make bite-sized cakes that can be an easy appetizer. The taste is delicious – but could it potentially benefit from the addition of a little zing – like tabasco or red pepper?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 24, 2023

      Thank you for your feedback, Cindi! I bet this may work well with tabasco; if you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.

      Reply

  • Francis
    January 10, 2023

    These came out fantastic! put them in the fridge 30 minutes and rolled them in panko just like the other reviewer mentioned below, yummmyyyy!!!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 10, 2023

      Hi Francis! That’s great. So glad you loved them.

      Reply

  • Mimi
    January 5, 2023

    Trying soon..Question, I have a similar recipe but it has more stuff (veg) in it. First time I made it the shrimp still looked grey. Yours looks amazing. What would I have done wrong (before I mess up again) LOL

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 5, 2023

      Hi Mimi! I hope you love this recipe. Read through the full recipe notes and tips for the best results.
      Generally, if your shrimp still have a tinge of gray or translucency to them, chances are they are not done cooking or they have spoiled/gone bad.

      Reply

  • Mere G
    November 5, 2022

    Made these for years, and they are my kid’s favorite meal. Tricks I’ve learned… After combining all ingredients, refrigerate for about 30 min. This helps everything stick together while frying. They haven’t fallen apart on me once, since I started doing that. Also, I mix old bay and panko together and roll the scoops around in that before frying. And a few drops of Siracha on the aioli totally takes them up a notch.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 5, 2022

      Yum! Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Cathleen
    November 5, 2022

    Have made this several times. My family loves them. Made them as an app for a party. Huge hit

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 5, 2022

      That’s great, Cathleen! So glad they were enjoyed.

      Reply

  • Jeni
    November 4, 2022

    I make these all the time now! LOVE THEM. I do dip mine in crushed cracker crust, or panko, or a mix of both and then fry them. YUMMO!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 4, 2022

      Hi Jeni! Thank you for sharing, I’m glad you love this recipe.

      Reply

  • Maureen
    October 28, 2022

    absolutely fabulous, easy recipe,sauce was a must.thank you for the recipe.🌹

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 28, 2022

      You’re so welcome! Glad you loved it.

      Reply

  • Chris
    October 9, 2022

    Excellent recipe. I’ve made this dish a number of times as the recipe calls (except substituted Greek yogurt for mayo, because that’s what I had). It turned out great. I’ve also made it with cod instead of shrimp, because my wife can’t eat shrimp. That too turned out great. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 10, 2022

      You are welcome! Glad you enjoyed this and I hope you’ll love all the ther recipes that you will try.

      Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 10, 2022

      You are welcome! Glad you enjoyed this and I hope you’ll love all the other recipes that you will try.

      Reply

  • Linda
    October 2, 2022

    Enjoyed these tremendously! I switched it up a little by adding garlic and green onions. Also used some panko crumbs for frying. It’s a keeper! Thank you!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 4, 2022

      That’s great, Linda! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply

  • Terri
    October 1, 2022

    OMG! What a treat! These were delightful! We added diced onion and diced celery, but that is our preference. Saved this one for the future.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 1, 2022

      That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Terri!

      Reply

  • Meka
    September 21, 2022

    I added chili powder and garlic to my mixture and used oat flour. They turned out great!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 21, 2022

      Great to hear, Meka!

      Reply

  • ted goostree
    August 11, 2022

    It looks like you’re using block mozzarella cheese what about using fresh and put it freezer for a few minutes before grading …..thanks ted

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 11, 2022

      Hi Ted, I haven’t tried that myself, but I bet that could work! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe

      Reply

  • stephen westheimer
    July 21, 2022

    Gotta love Natashas simple healthy recipe! Two thumbs way up. S

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 21, 2022

      Thank you!

      Reply

  • Susan
    July 18, 2022

    This looks so yummy and reminds me of your shrimp fritters recipe with dill sauce. Is that recipe still available and if so, could you direct me to it? I was unable to locate it as usual. It has been a family favorite for several years. Thank you!

    Reply

  • Brenda
    July 17, 2022

    I would like to make these ahead and take them to a dinner party. Can they be warmed in an oven?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      July 17, 2022

      Hi Brenda, it is best eaten fresh but making it ahead should be alright. I haven’t tried freezing these shrimp cakes, 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

  • Melissa
    June 2, 2022

    Can I serve these at room temp?I’d like to make ahead and set out while we swim. So they may not be hot when we get around to eating?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 2, 2022

      Hi Melissa, yes that will work! It is best eaten fresh but making it ahead should be alright. I hope it becomes a hit!

      Reply

      • Melissa
        June 6, 2022

        Many thanks!! Can’t wait to service them! Of course I had to try one “quality control” LOL. Simply YUMMY!!!

        Reply

        • NatashasKitchen.com
          June 6, 2022

          You’re very welcome! Enjoy. 🙂

          Reply

  • Karen Bowlby
    May 10, 2022

    Made the shrimp cakes tonight and they were great. Would possibly add a hot sauce to the aioli to kick it up a notch. Definitely a keeper!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 10, 2022

      I’m so glad it was a hit, Karen!

      Reply

  • Mercy Whelan
    May 10, 2022

    Saw the recipe yesterday, made it today! EXCELLENT, especially the sauce. Thank you for the recipe, Natasha.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 10, 2022

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Mercy!

      Reply

  • Victoria
    May 9, 2022

    These are absolutely delicious. We made them as an appetizer and could not stop eating them. Would highly recommend!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 9, 2022

      These make a great appetizer! So glad you enjoyed them.

      Reply

  • Abby Margolis magee
    April 29, 2022

    Can u use thawed cooked shrimp, I always worry that shrimp or chicken or pork doesn’t get done enough,and always afraid its not cooked long enough inside because outside browns fast

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 29, 2022

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

      Reply

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