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 322 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:

  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 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

*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 😉

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the creator behind Natasha's Kitchen (established in 2009), and I share family-friendly, authentic recipes. I am a New York Times Best-Selling cookbook author and a trusted video personality in the culinary world. My husband, Vadim, and I run this blog together, ensuring every recipe we share is thoroughly tested and approved. Our mission is to provide you with delicious, reliable recipes you can count on. Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy you are here.

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4.98 from 322 votes (90 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  • Germaine
    July 8, 2018

    Hi Natasha.. love your site and your videos – quick question can I omit the parsley all together (not a parsley fan at all) and I was thinking of trying garlic or dill as an addition to the cakes – have you tried either yet…
    A great fan
    Germaine

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 8, 2018

      Hi Germaine, absolutely! That would work great with garlic or dill or even both. 🙂 We have tried with dill and it works great 🙂 You might want to use less dill than parsley.

      Reply

  • Patricia Pendergast
    July 7, 2018

    Props to you! I just made these and they are very very good. Pretty, rich, a really nice option for company. Great with a garden slaw tonight.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 8, 2018

      That sounds like the perfect combination! I’m glad you enjoyed that, Patricia!

      Reply

  • Chasity
    July 7, 2018

    Just made these and they are amazing. Thank you for sharing!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 7, 2018

      You’re so nice! Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • WILLIAM BURKHART
    July 7, 2018

    Where does all the sodium come from? According to the nutrition facts there is almost 6000mg of sodium in this recipe. One serving (968mg) Thay’s way too high for someone watching sodium intake, I still plan on trying it but with little or no added salt.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 7, 2018

      Hi William, it is mostly the added salt and mozzarella cheese as well as mayo. If you omit salt and go light on the mayo with the dip, it will cut it back significantly.

      Reply

    • Patti
      December 29, 2018

      This is my new go-to appetizer recipe. EVERYONE that tries them loves them! And wants the recipes. I love how easy they are to make and don’t have a long ingredient list! Thanks for this great recipe

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        December 29, 2018

        Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :).

        Reply

  • Karen Trokan
    July 6, 2018

    These were terrific!! I boosted the flavor of the shrimp cakes with some chopped green onion and a clove of pressed garlic. The aioli was great as well.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 6, 2018

      Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Karen! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!

      Reply

  • Sonja Arnason
    July 6, 2018

    Went to the Okanagan dîner en blanc with this recipe and it killed. The shrimp cakes are excellent, but the aioli is to die for . So beautiful it was being put on pretty much everything. I didn’t take credit. Awesome!!! Good job and thank you😘

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 6, 2018

      You’re so welcome Sonja! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review with us!

      Reply

  • Jimmy
    July 6, 2018

    Great recipe!
    I’d be a bit hesitant about wild caught shrimp though given the destruction to seabeds and huge amounts of by-catch involved in most wild shrimp fishing, which is typically massive trawling.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 6, 2018

      Thank you for sharing that with us and helping us all be more aware! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply

    • William Bush
      July 6, 2018

      I grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast and my father was a shrimper and until the 80s when the vitamins first started to come over we didn’t have that problem of destruction of our “seabeds” there were laws in place for this purpose and shrimp fish crabs where all in mass abundances year after year but these ppl being from another country and having to strive the way they did in their own country for so long just to survive did not follow these laws and rules and that is where all the destruction came from for the most part shrimp that we caught wherein the ship channels along the edge of the banks anyways so before you start criticising a profession you obviously know nothing about maybe you should research the TRUE history and not what was mainstream media feed to you besides farm-raised shrimp don’t have the flavor that wild shrimp have because they are not in their natural environment and the water does not have the levels of iodine that the Gulf has.

      Oh I use real shrimp, not the flavorless farm raised that you don’t know what is feed to the shrimp research what some of these fish farms feed there crop you would stay away from them too

      Reply

      • Darla
        July 16, 2018

        I agree completly , my favorite brother in law was also a shrimper during the times you speak of. It is sad what has happened to the shrimping industry on the coast of Texas.

        Reply

        • William Bush
          August 5, 2018

          America.

          IMPORTED FARMED SHRIMP
          We recommend avoiding imported farmed shrimp. We don’t sell it at PCC.

          Shrimp farms in countries such as China, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil and Ecuador are the number one threat to mangrove forests. These coastal wetlands absorb more greenhouse gases that cause global warming than any other ecosystem on the planet. Mangroves also provide habitat for fish and protect coastlines from damage by storms, hurricanes and tsunamis. This loss of habitat is just one way the foreign shrimp industry depletes wild fisheries and threatens biodiversity.

          SHRIMP CHOICES
          Local Northwest wild shrimp are the best choices.
          U.S. farmed or wild shrimp are good alternatives.
          Avoid imported farmed and imported wild shrimp.
          Additionally, farmed shrimp are fed wild fish. An estimated average of 1.35 pounds of wild fish is needed to produce every pound of farmed shrimp — so farmed shrimp production results in a net loss of protein.

          “Ecosystem destruction, human rights abuses, and the displacement of indigenous livelihoods all have been associated with conventional shrimp farming,” says Casson Trenor, senior oceans campaigner at Greenpeace.

          Most industrial shrimp farms are so crowded and unsanitary that producers use pesticides, antibiotics and other chemicals (many of them banned in the United States) to prevent disease. Residues end up in the flesh of the shrimp. According to a 2012 report by ABC News, traces of illegal antibiotics were found in 10 percent of imported shrimp samples. Other research found mouse and rat hair, insect parts, salmonella and E. coli.

          The Food and Drug Administration inspects less than 2 percent of all imported seafood. Shrimp account for a disproportionately high percentage of refused shipments.

          Reply

  • Priscilla Irick
    July 5, 2018

    I want to make these fritters soon. Can I use parmesan cheese as a substitute? Look so yummy!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 6, 2018

      Hi Priscilla! I haven’t experimented with parmesan cheese but it may work. This cheese helps hold the cakes together and does add some flavor. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe I’d love to hear your results! 🙂

      Reply

  • Eugene Carlson
    July 5, 2018

    I included chopped cilantro with the parsley. Big hit at our neighborhood 4th of July fireworks watching party. Gone in 15 minutes. That was the only downside.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 5, 2018

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Looks like you’ll need to double the recipe next time!

      Reply

  • Christine Olsen
    July 5, 2018

    I can’t wait to try these! My sister made them and said they are amazing! I made your recipe for Beef Plov in the Instant Pot. If was soooo good!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 5, 2018

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

      Reply

  • Anna B
    July 5, 2018

    Is the prawn weight before or after peeling? Thanks

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 5, 2018

      Hi Anna, The weight is for already peeled and deveined shrimp.

      Reply

  • Britni Wilson
    July 4, 2018

    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.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 5, 2018

      That’s so great, Britni!! It sounds like you have a new favorite! Thank you for sharing your Keto version!

      Reply

    • Kara
      July 9, 2018

      Yay! I was going to try to make them keto 🙂 So, would love to hear what worked for you. Did you use the same amount of almond flour to regular flour?

      Reply

  • Lorna
    July 4, 2018

    These look great! I’m going to try them with a mix of crab and shrimp. Wondering how far in advance these can be made (ie: earlier that day or day before)?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 5, 2018

      Hi Lorna! We normally have them fresh and haven’t really had a chance to experiment with storing them in the fridge. If you try that let us know how you like them!

      Reply

  • Barbara
    July 4, 2018

    Haven’t tried them yet, but definitely will some night this week. Just curious, have you ever tried them with chopped clams? I love clam fritters, but I love shrimp too and thought maybe the clams would work as well.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 4, 2018

      What a great idea, Barbara! I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe

      Reply

  • kathy
    July 4, 2018

    looks delicious, would love to try. is there a way to print the receipe…also looking for honey walnut shrimp recipe

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 4, 2018

      Hi Kathy! The print friendly recipe is at the bottom of each post. Once you scroll there, click on the print icon in that recipe card which will open a print screen, then you would need to click file —> print. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  • emily kavourias
    July 4, 2018

    DELICOUS!! Made these for a ladies luncheon. They were GONE! Can’t wait to make again.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 4, 2018

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Annette Marshall
    July 3, 2018

    I made these tonight for dinner, followed your recipe exactly and am in love! This was the best dinner I’ve had all week…and I get to have leftovers tomorrow. The Lemon Aioli is incredible, and I’m thinking I might use any left overs for a Wings dip! Will definitely be making this often. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 3, 2018

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Annette! Thank you for the wonderful review!

      Reply

    • Denise palmieri
      July 4, 2018

      These are absolutely Delicious
      Made them for company they all loved them. I will be making the again

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        July 4, 2018

        That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that with us, Denise!

        Reply

  • diane
    July 3, 2018

    These shrimp fritters look amazing, can they be sauted and refrigerated the night before you are going to use them? If so, would the oven be the best to reheat? Thank you

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 3, 2018

      I think that may be best. We normally have them fresh and haven’t really had a chance to experiment with storing them in the fridge. If you try that let us know how you like them!

      Reply

  • Vema Riden
    July 2, 2018

    Could these be served at room temperature? I was thinking they would be good on an appetizer table

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 2, 2018

      Room temperature should still work!

      Reply

  • Brian
    July 1, 2018

    Hi, I haven’t made these yet, but I’m wondering if adding some panko crumbs would at a little crunch? Has anyone tried this?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 1, 2018

      Hi Brian, I haven’t tried that but I think it would taste good to coat the outside in panko. The batter is too loose though to form into a patty with your hands so it would be difficult to dip the patties in bread crumbs.

      Reply

      • Brian
        July 2, 2018

        Hi Natasha, I ended up adding maybe 1/4 to 1/3 cup of panko crumbs to the batter right before cooking. I’m not sure how much of an impact it had, given that this is the first time I’ve made these,but they still turned out great! For the aioli, I sauteed the minced garlic in a little olive oil before adding it in and also threw in some freshly minced basil. The end result was that my family loved these and my wife even commented that it was something she would expect to find in a fine restaurant! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          July 2, 2018

          Thank you so much for the wonderful review Brian! I’m happy to hear it worked out well for you!

          Reply

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