Crispy Shrimp Burgers

These tasty Shrimp Burgers will quickly become one of your favorite burgers. Light, healthy, and packed with shrimp flavor! Serve them with some coleslaw and baked potato chips for a delicious, restaurant-worthy meal.

Who doesn’t love a good burger? It's one of my family's favorite meals but sometimes I want something different than a traditional beef burger or turkey burger. Enter this incredible shrimp burger. It's light, healthy, and one of my favorite things to make for a barbecue since it's such an unexpected option. 

If you have never made a shrimp burger, it's actually the perfect protein for burgers. The shrimp itself is slightly gelatinous, meaning you don't need to worry about the shrimp patties falling apart. They cook quickly, stay moist, and there is so much shrimp flavor.  These Salmon Burgers and Fish Burgers are also super tasty. 

The key to making a really great shrimp burger all comes down to texture. You want to make sure your burger has some nice big pieces of shrimp but also ensure it stays together and stays moist. The way to do that is by using both roughly chopped shrimp and finely chopped shrimp. This guarantees the perfect texture and makes sure you have some nice big chunks of shrimp.

One other thing I love about this recipe is that it stretches the ingredient since shrimp can be expensive. While most people in my family could easily eat a pound of shrimp cocktail alone, I can get four generous burgers from just one pound of shrimp, making it a great way to make the most of more expensive ingredient. 

Key Ingredients

• Shrimp: No reason to splurge on the large shrimp for this recipe! Small to medium shrimp work since they are being chopped into smaller pieces anyway. Just make sure not to use bay shrimp. Make sure shrimp are cleaned with shells and tails removed. Frozen shrimp need to be defrosted. 
• Garlic and cilantro: For aromatics in this recipe, garlic and cilantro pair nicely with the shrimp. If you don't love cilantro, swap in parsley, dill, or basil. Garlic powder will work if you don't have fresh garlic on hand. 
• Spices: Onion powder, paprika, kosher salt, and a pinch of cayenne round out the flavors in this shrimp burger. This is an area to get creative and try out different combinations of herbs and spices. Just be careful not to overwhelm the delicate flavor of the shrimp.
• Panko breadcrumbs: Panko will give you the best texture since they are lighter and "fluffier" than traditional breadcrumbs.  If you only have regular, they will also work, the texture will just be a bit denser. 
• Egg: Egg works as a binder for the burgers. If you need an egg-free option, just finely chop a bit more shrimp to help the burgers stick together. 

How to Make Shrimp Burgers

Here are the step-by-step instructions to make homemade shrimp burgers.

1. Pulse the shrimp: This is the most important step! Start by adding half of the shrimp to the food processor and coarsely chop it. Leave some bigger chunks so that the burgers have some nice, meaty pieces of shrimp. Set that aside. Then add the remaining shrimp with the garlic and cilantro. Pulse that longer to make a chunky paste. It should look like a binder. Add this to the coarsely chopped shrimp.
2. Make the shrimp burger mixture: Add the whisked egg, breadcrumbs, and spices to the shrimp mixture. Mix it gently, making sure not to overmix. Overmixing makes the burgers tough. 
3. Cook the shrimp patties: Divide the shrimp mixture into patties ad cook them in a hot skillet. They should get nicely browned and crisp on the outside and be fully cooked inside. This takes about 6-8 minutes total. Make sure not to overcook the shrimp since it can get tough. 

Ways to serve shrimp burgers

• Classic burgers: My favorite way to serve this is as a classic burger. Usually, I reach for a whole wheat burger bun or English muffin and add lettuce, tomato, red onion, and avocado. If I am craving something spicy, I also add some pickled jalapenos or a spicy spread like harissa or Sriracha. My family also likes it with a thin layer of mayo or tartar sauce.
• Lettuce Wraps: For a healthier option, these are fantastic wrapped up in some butter lettuce leaves. You could also use a portobello mushroom bun. 
• Salads: I love anything crunchy on my salads so these crispy shrimp options are a great option. I love them with a coleslaw-style salad like this Asian Kale and Apple Slaw.
• Tacos: If you end up with some leftover shrimp burgers, they make an excellent taco. Just chop them up and add some avocado, cabbage slaw, and salsa. It's a yummy take on a fish taco.
• Side dishes for shrimp patties: Looking for side dish inspiration? We love serving these burgers with spicy cabbage coleslaw, grilled corn on the cob, baked fries, potato salad, or a nice green salad.

Can I use frozen shrimp for shrimp burgers?

Absolutely! In fact, pretty much all shrimp that you find in supermarkets is previously frozen. Even if it isn't frozen when you purchase it, chances are it was defrosted in the supermarket for convenience. 

If your shrimp is frozen, simply place it in a bowl of cold water for about 15 minutes, swapping out the water once while it defrosts. You can also defrost it overnight in your fridge.

How to make low-carb and gluten-free shrimp burgers?

If you want to make these low carb, simply leave out the breadcrumbs. As long as you have processed the shrimp into a paste, the shrimp burgers will hold together without any breadcrumbs. You could also use some almond flour if for any reason they aren't holding together.

Recipe Tips and Ideas

• Make it spicy: If you want a spicy shrimp burger, add some extra cayenne pepper or chili powder to the mix. You can also add a chipotle pepper to the food processor to really kick up the spice and smokiness of this burger.
• Use Old Bay: Old Bay is one of my favorite seasonings for burgers and this shrimp burger is no different. Instead of using the spices in the recipes, just substitute 1-2 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning. You could also make an Old Bay mayonnaise by combining light mayonnaise and Old Bay seasoning to add on top.
• Try Cajun seasoning: Another seasoning option for a little spice and smokiness is Cajun seasoning. Simply substitute it for the spices already included in the recipe. 
• Add lemon: If you love the combination of shrimp and lemon, add some fresh lemon zest to the burgers. You can also squeeze in some lemon juice.

How to make grilled shrimp patties?

If you prefer to make these burgers on the grill, it is extremely important that you use a piece of foil to ensure they don't stick to the grill and fall apart. Simply spray a piece of foil with cooking spray and cook the shrimp burgers right on the foil. They will take about the same amount of time, 3-4 minutes per side.