Recipes » Dirt Cheap Recipes » Tender Shrimp Cakes

Tender Shrimp Cakes

fb iconpinterest icontwitter iconlinkedin iconbuffer icon
This post may contain affiliate links, see Disclosure.

Craving Seafood? You’ll love these fresh, tender shrimp cakes!

Jump to Recipe Pin

Having grown up on the coast of New England, I have an innate affinity for all things seafood, shrimp, lobster, clams, haddock, you name it- chances are I’ve happily devoured it. The problem many families find is that seafood can be somewhat pricey. This happens to be a very affordable dish!

tender-shrimp-cakes

Several times per year the price of shrimp plummets, so we take advantage of those sales and stock the freezer with several pounds of cleaned, raw shrimp. If you’re not familiar with sales cycles, you can check out a comprehensive listing of them on our sister site, GroceryBudget101.com.

Have you made Tender Shrimp Cakes? What did you change, substitute, or serve with it?
🍂 Every qualifying comment also earns a giveaway entry. Unlimited entries.

This recipe is an off-the-cuff throw-together that I never seem to make the same way twice. I generally don’t measure the ingredients, but rather eye them depending on the number of people dining with us.

tender shrimp cakes

I love the light buttery flavor the Ritz crackers impart into each bite of the shrimp cakes!

Shrimp Cakes

You’ll Need:
16 large uncooked shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled, deveined
1 large egg
1 green onion, sliced
3 Tbs. Red Onion, Finely Diced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or 1 TBS bottled lemon juice)
1 tablespoon Melted Butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
14-18 Ritz Crackers, Crushed

Oil for frying

fresh raw shrimp in bowl

Crush the crackers into a medium-sized bowl. Coarsely chop the peeled, deveined shrimp. Don’t get too overzealous with this; you want bite-size morsels, not mince.

ritz crackers shrimp cake ingredients

Add the coarsely chopped shrimp to the crushed crackers. Sprinkle the minced cilantro evenly over the top. Add the green onion slices, season with salt and pepper, stir lightly to combine.

In a small bowl beat 1 egg, then add the melted butter, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, and old bay seasoning. Pour the mixture over the cracker/shrimp mixture and stir until evenly coated.

mixing raw shrimp cake ingredients

Form the mixture in several small patties, about the size of hamburgers.

form raw shrimp cake ingredients in patties

Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan to 350F. Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp cakes to the pan and fry until golden brown.

frying raw shrimp cakes in hot oil

Flip one time, cook until golden brown, and transfer the golden shrimp cakes to a plate lined with paper towels or lint-free cotton cloth to drain for 1 minute.

golden brown shrimp cakes fring in hot oil

Serve with a fresh garden salad and Lime Crema.

fried shrimp cakes on papertowels

golden brown shrimp cakes fring in hot oil

Tender Shrimp Cakes

Article or recipe authorMelissa 'Liss' Burnell
approximate calories204kcal
5 from 6 votes
Share
Print Save PDF
preparation time10 minutes
cook time10 minutes
custom time0 minutes
total time20 minutes
Move over crab cakes, there's a new seafood in town and its name is shrimp cake! This dish is made by combining cooked and chopped shrimp with bread crumbs, egg, onion, and seasonings. The mixture is then formed into small patties and pan-fried until golden brown. Serve these hot and fresh with your favorite dipping sauce for a crave-worthy appetizer or main course. Who says you can't have your seafood and eat it too?
Servings4
CourseAppetizer, MYO, Side Dish
CuisineAmerican

Ingredients

  • 16 large uncooked shrimp about 1 pound, peeled, deveined
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 green onion sliced
  • 3 tablespoona Red Onion finely diced
  • 2 tablespoona fresh lemon juice or 1 TBS Concentrated lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Butter Melted
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro minced
  • ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce (we use franks)
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
  • teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 14-18 Ritz Crackers Crushed
  • Oil for frying

Instructions

Prepare Shrimp Cakes
  1. Crush the crackers into a medium-sized bowl. Coarsely chop the peeled, deveined shrimp. Don't get too overzealous with this; you want bite-size morsels, not mince.
    14-18 Ritz Crackers
  2. Add the coarsely chopped shrimp to the crushed crackers. Sprinkle the minced cilantro evenly over the top. Add the iced red onion and thinly sliced green onion slivers, season with salt and pepper, stir lightly to combine.
    16 large uncooked shrimp
    1 green onion
    ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    3 tablespoona Red Onion
  3. In a small bowl beat 1 egg, then add the melted butter, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, and old bay seasoning. Pour the mixture over the cracker/shrimp mixture and stir until evenly coated.
    1 egg
    2 tablespoona fresh lemon juice
    1 tablespoon Butter
    ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
    ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
    1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
How to Cook Tender Shrimp Cakes
  1. Form the mixture in several small patties, about the size of hamburgers.
  2. Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan to 350°F. Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp cakes to the pan and fry until golden brown.
    Oil for frying
  3. Flip one time, cook until golden brown, and transfer the golden shrimp cakes to a plate lined with paper towels or lint-free cotton cloth to drain for 1 minute.
  4. Serve with a fresh garden salad and Lime Crema.

Recipe Size Alteration

💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.

Nutrition

Serving 1g | Calories 204kcal | Carbohydrates 17g | Protein 6g | Fat 13g | Saturated Fat 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat 3g | Monounsaturated Fat 4g | Trans Fat 1g | Cholesterol 107mg | Sodium 340mg | Potassium 130mg | Fiber 1g | Sugar 3g | Vitamin A 399IU | Vitamin C 9mg | Calcium 66mg | Iron 2mg | Net Carbs 16g

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Other Shrimp Recipes you might also enjoy:

Melissa 'Liss' Burnell, Founder of Budget101

👩‍🍳 About the Author

Melissa "Liss" Burnell started Budget101.com in 2001 because she needed it to exist — not because she saw a market opportunity. She was feeding a family of four on under $200 a month, and people kept asking how, so she started writing everything down.

That turned into 25 years of recipes, debt-busting strategies, and DIY content — including figuring out how to make 128 loads of laundry detergent for less than $2. Millions of families have quietly used this site to stretch a dollar without feeling like they're sacrificing anything. She's also the author of two bestselling budget cooking ebooks, available on Amazon.

📚 More on the About page, or find her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.

2 thoughts on “Tender Shrimp Cakes”

  1. Tried these for supper this evening. Pretty good. I served them with sweet potato and had a lime creamy sauce over the cakes.
    Will be making them again.

    Reply
  2. 5 stars
    These are by far the BEST Tasting Tender Shrimp cakes that I’ve ever had and I grew up on the coast of Massachusetts.

    The ratio of Bay Seasoning and hot sauce is perfect, coupled with the Lime crema really brings the flavors together. A robust combination of sheer deliciousness. Thank you, sincerely!

    Reply
💬 Join the conversation
Have you made Tender Shrimp Cakes? What did you change, substitute, or serve with it?
5 from 6 votes (5 ratings without comment)
🍂 Budget101 Fall Comment Giveaway
Every qualifying comment = 1 entry
This week: $25 Winner's Choice Gift Card
Weekly entry period: Aug 31 through Sep 6, 2026.
Grand prize: $100 Walmart Gift Card
Every qualifying comment also remains in the grand-prize pool through Oct 30, 2026.
Unlimited entries. Each approved, original, relevant comment receives one entry.

Leave a Comment

Rating