This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
A simple Shrimp Burger recipe with a tangy and delicious jalapeño lime slaw. Load the shrimp patties onto brioche buns and serve it up with the slaw on top! So many ways to enjoy this!
Ever heard of a shrimp burger?
To be fair, neither had I. But stay with me.
It’s kinda like a crab cake but way less delicate. We have the same kind of binding ingredients but because we’re chopping up the shrimp into small pieces, they hold together like a burger patty would. And when I decided I was going to make this a thing. I realized someone already had. Shrimp burgers are from the coastal area of North Carolina. Which totally makes sense.
We’ll start with lots of chopped shrimp. Then we’ll add in plenty of flavor with garlic powder, an egg to help bind it. Panko breadcrumbs for plenty of texture and what you’re left with is some golden brown tasty shrimp burgers.
Make sandwiches by popping them onto a buttered and toasted brioche bun for a quick meal the whole family will love.
You could even go the low carb route, like I do, and serve them with a jalapeño lime slaw.
Ugh and I’m telling you, it’s a meal straight out of heaven!
These were delicious! The slaw was so tangy and the perfect accompaniment.
Ingredients for Shrimp Burgers
- Raw Shrimp: any shrimp size works here. Since we’re chopping up the shrimp to make the burger mixture, it doesn’t really matter the size you start with.
- Spices: you’ll need cornstarch to bind, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. You can even use some lemon pepper or a little fresh lemon zest for added flavor
- Parsley: I add plenty fresh parsley for color and earthy flavor.
- Egg: Helps bind the shrimp burgers
- Breadcrumbs: gives the beaten egg something to grab on to.
- Oil: I use olive oil because I think the flavor works well here and because we’re cooking these over a medium heat on the stove.
- Greek Yogurt: You’ll need this for the simple slaw that we’re serving the shrimp burgers with
- Garlic: grated garlic goes into the slaw
- Cilantro: adds freshness and eartiness to the slaw. If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, use parsley or some chopped green onion instead.
- Jalapeno: adds a kick that pairs beautifully with the delicate sweet nature of the shrimp.
- Lime: cuts through some of the richness of the greek yogurt
- Cabbage: is the base of our slaw
Making the Best Shrimp Burger recipe
- Make the patties. Place the shrimp on a cutting board and give them a good chop until you have small pieces. You can also pop them into a food processor and give it a few pulses until the shrimp breakdown into small pieces. Aim to make pieces not paste. Add this to a bowl, then add the remaining ingredients for the shrimp patties Sometimes I’ll even add a little lemon zest if I had a lemon on hand. Mix until just combined. Then divide the mixture into four equal pieces.
- Make the slaw. Add all the ingredients for the slaw, except the cabbage, then blend in a blender to create the dressing. Then toss the cabbage with half of the dressing, taste and adjust with more as needed.
- Cook the shrimp burgers. Heat some oiling a skillet. When warm, add patties to the pan and cook undisturbed until golden on one side. Then flip with a spatula and cook the other side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Then cook the remaining patties the same way.
- Serve it up! Finally, serve the patties on a bed of lettuce, or the prepared slaw. Top with a dollop of sour cream or even tartare sauce if you’d like.
Other Shrimp Recipes to Try
- Garlic Shrimp in Lemon Butter Sauce
- 30-Minute Spicy Shrimp Masala
- Garlicky Hawaiian Shrimp Scampi
- Firecracker Shrimp
- Calabrian Chili Pasta with Shrimp
Simple Shrimp Burgers with Jalapeño Lime Slaw
Equipment
Ingredients
Shrimp burger:
- 1½ pounds raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon parsley chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoon olive oil for pan frying
Jalapeño Lime Slaw:
- ½ cup greek yogurt or sour cream
- 2-3 small cloves garlic to preference
- ½ cup loosely packed cilantro or parsley
- 3-4 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 – 1½ jalapeño seeded and roughly chopped
- ½ large cabbage shredded
Instructions
- CHOP: Place shrimp on a cutting board and chop it up into ½-inch pieces or smaller. You can also just pulse it in the food processor a few times but be sure you don't turn the shrimp into a paste.
- COMBINE: In a medium bowl combine burger ingredients before adding shrimp. Add shrimp and mix until just combined. Divide mixture into 4 patties, about ½-inch in thickness.
- SLAW DRESSING: Place all the ingredients for the slaw (except cabbage) with ½ teaspoon of salt and start with 3 tablespoons of lime juice into a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and lime juice to preference.
- COOK: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the patties but do not overcrowd the pan, cooking two at a time. Pan fry shrimp burgers for 5-7 minutes, flipping around the halfway mark until opaque and no longer raw in the center. Place on a paper towel-lined plate and cook the remaining patties the same way.
- SLAW: Toss half of the dressing with the cabbage and adjust with more dressing or kosher salt to taste.
- SERVE: Serve shrimp burger over a bed of prepared slaw or on brioche buns with slaw on top. Add a dollop of sour cream if you'd like!
Notes
- Frozen shrimp works, just be sure to defrost and squeeze out all the water before chopping.
- This makes just enough dressing for 4 servings. Just double the slaw ingredients if you’d like to have larger portions or leftovers! Leftover dressing can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- You can play with this tons! Sometimes I’ll add a little lemon zest into the burgers (along with the other ingredients) other times its cayenne, dried basil, lemon pepper seasoning, Italian seasoning, or chipotle chili powder! Feel free to make it your own!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This? Leave a comment & rating below!
You hit it here sister! Great idea and perfect pairing. I opted for adding chipotle chili powder to complement jalapeno and cilantro. Next time I’m gonna add dash or two lemon pepper cuz I know that’ll fly right on instinct alone.
The jalapeño and cilantro are part of the dressing, not the slaw? I’m a tiny bit confused. Looking at photo with the slaw I see “green” things. Please reply, thank you.
These were delish! I did add Old Bay seasoning to the shrimp and did a mixture of cilantro and parsley for the dressing. I also added some honey to the dressing .
I also made these patties using hearts of palm for my vegetarian daughter and they were a massive success. Thank you for sharing!
This has become one of my staples and many friends request this recipe when I invite them over for dinner. Brioche buns are a must!
Delicious and perfect served on the slaw on a hot summer night. We are always trying to make even the quickest recipes even quicker. Is there an option to make the patties ahead and freeze?
I added a tablespoon of Thai yellow curry paste before mixing in my food processor. Yum.
Interesting! Thanks for sharing, I’ll have to try that too!
These were delicious! The slaw was so tangy and the perfect accompaniment. #teamcilantro
I’m all for that team! 😉
Love this recipe! I needed some red in there, so I topped these burgers (they are definitely classifiable as burgers) with a quick, fresh pico de gallo. Go team cilantro. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Made this with brioche bun and some spicy tartar sauce on it. Sooooo amazing. I added a little onion powder and a little old bay seasoning. My kids loved it and my daughters asked for it again the next night.
These look absolutely amazing! They are on the menu for tomorrow night. I promise to report back!