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Shrimp burgers are juicy, flavorful, and packed with fresh flavors in every bite. The patties are seared in butter until golden, then finished in the oven for tender perfectly cooked patties. Topped with a creamy sauce and your favorite toppings, they’re a restaurant-style take on shrimp burgers that are easy to make at home!
Why You’ll Love These Shrimp Burgers
If you’ve ever had shrimp burgers that fall apart or taste bland, these fix both. The combination of ingredients ensures the best flavor and texture, so you get a burger that holds together and tastes as good as it looks.
Here’s what makes them so good:
- Actually flavorful (not bland). With Old Bay seasoning, Parmesan, lemon, and fresh herbs, every single bite is well seasoned.
- Hold together perfectly without feeling heavy. The combination of ingredients creates a patty that stays together while still feeling light and tender.
- Crisp on the outside, tender inside. A quick sear adds a crisp, golden crust, while finishing in the oven keeps the inside juicy and perfectly cooked.
- Light, but still satisfying. Shrimp helps to keep these burgers lighter than beef, but they’re still flavorful and filling.
How They Don’t Fall Apart (And Stay Juicy)
Shrimp burgers can be tricky to make. They can easily fall apart or turn out too soft. This recipe avoids both, for a few reasons.
- It has the right balance of binders: The combination of breadcrumbs, egg, and mayo gives the mixture enough structure to hold together without making it dense. Each ingredient plays a role in keeping the patties stable while still tender.
- You’ll finely chop the shrimp: The shrimp are chopped just enough to help bind everything together, while still keeping some texture. This creates a patty that holds its shape without turning into a paste.
- They’re seared first, then finished in the oven: Starting in a hot pan helps form that golden crust that locks all the juicy flavors in place. Finishing in the oven ensures the burgers cook evenly without breaking apart.
- Letting the patties rest briefly: After shaping, give the patties a few minutes to rest helps them first up slightly, making them easier to handle and cook.
Ingredient Notes
No complicated ingredients here! You can find everything for these burgers at your local grocery store.
- Shrimp: Use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp. Make sure to pat them dry before chopping to avoid excess moisture.
- Breadcrumbs: Help absorb moisture and give the patties structure. They keep the burgers from feeling too soft.
- Egg: The egg acts as a binder to hold everything together so it’s key for keeping the patties intact.
- Mayo: Adds a bit of moisture.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds a savory depth of flavor. It also helps the patties firm up slightly as they cook.
- Onion and garlic: Finely chop both so they blend together well.
- Lemon juice and zest: These add brightness.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds a savory flavor that brings everything together.
- Seasonings: You will need Old Bay, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and cajun seasoning.
- Butter: To cook the shrimp patties. Butter tastes the best, but you could substitute with oil.
- Ketchup: Gives the sauce that classic familiar burger flavor.
- Sweet relish: Adds a subtle sweetness that cuts through the richness of the mayo.
- Hot sauce: Adds a subtle heat that pairs well with the burgers.
- For serving: I love serving these cajun shrimp burgers with brioche buns, lettuce, tomato, and avocado.
How to Make Shrimp Burgers
- Finely chop the shrimp in a food processor.
- Add the chopped shrimp to a large bowl with the breadcrumbs, cheese, onion, garlic, egg, mayo, dill, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Divide the burger mixture into 6 equal portions. Shape each burger into burger patties.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and sear the patties on both sides until golden brown (3-4 minutes per side.)
- Transfer the seared patties to a preheated oven (350°F/180°C) for 8-10 minutes, until cooked through.
- Toast the burger buns. Place the shrimp patties on the bun and add preferred toppings like lettuce, tomato, avocado, and the sauce. Serve hot.
Chef’s Kiss
Expert Recipe Tips
- Dry the shrimp really well. Before chopping, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Too much moisture is the main reason shrimp burgers fall flat.
- Don’t overprocess the shrimp. Pulse or chop just until finely minced. You want it to hold together, but still have some texture.
- Use a hot pan and don’t move them too soon. Let the patties sear undisturbed for a few minutes to develop a crust. This helps them hold together when flipping.
- Finish in the oven for even cooking. After searing, transfer to the oven to cook through without overcooking the outside.
FAQs
Yes! Just make sure they are fully thawed and patted very dry before using. Excess moisture will affect the texture and cause the patties to fall apart.
Yes. You can prepare and shape the patties ahead of time, then store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking.
Yes, but they are more delicate than traditional beef burgers. For best results, cook them on a well-oiled pan.
They should be firm to the touch and opaque all the way through. They should feel firm and not soft or mushy in the center. If you want to be precise, you can use a thermometer and target 145°F. Avoid overcooking, as shrimp can become dry and rubbery.
What to Serve with Shrimp Burgers
This shrimp burger recipe pairs best with sides that add freshness, crunch, or something simple on the side.
- Add a salad: Keep it fresh and balanced with a Classic Caesar Salad or Cucumber, Tomato, and Feta Salad.
- Add something savory: Corn is a natural pairing for shrimp. Cajun Butter Corn adds a little sweetness and spice.
- Go for something crispy: If you want something more classic, you can’t go wrong with french fries, sweet potato fries, or crispy potato wedges.
- Keep it casual: These are great for easy, laid-back meals, so simple sides like chips, pickles, or fruit salad work well.
Storage Instructions
Store the cooked burger patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them cool completely before storing.
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. This helps keep the outside crisp and the inside juicy.
You can freeze the uncooked or cooked patties for up to 2 months. Place parchment paper between each patty and store in a sealed container or freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking or reheating.
More Shrimp Recipes
Shrimp Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds raw shrimp peeled, deveined, and patted dry
- 3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 2 tablespoons dill
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Spices
- 2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- Butter for cooking
- For serving: burger buns, lettuce, tomato, avocado
For the Sauce
- 1 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup sweet relish
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Add the shrimp to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. They should not be pureed completely, there should still be some texture.
- In a large bowl, mix together the shrimp, breadcrumbs, cheese, onion, garlic, egg, mayo, dill, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, and spices until combined.
- Divide the mixture into 6 portions. Shape each into burger patties.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and sear patties on both sides until golden brown (3-4 minutes per side).
- Transfer seared patties to a preheated oven (350°F/180°C) for 8-10 minutes to ensure thorough cooking.
- Mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce.
- Toast the burger buns. Place the shrimp patty on the bun and add preferred toppings and sauce, like lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Serve hot.
Notes
- Pat shrimp dry before chopping.
- Sear first, then finish in the oven.
- Don’t overcook. Shrimp cook quickly, remove once the patties are firm and opaque.
- Chill patties if needed. If the mixture feels soft, refrigerate the patties for 15-20 minutes before cooking to help firm them up.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
They tasted way better than I expected. I’d definitely make them again; they came out really good.
These shrimp burgers are a nice change from the usual beef patty.
This shrimp burger is a game-changer, so fresh and flavorful, and a fantastic switch from a regular burger.
Made these for my friends birthday and they were a hit! So flavorful and juicy. I’ll definitely be making them again.
My husband loved it! He said it was restaurant quality! For me it was a little too spicy. Next time I will use less hot sauce..
Delicious! Fam ❤️ it. Thanks so much for the recipe. Will be keeping this recipes as one of my fav shrimp recipes 😏🌺.