Shrimp Burgers
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Crispy, golden patties with all the coastal flavor you crave—these Southern-style shrimp burgers with tartar sauce make a quick and easy dinner.
Photo by America’s Test Kitchen
A Southern coastal favorite, this best ever shrimp burger is made from just a few simple ingredients: chopped raw shrimp, mayonnaise, scallions, salt, pepper, and cayenne. To achieve that irresistible crunch reminiscent of fried seafood, the shrimp patties are coated in panko coating and then sautéed until golden and crisp.
This dish is straight from one of my favorite cookbooks, Foolproof Fish, by the ever-reliable America’s Test Kitchen. I’ve made it countless times, and with tartar sauce on the side, it’s one of my favorite shrimp recipes.
The best part? You can whip up this shrimp burger recipe in under 30 minutes—perfect for hectic weeknights. By the way, if burgers aren’t calling your name today, just ditch the buns—the patties make delicious shrimp cakes. Pair with corn on the cob or a fresh corn salad for a lovely dinner.
If you love Southern flavors, there’s plenty more to explore! Try my classic shrimp and grits, gumbo with andouille sausage and shrimp, or fried chicken sandwiches—crispy and juicy beyond compare!
“These are just delicious! Everyone loved them.”
Shrimp Burger ingredients
- Panko bread crumbs: A Japanese-style bread crumb that’s larger much crunchier than standard bread crumbs. It gives the shrimp burger patties a crispy, golden crunch.
- Large shrimp: The base for the burgers. Unless you live near the coast, I recommend buying frozen shrimp for convenience and quality—just thaw them before using!
- Mayonnaise: Adds moisture and richness to the shrimp mixture, helping bind everything together. Always use good-quality mayo, like Hellmann’s or Duke’s.
- Cayenne pepper and fresh scallions: The cayenne adds a subtle kick of heat to balance the flavors while the scallions contribute a mild fresh onion flavor.
- Vegetable oil: Used for sautéing the patties and getting them crispy and golden.
- Tartar sauce: A tangy, creamy topping for the burgers. You can use store-bought or make homemade tartar sauce depending on your preference.
- Hamburger buns: Serve as the base and top for the shrimp burgers. I highly recommend toasting them for added texture. If you want to take things up a notch, use brioche burgers for their tasty buttery sweet flavor.
- Bibb lettuce: A fresh, crisp topping to add crunch and balance the richness of the shrimp burgers. You can swap it out with type of lettuce you have on hand.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How to Make shrimp burgers
Step 1: Pulse the Panko. Add the panko to your food processor and pulse until it’s finely ground. Transfer to a shallow dish.
Step 2: Chop the Shrimp. Add one-third of the shrimp, the mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and cayenne to the now-empty food processor. Pulse about 8 times until the shrimp are finely chopped.
Step 3: Finish Chopping. Add the rest of the shrimp and pulse 4 times just to coarsely chop. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides as needed.
Step 4: Make the Shrimp Patty Mixture. Transfer the chopped shrimp to a bowl and stir in the scallions.
Step 5: Shape the Burgers. Lightly moisten your hands and divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Gently shape each into a ¾-inch-thick patty.
Step 6: Coat the Burgers. Dredge each patty in the crushed panko one at a time. Flip it over to completely coat both sides and the edges.
⭐️ Pro tip: Once the shrimp burgers are breaded, they can be wrapped and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours or frozen for longer storage. If freezing, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and flash freeze. Once frozen, transfer the homemade shrimp burgers to a container or freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
Step 7: Cook. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until it’s shimmering. Add the patties and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Step 8: Flip and Finish. Flip the patties over and cook another 3 to 5 minutes, until they’re golden brown and reach 140°F. Transfer the cooked shrimp burgers to a paper towel-lined plate to drain for about 30 seconds on each side.
Step 9: Assemble and Serve. Spread the tartar sauce evenly among the bun bottoms, add the burgers and the lettuce on top. Cover with the bun tops and serve.
jenn’s tips for the best Shrimp burgers
- Don’t Over Process the Shrimp. Follow my technique for chopping. This ensures the shrimp patty has a bit of texture.
- Experiment With Shrimp Burger Toppings. Keep it classic with the Bibb lettuce and tartar sauce or get creative with your favorites. You can swap the tartar for cocktail sauce, green sauce, or even a spicy mayo, and add picked red onions or citrus slaw.
- Other Ways to Enjoy. If you want to skip the bun, these shrimp burgers work great as a shrimp patty on its own, added to a lettuce wrap, or served atop a salad or bowl. Shape them into bite-size portions and use mini buns for shrimp sliders, or skip the bun for a tasty appetizer or finger food.
More shrimp recipes you’ll love
Shrimp Burgers
Quick, flavorful, and perfect for weeknights—these shrimp burgers come together fast and taste like something you’d order at a seaside shack.
Ingredients
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1½ pounds large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed, divided
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 scallions, chopped fine
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup tartar sauce
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
- 4 leaves Bibb lettuce
Instructions
- Pulse panko in food processor until finely ground, about 15 pulses; transfer to shallow dish. Place one-third of shrimp (about 1 cup), mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and cayenne in now-empty processor and pulse until shrimp are finely chopped, about 8 pulses. Add remaining shrimp and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 4 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to bowl and stir in scallions.
- Using your lightly moistened hands, divide shrimp mixture into 4 equal portions, then gently shape each portion into ¾-inch-thick patty.
- Working with 1 patty at a time, dredge in panko, pressing lightly to adhere; transfer to plate.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
- Cook until patties are golden brown and register 140 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer burgers to paper towel–lined plate and let drain, about 30 seconds per side. Spread tartar sauce evenly among bun bottoms, then place burgers and lettuce on top. Cover with bun tops. Serve.
- Note: Nutritional information does not include tartar sauce.
- To make these shrimp burgers ahead of time, shape the patties and refrigerate them overnight. If you want to freeze them, place the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid, 1 to 2 hours. Then transfer them to a resealable plastic bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, thaw the frozen patties in the fridge overnight and follow the cooking instructions.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 467
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Sodium: 610 mg
- Cholesterol: 277 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Loved these. Very tasty and a nice alternative use of shrimp. They came together pretty quickly. I’ll add that I used regular breadcrumbs and it tasted great. I also was lazy about pulling out my food processor. The blender worked fine but the processor would have been more efficient.
These are just delicious! Everyone loved them. My boyfriends uncle bought a food processor so he can make these.. That’s how much he likes them lol! I would like to make them ahead of time for a large family party…is it possible to freeze them before cooking? Then thaw and cook?
Thanks for all your amazing recipes!
Hi Rebecca, so glad they’ve been such a hit – I love that your bf’s uncle bought a food processor to make these! 😊 I’ve never frozen them, but I think it should work. When you’re ready to cook them, thaw them overnight in the fridge (you’ll want to ensure that they are completely thawed in the center prior to cooking).
Jenn, isn’t the rule, ‘don’t refreeze seafood’ important? Very few cooks have access to shrimp that have not been frozen. I’ve made these and your salmon cakes many times and would really like to be able freeze the uncooked patties. Thanks.
Hi Chris, while some people may not choose to refreeze seafood that has been frozen and thawed, it is OK from a food safety standpoint. To minimize quality loss, it’s best to refreeze seafood as quickly as possible and ensure it is properly sealed to avoid freezer burn. So bottom line — I think it’s worth a try!
I made this once and we loved it!! The tarter sauce is also great… I’m going to make it again but can only find 16-20 shrimp Besides using maybe less than 1.5lb any other suggestions for altering or should it be ok with the larger shrimp. Thanks Michelle
Hi Michelle, glad you enjoyed it! It’s fine for you to use those shrimp and I’d stick with 1.5 lbs; the only difference is it will take a few more pulses to get it to the correct size.
Loved these! Next time I will add Old Bay to mix.
These were so easy and so good! Next time I might add an egg or two to help them stay together…mine fell apart. 😢
Love so many of your recipes! Q – Is it possible to sub plain greek yogurt for the mayo or would that really change taste/texture?
Thanks.
Hi Joanna, I think it would be fine here. Please LMK how it turns out!
These were to die for! I used a 1lb package of shrimp without any other modifications to the recipe and cooked the burgers in olive oil. I can’t wait to make them again. And bonus: this week we’re having Jen’s Everyday Spice-Crusted Salmon, another family favorite, to use up the leftover tartar sauce. 🙂
Love that recipe…I used the leftover tartar sauce for my shrimp burgers!
Simple and so delicious. I love lemon and added zest and a generous fresh squeeze with some fresh parsley. Look forward to making this a lot
Hi Jenn, I haven’t tried this yet but I have loved every one of your recipes. For this one do you use raw or cooked shrimp. Thank you
Dave
Glad you enjoy the recipes, Dave! For this recipe you need raw shrimp.
These were incredibly delicious. We had them without the buns and it was a nice light dinner. Thank you!
Love your recipes and looking forward to making this one! In your recipes you use Vegetable Oil versus Olive Oil. Is there a specific reason for this?
Hi Patricia, I actually use both oils, but when I want an oil that’s very neutral in flavor, I go with vegetable oil. (You can get away with using olive oil here.) So glad you like the recipes — hope you enjoy this one as well!
Thank you!