These Shrimp Cakes with Spicy Mayo dipping sauce is a quick and easy dinner loaded with flavor.  Loaded with tender shrimp, fresh veggies and fried until golden. They’re a different twist on the classic crab cakes.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Keto Shrimp Cakes Recipe

• Tender shrimp made into patties
• Finely diced fresh veggies
• Fried until golden crisp
• Served with an easy homemade Spicy Mayo for dipping
• Gluten-free and family friendly

These shrimp cakes are a fun twist on traditional crab cakes. Sometimes shrimp can be a little more readily available and less expensive than crab. So this version is a little more doable for some.

They have all the same taste flavors and texture, made just as quick and easy. Simply mix in the ingredients, form them into patties and fry them up!  I serve them with a spicy mayo that you will want to use on so many other things too.  

You only need 1/2 batch for this recipe, but I recommend making the whole batch, because once you taste it, you’ll want to use it more. I noted some suggestions in the Spicy Mayo recipe you can check out.

🛒 Ingredients for Shrimp Cakes

• Shrimp
• Spicy Mayo
• Almond flour
• Red bell pepper
• Butter
• Olive oil
• Red onion
• Chives
• Eggs
• Sriracha
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Large nonstick skillet
• Mixing bowl
• Ice cream scoop
• Baking sheet or platter
• Parchment paper

🔪 How to Make Shrimp Cakes with Spicy Mayo

Prepare the Spicy Mayo and allow it to chill in the fridge so they flavors can meld, while you make the shrimp cakes.

Clean and chop your shrimp into small pieces.

Add the shrimp to a large mixing bowl, along with the almond flour, bell pepper, red onion, eggs, chives, 1 tablespoon of the Spicy Mayo, Sriracha, salt and pepper.

Mix everything together, just until combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, form the cakes and place them on a baking sheet or platter lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper will make them easier to transfer to the skillet.

Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium and add in the butter and olive oil.

Cover with a lid and fry the cakes for several minutes on each side until they are cooked through.

Serve with the spicy mayo, either dolloped over the tops or as a dipping sauce on the side.

☑️ Storage Instruction

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days or freeze.

🍴 What to Serve with Shrimp Cakes

• Lime Cilantro Broccoli Slaw
• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Peanut Ginger Slaw
• Thai Cucumber Salad

💡 Tips

• Try to buy wild caught shrimp, it’s healthier than farmed. It will also save you some time if you buy shrimp that has already been peeled and deveined with the tails already off. So all you’ll have to do is chop it up. The shrimp that I used is in the pic below. It’s probably my favorite shrimp that I buy.
• Use large or smaller shrimp, rather than jumbo. This will make it easier to chop into small enough pieces for the cakes.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan. Allowing enough space in between each patty will allow them to get a good sear and also make them easier to flip.
• Make sure to chop your shrimp in small pieces.  If they are too large, you risk them not cooking all the way through.
• Don’t skip adding the lid.  The lid helps trap the heat so the patties are completely cooked through.
• Be sure the heat doesn’t rise above medium, otherwise the patties will brown too quickly and won’t have enough time to cook through.

🔄 Substitutions and Additions

• If you like scallops, you can add in 1/2 pound of chopped scallops and reduce the shrimp to 1/2 pound.
• If you’d like a little more spice, add in a pinch of red pepper flakes or increase the Sriracha to 1 tablespoon.  If you do this though, add in a little more almond flour to maintain the same consistency so the cakes don’t fall apart.
• If you don’t love Spicy Mayo, you can make this same recipe using Bang Bang Sauce as a substitution.
• If you prefer using scallions instead of chives, you can swap them out, just be sure to chop the scallions small enough.
• If you can’t have butter, you can use all olive oil instead.

How do you keep shrimp patties from falling apart?

Making sure you chop your shrimp small enough is key, as it will blend in better with the other ingredients. Having enough binder, in this recipe, egg and almond flour is also important.

What is the best binder for fishcakes?

The combination of egg and almond flour make the best binder for these cakes and any other cakes with crab, salmon or other seafood.

Can I use cooked shrimp for shrimp cakes?

Technically you can, but you do run the risk of the shrimp being overcooked and have a rubbery texture. It’s really best to use raw shrimp.

What is the best oil for frying shrimp cakes?

I use a combination of butter and olive oil. The butter gives them more flavor and the olive oil helps prevent the butter from burning. I use this combination in most things that I fry or sauté in a skillet because it works so well.

🍽️ More Keto Seafood Recipes

• Baked Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
• Keto Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce
• Salmon Piccata
• Broiled Lobster Tails with Compound Butter
• Keto Coconut Shrimp