Pan-Fried Shrimp Cakes with Fresh Summer Corn
Crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside—these pan-fried shrimp and corn cakes are a delicious combination of juicy shrimp, sweet corn, and warm spices, all bound together with a crunchy breadcrumb coating. Paired with a creamy, herby cilantro lime crema, they’re the perfect balance of zesty, savory, and slightly spicy flavors. Whether served as an appetizer, a main dish, or even tucked into a sandwich, these shrimp cakes are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Servings: 8 large shrimp cakes or 14 smaller shrimp cakes
Calories: 296kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the shrimp cakes
- 1 lb extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- 2 cups (320g) fresh corn kernels, from 2 ears of corn (you can use drained canned corn if needed)
- 2 cups (200g) breadcrumbs, divided (or panko breadcrumbs)
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp (30g) sour cream, creme fraiche, mayonnaise, or Greek yogurt
- 1 large (50g) egg, beaten
- 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (leave the seeds in if you like spice!)
- ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped, plus more for serving
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lime zest, from 1 small lime, cut into wedges for serving
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed, sunflower, or canola oil
For the cilantro lime crema
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp. Place half of the shrimp and half of the corn in a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Pulse several times until the mixture is almost paste-like in consistency. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Chop the remaining ½ lb of shrimp into small bite-size pieces roughly ¼-inch in size. Add this to the bowl along with the remaining 1 cup of whole corn kernels.
- Create shrimp cake mixture. To this, add ½ cup (50g) breadcrumbs, 3 sliced scallions, 2 Tbsp (30g) sour cream, 1 beaten egg, 1 chopped jalapeño, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 tsp lime zest, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp chili powder, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Mix well, then refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Make the sauce. If making in a blender, place ⅔ cup sour cream, ½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, 1 chopped garlic clove, lime zest and juice, and a pinch of Kosher salt in the bowl of a blender, then process until very smooth. Otherwise, whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
- Prepare the shrimp cakes. Place the remaining 1½ (150g) cups of breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. It’s helpful to wet hands with water or wear gloves for this step. Working with ¼-⅓ cup of the mixture at a time, form into uniform flat round disks, then gently press into the panko on both sides. Set on a sheet pan or plate until ready to fry. The shrimp cakes can be made up to this point and then wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 8 hours until ready to cook. If cooking right away, refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to firm up.
- Cook, then serve! Heat ¼ cup neutral oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When hot, work in batches to pan-fry the shrimp cakes until golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving plate, then sprinkle with chopped cilantro. You may need to wipe out the pan and/or add more oil in between batches. Repeat until all shrimp cakes are cooked. Enjoy with cilantro lime crema alongside.
Notes
- To make-ahead: The mixture can be shaped into cakes and kept in the fridge for up to 8 hours before cooking.
- Store: Leftover shrimp cakes stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet to crisp them back up.
- To freeze: For best results, freeze the uncooked patties (after breading) in a single layer on a sheet pan, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then cook as directed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1shrimp cake | Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 821mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 597IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 2mg
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