Shrimp Burgers Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/22/22
Shrimp burger with special sauce, tomato, and lettuce.
Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Chill: 20 mins
Total: 52 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 burgers

Shrimp burgers are a great way to enjoy shrimp, and they are great for family meals and cookouts. About half of the shrimp is pureed in a food processor, while for texture, the remaining shrimp and aromatic vegetables get a coarser chop. Every bite is chock-full of bright flavor and texture.

The tangy special sauce is a simple mixture of mayonnaise, lemon, and seasonings. It's a delicious sauce for the shrimp burgers, or you might make it for fried clams, shrimp, or oysters. The sauce is wonderful with fish as well.

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, more to taste

  • 3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

  • 1 scallion, minced

For the Shrimp Burgers:

  • 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined, divided

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 3 scallions, coarsely chopped

  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper

  • 3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired

  • Lettuce leaves

  • Sliced tomatoes, optional

  • Pickles, optional

  • Onion, sliced, optional

Steps to Make It

Make the Sauce

  1. Gather the sauce ingredients.

    Ingredients for special sauce.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  2. Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon of Old Bay, and the minced scallion. Stir to blend and refrigerate until serving time.

    Sauce for shrimp burgers in a bowl.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Make the Shrimp Burgers

  1. Gather the shrimp burger ingredients.

    Ingredients for shrimp burgers.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  2. In a food processor, puree half of the shrimp with the garlic. Transfer the pureed shrimp to a large bowl.

    Shrimp in the food processor.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  3. To the food processor bowl, add the 3 chopped scallions, red bell pepper, 3/4 teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Pulse until the vegetables are finely chopped. Transfer the chopped vegetables to the bowl with the pureed shrimp.

    Food processor with chopped vegetables.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  4. With a sharp knife, cut the remaining shrimp into 1/4-inch pieces. Add the chopped shrimp to the bowl with the pureed shrimp and chopped vegetables; mix until thoroughly blended. Shape the shrimp mixture into 4 patties and refrigerate for about 20 minutes, or until chilled.

    Mixture for shrimp burgers.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  5. Heat the vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp patties and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper; cook for about 4 to 6 minutes on each side, or until thoroughly cooked.

    Shrimp burger patties in skillet.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  6. Assemble the shrimp patties on lettuce-lined buns with the sauce and other toppings, as desired.

    Shrimp burger on a lettuce lined bun
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Tip

  • To ensure the shrimp burgers are fully cooked, use an instant-read thermometer. The minimum safe temperature for shrimp and other seafood is 145 F (62.8 C).
  • The shrimp burgers can be grilled in a stovetop grill pan or on an outdoor grill in a nonstick perforated grill pan.
  • Serve the shrimp patties without the buns and put the toppings on the side.

Recipe Variation

  • For spicier shrimp burgers, add a few teaspoons of finely minced jalapeño pepper or about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
719 Calories
43g Fat
35g Carbs
46g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 719
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 43g 55%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 376mg 125%
Sodium 2581mg 112%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 46g
Vitamin C 21mg 105%
Calcium 285mg 22%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 490mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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