Now I’m sure we’ve all heard of crab cakes and the majority of us have tried them in our favourite restaurants. But crab meat isn’t the most accessible or the cheapest in price. So what about shrimp cakes? Armed with my crab cake recipe while I strut the aisles of my supermarket, I searched for crab meat only to find none. However, a 1-pound bag of shrimps caught my eye and I immediately was reminded of the home-made shrimp cakes I grew up with.
I’ve recently rediscovered the joy in cooking savoury foods. Now, as you can see, 95.83% of my posts have been on sweet baked goods that call for precise and exact measurements. While I have no difficulty paying maniacal attention to every detail and measurement, it sometimes takes away the fun. Even when I do opt for a substitution, they are usually researched upon beforehand.
However when it comes to cooking…. I play by my own rules! Substituting crabs for shrimps? SURE! No cilantro? Let’s throw in some parsley! I guess I would have to attribute part of it to my Asian-ness. I.don’t.like.spending.money.unecessarily. If I have it, then great! But if I don’t then I’m not going to shell out $5 for 1/4 tsp of a certain spice, especially when I probably wouldn’t use it again! Plus I often find it fun experimenting with different spice combinations. Isn’t that where the joy of cooking comes from? 🙂 I bet if you made this recipe, you’d be changing it up too!
With that being said, here’s a 10 minute appetizer that you can make at home! or… 5 minutes if you’re super fast in the kitchen! Although I referred it to an appetizer, these cakes are can easily be made into a meal! I remember my childhood days having this with rice and stir-fried broccoli. Yes, super Asian! Just the way I love it! ❤ ❤ Or you could eat it as a patty in your burger / sandwich!
Sam’s 10-Minute Shrimp Cakes
makes 6 patties
- 1 pound /500g shrimps (peeled, no shell)
- 2 slices bread (“crumbed” into crumbs)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon-style prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
Directions
- Coarsely shred shrimps by using your hands to tear them apart. You can also use a food processor if you don’t mind the extra cleaning to do!
- Lightly beat egg. Add in mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and all the spices. Add in shredded shrimps and bread crumbs then mix ingredients by hand. Form into patties; this should make 6 good-size cakes. Dust each side with flour, re-dusting whenever necessary.
- Heat skillet with medium heat and use 1 tablespoon of butter for every 3 shrimp cakes, then fry cakes for about 2-4 minutes each side or until they are nicely browned.
Hope you guys enjoyed this!
Sweet Samsations 
These little cakes are quick easy look delicious and very classy!
Keeper recipe 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I nearly bought shrimps yesterday as I had this very dish in mind 🙂
Sammie, these look so delicious! I have one question, are the shrimp raw when you chop them up or do you buy cooked shrimp? I really think I’ll make these soon for an easy weeknight meal. So glad you shared this!
Wow, 10 minute wonder! I love a good crab/fish cake and I’d go nuts for prawns. Definitely perfect for your warmer seasons in the northern hemisphere for sure! 😉
Loving this 10 minute wonder! I also am the substitute guru as you know you have to be if you live in Asia as it always is plan B. Just wondering if you or anyone else has noticed the strange problems with shrimp from Vietnam? Today I used some and they had a strange texture almost like they had been pumped up with something abnormal. I threw them out. Thoughts on this? Take care, BAM
Yum! Making these this weekend!
I’m really going to have to try these. They look fantastic and might be cheaper than crab cakes. Well done Sam.
These look great, Sam. I love crab cakes so I would likely love these. I wonder, have you ever tried baking them to avoid frying?
Only 10 minutes?! Sold! These look so tasty, Sam!
Hi Sam,
This looks so yummy!
Sammie, this ticks all the boxes for me. Delicious seafood that is easy and quick to make! 😀
What a great idea to use the shrimp instead of the crab. I am allergic to the shellfish but I can sub fake crab in your recipe, it looks delicious!
Ooo, this looks devine!! Mmmmmmm
Now you are talking my language when it comes to cooking, play by ones own rule. I love to substitute and always wondered: “What if …..” Baking on the other had as you mentioned, requires precise and exact measurements which I can do if I have to but dislike.
Your shrimp cakes look wonderful.
Wha! There is no way something that looks this good is so simple and quick to make! I love it!
Simple, delicious and so many ways to serve these nifty shrimp cakes.
these sound + look just wonderful!
haha.. Thanks Uru! Yeah, they were easier than I thought they’d be!
Aww! haha.. Thanks Tandy! Glad you liked it!
Thanks Geni!!! My shrimps were frozen and so I thawed them by microwaving them before I cooked them! I’d say they were almost fully cooked! I’m excited to see how yours turn out and I hope you like them!! 🙂
Thanks Alice! haha.. Shrimps are one of my favourites! They’re used so much in dim sum and sushi! And that’s why I thought this would have been a great idea! haha
Yeah you definitely are, Bam! You make the most innovative substitutions! Not sure about Vietnamese shrimps!! I usually get the frozen ones from the supermarket! haha… Thanks Bam!!
Yay! lemme know how they turn out! 🙂 Thanks!
Yeah! They’re much more affordable and also super yummy! 🙂 Thanks Tia!!
Hi Eva! Thank you! I haven’t tried baking them yet but I bet they’d taste delicious and I could probably avoid the unecessary oil! Thanks! 🙂
Thank you Courtney!!
Thank you Asmita!
These look fabulous, Sam! I’ve thought of making salmon cakes but never shrimp cakes. You’ve inspired me to try my hand at these 🙂
Yay! Thanks Lorraine! Yeah! I’d probably make it again and maybe even add some celery and bell peppers!
Thanks Carol! Fake crab taste pretty good too! Yeah I think even tuna and salmon would work with this! hehee.. 🙂
Thank you!! 🙂
Yeah! Baking is definitely a Science. One tablespoon too much or too little can sometimes flop the whole recipe!
Thanks Norma!!
haha… Thank you! I’m glad you like it! 🙂
Absolutely! Thanks Maureen!
Why, thank you Amy! 🙂
Awww I’m glad to hear that Liz! I hope you’ll like them! If you like, you can add some celery and bell pepper to make them a little healthier too! hehe..
I really enjoyed reading your philosophy/strategy on cooking which is similar to my own. I will also add that I’m basically a lazy cook and expect a lot of flavour bang for my time/effort buck. 🙂
I made a similar dish (chicken patties/burgers) out of a recipe for chicken meatballs meant to be used in soup because I didn’t want to bother making a lot of tiny meatballs nor did I particularly feel like making a pot of soup on that day. What I DID want to do was use up some trimmings of chicken breast that I had after making chicken cutlets for chicken katsu and try out my handy new food processor.
By the way, I’m thinking that with some fiddling the ground shrimp would be a great filling for some chinese steamed dumplings or even for those wonderful stuffed green peppers like you get for dim sum.
Oh, these look great and simple ingredients, which is a bonus in my book! I live near the ocean, so we have several restaurant that serve the crab cakes, but they always use too much filler, probably to cut down on the cost. Your shrimp cakes are perfect!
10 minute! Sounds perfect to me, especially soon I have to start making my son a lunch box…. 10 minute with this delicious shrimp cakes? I’m in!
yes! I want them right now
Wow, only 10 minutes for those babies? What a great weeknight meal they would make. I know I’d eat at least four, easily. 😉
Hi Dear! Thanks for your insightful comment!! Yeah! That chicken patty sounds delicious! And how creative you are to turn your meatballs into patties! I also love your idea of those dim sum. Shrimps are always great fillings!
Thanks Sandra dear! Yeah! I’ve seen a lot of crab cakes with fillers like potatoes in them. Some are pretty good though! haha.. But yeah, lucky you!! I’d love to live near the ocean and visit all those restaurants! 🙂
Thanks Nami! haha.. I bet you’d probably make it in less than 10 minutes with your wonderful skills in the kitchen! 😉
Thanks Beti!! 🙂
hahaha.. Thanks Carolyn! Yeah! I’ll try them with some avocado next time too! I think they’d go very well together!