Shrimp and Corn Cakes

5 from 4 votes
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These easy Shrimp and Corn Cakes with Sriracha Sauce are ready in just 30 minutes. Gluten free and with minimal ingredients, they’ll be the star of any summer gathering.

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Shrimp cakes arranged on a plate with a bowl of sriracha dipping sauce on the right side.
Read more: Shrimp and Corn Cakes

Why You’ll Love these Shrimp Cakes

Tender and juicy with sweet pops of corn, these shrimp cakes will add welcome variety to your summer entertaining menus.

The texture of shrimp makes it ideal for forming patties that you can pack with herbs and spices, without the need to add breadcrumbs or flour.

I find that keeping the ingredients minimal and omitting the breading creates a cake with sharper shrimp flavor.

If you’re looking for a crispier, more fritter-like texture, I suggest trying my Thai Shrimp Cakes instead.

For more summer-centric shrimp recipes, also check out my Greek Marinated Shrimp Skewers and these Chili-Lime Shrimp Crostini’s.

The Ingredients

Recipe ingredients in separate bowls on a wooden serving platter with labels.

These shrimp cakes are ideal for entertaining, because they can be made in advance and are friendly to an assortment of dietary needs.

  • Shrimp: You need 12 ounces of raw peeled and deveined shrimp, which you will need to remove the tails from. For the best deal, look for a bag in the frozen foods section.
  • Corn: Feel free to use frozen/thawed, canned or fresh corn in this recipe.
  • Old Bay: This classic seafood spice includes celery seed, paprika, mustard, salt, red pepper, and black pepper.
  • Egg: To help the shrimp cakes stick together.
  • Parsley: For fresh, herb-flavor. Alternatively, you can use cilantro, chives, or fresh dill.
  • Sour Cream: Feel free to use plain, full-fat Greek yogurt instead for similar thickness and tang.
  • Mayo: I prefer using an avocado oil mayonnaise, such as Chosen Foods brand, for extra heart-healthy fats.
  • Lemon: To add brightness and acidity to the sauce.
  • Sriracha: Feel free to use any chili-garlic sauce you like or have on hand. And go as heavy or light with the amount!

For a full list of the ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.

Substitutions/Additions

  • Use Different Spices: If place of the Old Bay, you can also use a mix of paprika, garlic powder, and cumin.
  • Cajun Shrimp Cakes: Swap the Old Bay seasoning for your favorite Cajun seasoning. Add extra cayenne for even more kick!
  • Asian Shrimp Cakes: Omit the Old Bay seasoning and add fresh ginger, garlic, and a dash of fish sauce to the cakes.
  • Serve with Tartar Sauce: Omit the sriracha sauce and serve the shrimp cakes with good ol’ tartar sauce.
Two shrimp cakes on a small white plate topped with a dollop of sriracha sauce.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Pulse shrimp and corn in a food processor until broken down.

Shrimp and corn being pulsed in a food processor until chopped.

Step 2: Add egg, parsley, and Old Bay Seasoning; pulse again until the mixture comes together.

Egg, parsley, and seasoning being added to the food processor.

Step 3: Prepare Sriracha Sauce by combining sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, sriracha, and garlic powder in a bowl; mix well.

Sriracha sauce being mixed in a white bowl until smooth.

Step 4: Fry the shrimp mixture in a large skillet over medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and season lightly with flaky salt. Serve with Sriracha Sauce.

Shrimp cakes being fried in a cast iron skillet and then transferred to a serving plate.

Serving Suggestions

In addition to enjoying the shrimp cakes with Sriracha Sauce, you can serve them in a lettuce wrap or bun, or enjoy over a bed of arugula.

Here are a few of my favorite side dishes to pair them with:

Recipe FAQs

Can I Make These in the Air-Fryer?

Unfortunately the mixture is a little too wet for the air fryer. They work best when the mixture is spooned directly into a hot skillet.

How to Make-Ahead:

You can pulse the mixture in the food processor 1 day ahead, and store in the fridge until ready to cook.

How to Reheat:

Gently reheat the cakes in a nonstick skillet on the stovetop over medium heat for the best results.

A pink plate of shrimp and corn cakes with a wooden bowl filled with sriracha sauce.

More Summer Shrimp Recipes to Try:

If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealth so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Lastly, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates.

5 from 4 votes

Shrimp and Corn Cakes with Sriracha Sauce

These easy Shrimp and Corn Cakes with Sriracha Sauce are ready in just 30 minutes. Gluten free and with minimal ingredients, they'll be the star of any summer gathering.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • Food processor
  • Large skillet

Ingredients  

  • 12 oz. peeled and deveined raw shrimp, tails removed*
  • 1 cup frozen/thawed sweet corn
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Sriracha Sauce

  • 1/4 cup sour cream or plain full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (I use avocado oil mayo, such as Chosen Foods brand)
  • 1 to 2 tsp. Sriracha (depending on desired level of spice)
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
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Instructions 

  • Combine shrimp and corn in a food processor; pulse a few times to finely chop. Add parsley, egg, and Old Bay Seasoning; pulse again until mixture is well-combined but still chunky.
  • Prepare Sriracha Sauce by combining all ingredients in a medium bowl; mix until smooth. Set aside.
  • Heat 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop up portions of the shrimp mixture and transfer to hot skillet. Use the back of spoon to flatten mixture into a 1/4-inch thick cake. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through. (You should be able to cook 4 cakes at a time, which is roughly half the batch.)
    Add remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil to pan, and repeat process with remaining half of the shrimp mixture. (This recipe should make 8 cakes total.)
  • Transfer cooked shrimp cakes to a plate or platter, and serve with Sriracha Sauce.

Notes

*Make sure the shrimp measures 12 ounces AFTER the tails are removed. If ordering from the fish counter, ask for 1 to 2 extra ounces to account for the weight of the tails.
*Since Old Bay Seasoning is salted, I found the shrimp cakes to be plenty seasoned without adding more salt, however if you have any flaky finishing salt on hand, feel free to sprinkle some on top after the shrimp cakes are cooked.
*If you choose to use a different (unsalted) seasoning blend, add at least 1/2 tsp. kosher salt to the shrimp mixture.
*You can also serve these cakes with homemade or store-bought tartar sauce in place of the sriracha sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cakes with sauce | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 740mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3.5g

I calculate these values by hand to ensure accuracy, however expect up to a 10% variable depending on food brands.

If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating and review below!
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8 Comments

  1. Stephanie DeGrasse says:

    5 stars
    Delicious! We made it for dinner tonight. I used frozen, cooked shrimp and it still came out great. I also threw in a handful of some leftover dry rubbed pork ribs. Since the ribs had a pretty distinct flavor, I didn’t think that it would taste right with the Old Bay, so we added a little smoked paprika and some oregano instead. The base flavors are so good, I think that it would stand up really well with almost any modification. I can’t wait to try it just as the recipe reads. I think it would also be good with some green onion.

    1. Jamie Vespa says:

      So glad you enjoyed this one, my friend! Thank you for leaving a review!

  2. Celeste says:

    Great recipe! If you use fresh corn would you cook the corn first?

  3. Rehoboth says:

    5 stars
    Excellent post.
    Thanks

  4. Mary says:

    5 stars
    Fantastic!! I served them as an appetizer at a summer dinner party this weekend and my friends and neighbors all requested the recipe.

  5. Jen says:

    These look amazing! Any sub for the Mayo? And how much of each spice to compensate for the Old Bay?

    use a mix of paprika, garlic powder, and cumin.

    Love all of your recipes

    1. Jamie Vespa says:

      Hi Jen! I’d use about 1/2 tsp of each of those spices, plus 1/2 tsp. kosher salt.
      you could leave out the mayo and just use extra sour cream or yogurt, however the sauce will be a lot tangier. The mayo really helps balance it.

    2. Liz says:

      5 stars
      These are SO tasty!! And very easy to make. I usually make something similar with flour, so I enjoyed how much lighter and fresher these tasted. I will definitely make again this summer!