Easy Southern Homemade Shrimp Burgers

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These luscious Easy Southern Homemade Shrimp Burgers are made with tender, juicy Gulf shrimp roughly chopped using a food processor, made into patties, and then pan-seared until golden brown.

Then the shrimp burgers are sandwiched between toasted buns, slathered with a flavorful basil pesto aioli, and topped with lettuce and tomato.

Two shrimp burgers with lettuce and tomato.

Burgers such as my Southern Crispy Fried Chicken Burger, Smoked Burgers, and the Ultimate Southern Style Burger made with beef are among the most popular food choices in America, but how about a scrumptious change of pace with this recipe for Southern shrimp burgers? I promise you will never look back!

Shrimp burgers are quick and easy to make, and although these burgers are pan-fried, you could just as easily grill them too.

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Here’s what you will need:
How to make shrimp burgers:
Recipe variations:
What to serve with shrimp burgers:
Frequently asked questions:
Top tips and tricks:
More shrimp recipes you will love:
📋 Recipe:

Here’s what you will need:

A bowl of shrimp, plus eggs, panko, and seasonings.

Shrimp – fresh Gulf shrimp are the star of this show. They will need to be peeled, deveined, and have the tails removed. If you don’t have access to fresh shrimp, frozen works too.
Panko – just a bit of panko works with eggs to bind these burgers together. You can use regular bread crumbs, but your burgers will be heavier.
Eggs – combine with the panko to bind the burgers together.
Hot sauce and jalapenos – add just a touch of heat.
Old Bay Seasoning and black pepper – enhance all the flavors of these seafood burgers and bring them together in one glorious bite.
Garlic, scallions, and fresh parsley – round everything out and add flavor and a pop of color.
Basil pesto and mayonnaise – combine to make a delicious basil pesto aioli or sauce for the shrimp burgers.

How to make shrimp burgers:

To make the burgers, add the shrimp to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse seven times. It’s okay if some of the shrimp are not completely chopped up.

A food processor with chopped raw shrimp.

Mix the panko bread crumbs, eggs, hot sauce, garlic, seafood seasoning, black pepper, parsley, scallions, and minced jalapeno in a large bowl.

A bowl with panko, eggs, hot sauce, parsley and scallions.

Add the breadcrumb mixture to the shrimp in the food processor. Pulse seven times or until everything is just combined. Do not over-process.

Divide the mixture into fourths. Use a very light touch and use your hands to form the mixture into four patties. They will be soft and delicate so handle them carefully.

Place the patties on a plate lined with wax or parchment paper and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow them to firm up.

When you are ready to cook them, add two tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, Carefully place the patties in the pan and fry for about three minutes on the first side, then flip and continue cooking for an additional three to four minutes. Do not overcook them.

Four shrimp burgers cooking in a skillet.

Place the cooked burgers on a paper towel to drain.
To make the Basil Pesto Aioli, mix ¼ cup basil pesto with ¼ cup mayonnaise in a small bowl. Mix well.

Basil pesto and mayonnaise in a small glass dish.

To assemble the burgers, lightly toast the buns and spread a liberal amount of the Basil Pesto Aioli on each bun. Add some lettuce, a slice of tomato, and your shrimp burger, and enjoy!

Recipe variations:

I usually serve these shrimp burgers with basil pesto aioli, lettuce, and tomato. However, feel free to add your favorite toppings instead, such as Cajun Aioli, Classic Jezebel Sauce, Tomato Jam, tartar sauce, remoulade, or cocktail sauce. They would also be great topped with coleslaw or avocado slices.

What to serve with shrimp burgers:

Shrimp burgers pair beautifully with casual sides such as Southern Crispy Fried Onion Rings, Homemade French Fries, Southern Potato Salad, Southern Broccoli Salad, Smoked Baked Beans, Deviled Eggs, or Southern Baked Mac and Cheese.

Frequently asked questions:

Are shrimp burgers healthy?

If you are trying to eat healthily and eliminate fat from your diet, you are in the right place. A tasty quarter-pound shrimp burger patty comes in at 80 calories, with only 1.1 grams of fat, versus a quarter-pound hamburger patty, which has 288 calories and 22 grams of fat!

Can you serve them without a bun?

If you are trying to watch your calories or carbs, shrimp burgers are just as good without a bun. Really!

Can you make them ahead?

Yes, one of the best things about this recipe is you can make the shrimp patties up to 24 hours ahead, refrigerate them, and then cook them right before you plan to serve them.

What to do with leftovers?

Leftover shrimp patties can be stored covered in your refrigerator for up to three days. You can reheat them in a microwave, but they are best reheated in a skillet over medium heat for two to three minutes per side.

Top tips and tricks:

My top tip for cooking any type of shrimp dish is not to overcook them. Shrimp can go from cooked to overcooked in a matter of seconds.
You can use purchased basil pesto in this recipe, or here is a link to my homemade Southern Basil Pesto if you want to make your own.
Uncooked shrimp burgers can be frozen for up to 30 days. To freeze, place wax or parchment paper sheets between the patties and wrap them tightly in freezer wrap.
Trader Joe’s has crushed garlic in small cubes in their frozen food section if you want to save time.