Crispy, golden patties with all the coastal flavor you crave — these Southern-style shrimp burgers with tartar sauce make a quick and easy dinner.
A Southern coastal favorite, these shrimp burgers come together in under 30 minutes from just a few simple ingredients: chopped raw shrimp, mayonnaise, scallions, salt, pepper and cayenne. To give the patties that irresistible crunch reminiscent of fried seafood, they’re coated in panko and sautéed until golden and crisp. If burgers aren’t calling your name, skip the buns—the patties make delicious shrimp cakes, too.
This recipe comes to us via Jenn Segal of Once Upon a Chef from one of her favorite cookbooks, Foolproof Fish by America’s Test Kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1½ lb large shrimp (26 to 30/lb), peeled, deveined, and tails removed, divided
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 scallions, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup tartar sauce
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
- 4 leaves Bibb lettuce
Instructions
- Pulse panko in food processor until finely ground, about 15 pulses; transfer to shallow dish. Place one-third of shrimp (about 1 cup), mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and cayenne in now-empty processor and pulse until shrimp are finely chopped, about 8 pulses. Add remaining shrimp and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 4 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to bowl and stir in scallions.
- Using your lightly moistened hands, divide shrimp mixture into 4 equal portions, then gently shape each portion into a ¾-inch-thick patty.
- Working with 1 patty at a time, dredge in panko, pressing lightly to adhere; transfer to plate.
- Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
- Cook until patties are golden brown and register 140°F, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer burgers to a paper towel–lined plate and let drain, about 30 seconds per side. Spread tartar sauce evenly among bun bottoms, then place burgers and lettuce on top. Cover with bun tops. Serve.
Make Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The shrimp burgers can be assembled ahead and refrigerated overnight. To freeze them, place the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid, 1 to 2 hours. Then transfer them to a resealable plastic bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, thaw the frozen patties in the fridge overnight and follow the cooking instructions.
Top image courtesy Once Upon a Chef.
