Shrimp Cakes With Smoked Paprika Aioli

By Pierce Abernathy

Updated November 12, 2025

Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Ready In
30 min
Rating
5(155)
Comments
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Finely chopping some of the shrimp makes a great binder in this play on classic Maryland-style crab cakes. The remaining shrimp is roughly chopped ensuring that the texture is not lost. The cakes come together in no time and can be formed into any size you desire. The seasoning in the cakes is intentionally subtle, letting the shrimp and corn take center stage while the aioli provides the main punch of flavor. Inspired by the Spanish camarones al ajillo, the aioli includes grated garlic and smoked paprika for punch and depth.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

For the aioli

  • 1 cup mayonnaise 

  • 1 garlic clove, grated

  • Juice of half a lemon (1 tablespoon), plus lemon wedges for serving

  • ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika

For the shrimp cakes

  • 1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp (thawed if frozen), tails removed

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 cup corn kernels (from 1 ear)

  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs

  • ½ cup chopped red bell pepper (from ½ small bell pepper)

  • 3 tablespoons chopped basil

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for frying

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

17 grams carbs; 285 milligrams cholesterol; 632 calories; 15 grams monosaturated fat; 28 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 51 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 621 milligrams sodium; 28 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the aioli: Combine the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and smoked paprika in a bowl and mix until evenly blended. 

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the shrimp cakes: Finely chop half of the shrimp, then chop the remaining shrimp into ¾- to 1-inch pieces. Transfer all of the shrimp to a large mixing bowl. 

  3. Step 3

    Add the eggs, corn, bread crumbs, bell pepper, basil, chives, 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt to the bowl. Mix until evenly combined. 

  4. Step 4

    Heat a pan on medium with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Form the shrimp mixture into 8 (2½-inch-wide) cakes, about ⅓ cup per cake. Working in batches, cook the shrimp cakes until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed for the second batch.

  5. Step 5

    Serve shrimp cakes with aioli and lemon wedges for squeezing.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
155 user ratings
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Comments

Paul

Just made and enjoyed these. 3 people, including my 98 year old mother, wolfed these down. A few things to note: 1: Following the the recipe proportions the mixture is very gloppy. I added maybe another 4 teaspoons of panko and it remained very gloppy. 2: The 8 more or less formed cakes were much larger than 2.5", I measured one and it was 3.5". 3: I was able to move the gloppy cakes from cutting board to pan intact using a spatula and fork. In the pan at medium heat they firmed up nicely. For my non-stick pan 5 minutes/side worked best. 4: Despite the author's desire to let the shrimp and corn shine, you may wish to spice up the aoli with more lemon juice and some cayenne.

Margo

I have not made shrimp cakes but if you put the patties in the refrigerator for an hour or more they hold together. Works for crabs and salmon patties anyway.

Kelly

Cooked this today. Use raw shrimp; they cook beautifully at 6 minutes per side. I made 3" cakes using a biscuit cutter as a "girdle" so I could pack them tightly before releasing into the hot pan. Added some calabrian pepper to the aioli for a little more kick. Hubby loved it!

KI

I reheated mine in an air fryer and they came out great.

Elle

great flavor. I had to double the panko to get them to hold.

Beth

Has anyone made these ahead and then reheated? Would like to make these for Thanksgiving but harder to do in the moment with everything else going on. Thanks!

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