These light and bright shrimp burgers are a summery alternative to a traditional beef burger. The patty is a simple blend of aromatics and shrimp—no egg or breadcrumb filler—so be sure to use the best quality, freshest shrimp available and let it shine.

We purée half of the shrimp to act as a binder, while the other half gets chopped small to provide texture. The rest of this shrimp sandwich is about complementing the sweet, fresh shrimp; sautéed green onions and jalapeños for punch, a splash of Worcestershire for depth, and lemon, basil, and dill for brightness. 

Why This Recipe Works

Because this recipe doesn’t use any binders—egg or breadcrumbs—we needed to find a way to hold the burgers together while also maintaining the unique texture of shrimp. To do this, we divide the shrimp in half—one half gets pulsed into a paste while the other half is chopped fine. Once combined, the paste holds everything together while the diced shrimp adds texture.

We then mix in sautéed jalapeño and scallions and a bit of lemon which adds freshness without stealing the show.

The burgers are then sandwiched on a whole-wheat bun with our homemade tartar sauce, lettuce, tomato and avocado. The recipe for the tartar sauce is included in this recipe, but for more info and substitutions check out our full article on how to make tartar sauce.

Test Kitchen Tips

  • The burgers can be prepped, formed and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead of time. Because they are so easy to bring together, we don’t recommend forming them any further in advance.
  • The tartar sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 
shrimp burger on a whole-wheat bun layered with lettuce leaves, a tomato slice, sauce and avocado slices

Ingredients 

Unsalted butter, olive oil and mayonnaise 

These shrimp burgers use a variety of fats. Butter is for sautéeing the jalapeño and scallions and enhances the flavor of the shrimp. It’s also used for toasting the buns. Olive oil and butter are used to cook the shrimp burgers while the mayonnaise is the base for our homemade tartar sauce

Aromatics & Herbs

Scallions, aka green onions, and jalapeño are briefly sautéed then mixed into the shrimp burgers along with a bit of grated lemon zest. This simple combination adds just enough flavor and brightness without overtaking the main ingredient—shrimp. Fresh dill and basil are used to make an herby tartar sauce. If you don’t want to purchase two types of herbs, feel free to double up on the dill and skip the basil. 

Shrimp 

The star of the show! We like to use wild-caught shrimp from the US. Any size will work here since we’re pulsing half of the shrimp into a paste and dicing the rest (though we wouldn’t go for itty bitty shrimp).

If you aren’t near a coast and don’t have the luxury of quality fresh seafood, opt for frozen peeled and deveined shrimp. Seek out a product that lists “shrimp” as the only ingredient. 

raw shrimp on a baking sheet with lettuce, scallions, jalapeno,tomato, lemon, herbs, oil, butter, avocado and whole wheat burger bun set around it

Worcestershire 

Just a dash of this umami-rich sauce adds a nice depth of flavor. Look for it in the grocery store near the steak sauce. 

Tabasco

A dash of Tabasco adds a nice undertone of heat to the tartar sauce. We only call for ¼ teaspoon, so add more to your liking. 

Briny Ingredients

Every good tartar sauce needs something briny and salty. For this recipe we like to use minced cornichons and capers. Feel free to use minced dill pickle in place of cornichons. Both capers and cornichons can be found near the jarred pickles and olives. 

Assembly 

To bring it all together, we assemble each sandwich with a slice or two of ripe tomato, a couple leaves of Bibb lettuce (also called Boston or butter lettuce), and a few slices of avocado.

FAQs

Can these be cooked on the grill?

There are a few ways you can grill these. First, set a cast-iron skillet on your grill grate (gas or charcoal) and cook the burgers in the skillet. You can also cook the burgers on a piece of foil placed on top of the grill grates. 

If you want to cook them right on the grill gate (you rebel, you), brush the grates clean really well. Then oil the grates using an oil-soaked bunch of paper towels and a pair of tongs. Spritz the surface of the burgers lightly with nonstick spray before placing them on the grill.

And finally, don’t flip them until they readily release on their own from the grill grate. Together, these steps should keep the burgers from sticking to the grate. 

Are these gluten-free?

The burgers themselves are gluten-free. To keep the entire sandwich gluten-free, serve on a gluten-free bun or a bed of lettuce.

shrimp burgers, lettuce leaves, tomato slices, avocado slices, toasted buns, and lemon slices arranges on a large platter

Serve shrimp sandwiches with…

More Burger Recipes to Try

If you love a good burger—we’ve got loads of burger recipes to try!

Keep on the seafood burger train and make our Salmon Burgers! They’re easy, no-fuss and totally versatile.

For something more classic and deeply delicious, try our homemade smash burger recipe. One bite and these will become a favorite.

Looking for something lighter? Try our Mediterranean turkey burgers (they even have some hidden veg snuck in!)

Another turkey burger you’ve gotta try is our Dijon Turkey Burger. Just as delicious and moist as this one!

And finally, if you’re looking for more meatless recipes, try our Mushroom Veggie Burger recipe or Ultimate Veggie Burger Recipe.

Shrimp Burgers with Herby Tartar Sauce

5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Yield 4 burgers + ⅔ cup sauce
Category Main Dish
Cuisine American
Author Jenni Ridall Lata

Description

These light, bright shrimp burgers are a summery alternative to your traditional beef burger. The patty is a simple blend of aromatics and shrimp–no egg or breadcrumb filler–so be sure to use the best quality, freshest shrimp available and let it shine.

Ingredients

Shrimp Patties

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced (about ½ cup)
  • 1 small jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
  • 1 ½ pounds wild-caught shrimp, peeled and deveined*
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • Kosher salt and black pepper

Tartar Sauce

  • ½ cup olive oil mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cornichons or dill pickle
  • 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
  • ¼ teaspoon Tabasco + more to taste

To Cook & Assemble

  • 4 soft hamburger buns, such as potato rolls or whole-wheat burger buns, gluten-free if needed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small head Bibb lettuce (also called Boston or Butter)
  • 1 heirloom tomato, sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 1 avocado, thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add green onions and jalapeño and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
    cooked green onions and jalapenos in a skillet
  • Finely dice half the shrimp into ¼-inch pieces. Place remaining shrimp in bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth, about 10 seconds.
    shrimp paste in a food processor
  • Combine puréed and chopped shrimp in a medium bowl. Add cooled scallions and jalapeños, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix thoroughly with clean hands or rubber spatula.
    shrimp paste, chopped shrimp, herbs, lemon zest and Worcestershire sauce in a glass bowl
  • Divide mixture into four 5-ounce patties about ¾-inch thick. Arrange on a baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes.
    uncooked shrimp patties on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet
  • Meanwhile, whisk together tartar sauce ingredients in a small bowl; season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
    tartar sauce in a glass bowl with an orange spatula set in it
  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet. Add buns cut-side down and toast until golden brown, 1–2 minutes; wipe out skillet.
  • Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil to now-empty skillet; melt over medium heat. Once foam subsides, add shrimp patties, increase heat to medium-high and cook until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in centers register 145ºF (63ºC); about 5 minutes per side.
  • To assemble: spread 1 tablespoon tartar sauce over cut side of bottom bun, top with a piece of lettuce, shrimp patty, a slice of tomato, and a couple avocado slices. Spread 1 tablespoon tartar sauce on cut side of top bun and place on top.
  • Serve immediately with extra sauce on side.

Notes

Buying shrimp: if you aren’t near a coast and are buying frozen shrimp, look for products that list only “shrimp” in the ingredient list. We also prefer wild-caught from the USA.
For easier prep—you can skip chopping half of shrimp and instead pulse it into shrimp paste using processor—just be careful not to over-blender it. You still want them to add texture.
To keep this recipe egg-free use vegan mayonnaise for the tartar sauce.
To keep this recipe gluten-free, serve on gluten-free buns. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich (without bun)Calories: 533kcalCarbohydrates: 3.5gProtein: 36gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 365mgSodium: 1180mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1g
Like this? Leave a comment below!I love hearing from you and I want to hear how it went with this recipe! Leave a comment and rating below, then share on social media @zestfulkitchen and #zestfulkitchen!
shrimp burgers, lettuce leaves, tomato slices, avocado slices, toasted buns, and lemon slices arranges on a large platter

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About The Author

Lauren Grant is a professional culinary food scientist, food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. Lauren is a previous magazine editor and test kitchen developer and has had work published in major national publications including Diabetic Living Magazine, Midwest Living Magazine, Cuisine at Home Magazine, EatingWell.com, AmericasTestKitchen.com, and more.

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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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