These air fryer shrimp patties are an explosion of flavor! Made with fresh shrimp, sautéed red pepper, aromatics, and jalapenos formed into a handheld shrimp cake, then air-fried to perfection! Serve alongside your favorite dipping sauces for an extra yummy bite!

If you’re like me and tend to keep bags of shrimp in the freezer finding new ways to use it is a must! That’s why these shrimp patties are an air fryer shrimp recipe I’m excited about. They’re a change from the usual crab cakes and just as easy to make!

They’re loaded with flavor and texture and you can even double or triple the recipe if need be. One bag of shrimp goes far which means this recipe is a budget-friendly way of serving a crowd.

Shrimp cakes contain a ton of flavor and are moist and juicy on the inside and golden and crispy on the outside! The ingredients come together in one bowl and it’s made with things like pieces of shrimp, veggies, aromatics, some spicy, savory, and sweet flavor notes too. Then, without a ton of oil, the air fryer cooks them in minutes having the entire dish ready in 25 minutes.

There is really nothing easier than this air fryer spicy shrimp recipe which is great for when you want something different any night of the week! Customize them to your individual tastes, make them spicy or as mild as you like, and add any additional seasonings you prefer.

You can serve a few on a plate as a made dish with some of your favorite sides or present them as an appetizer along with your favorite dips. These versatile shrimp patties can be eaten warm or cold so I like to pack up leftovers for work the next day!

Ingredients Needed for Shrimp Patties

• Shrimp – I usually aim to buy wild-caught shrimp just to avoid farmed as much as possible, but of course, you can use what you have on hand. Peel and devein them if they don’t come that way already.
• Oil for sautéing – Avocado oil or any oil of your choice for pan-frying the pepper and garlic.
• Onions – Both red onion and green onion will be chopped and added to the mixture.
• Red bell pepper & garlic – These two will be the only ingredients that are sautéed to bring out the natural sweetness of the peppers and flavor of the garlic.
• Fresh cilantro – A vibrant herb that adds a fresh element to these shrimp patties. You can swap with parsley if you prefer.
• Jalapeno – Remove the seeds so the heat isn’t overpowering. If you like your shrimp cakes a bit spicier you can leave a few seeds in there.
• Bread crumbs – Panko breadcrumbs are flakier, lighter, and coarser than regular breadcrumbs and they happen to be my favorite! I use them both inside the patties for binding ingredients together as well as coating the outside giving them a crispy outer texture.
• Egg – Also used for binding. The egg will also add moisture to the inside of the cake.
• Mayo – A creamy condiment that provides even more moisture and helps to bring all the dry ingredients together into a cohesive mixture.
• Hot pepper sauce – Just a bit to taste and then you can adjust as needed. Complements the spice in the jalapeno with a little additional flavor.
• Lime juice – Freshly squeezed lime juice pairs well with the shrimp.
• Sugar – Adding sugar will balance out the spicy and savory flavors nicely.
• Salt & pepper – To taste!

• Remove the tails and devein the shrimp. You can use the fork to slide it right out. There are tools you can use to make life a little easier.
• If using the food processor to chop the shrimp, be careful not to overdo it, otherwise, you may end up with shrimp purée.
• Farmed shrimp can contain many more harmful contaminants due to being fed fortified feed in an enclosed area. This isn’t a black and white issue, it’s not as simple as saying farmed is bad wild-caught is good, but for me and my family, I prefer wild-caught.
• Don’t skip spraying the air fryer basket! You may even want to spray the shrimp cakes before closing the basket. This helps with nonstick as well as getting a lovely golden color.