Shrimp Burger Recipe

Shrimp is delicious almost any way you serve it, but turning it into a burger and serving it on a bun is a study in next-level casual luxury. Recipe creator Stephanie Rapone has put together this tasty shrimp burger that delivers magic with every bite. A succulent shrimp patty sits on a brioche bun, along with some other fresh toppings — does it get much better than that?

Unlike many beef-based burgers, this shrimp variation is actually quite healthy. Shrimp is low in carbs and calories but chock full of nutrients and antioxidants, according to Healthline. Of course, this recipe also makes sure to pack in some delicious components that might be considered a cheat on a strict diet. Still, this is healthier than most other sandwiches you could imagine, and the flavors make the shrimp burger an absolute winner. Finally, given the fact that it takes about half an hour to cook means that you can make a complex but fun meal even on a busy night.

Since you need shrimp to make a shrimp burger, pick up a pound of medium shrimp without tails that have been peeled and deveined. In the vegetable aisle pick up a lemon, two garlic cloves, and two green onions, as well as fresh ginger, and finally some butter lettuce. In the bakery department pick up four brioche buns. Moving on to herbs and spices, you need a container of panko breadcrumbs (you'll need 1/3 of a cup). You also need a little bit of kosher salt and some freshly-ground black pepper, so pick that up if you don't have any at home.

In the aisle with sauces, dressings, and toppings, pick up a container of sriracha and a container of mayonnaise. Finish this grocery trip off with either canola or vegetable oil (though you only need 2 tablespoons) and a six-pack of eggs, from which you will only use one. Now you're ready to make some magic.

You can start by combining the mayonnaise and sriracha in a bowl, though you will set that aside for the very end. Next, coarsely chop the green onions into small pieces and set that pile aside as well. Now it's time for more chopping. Chop a half pound of the shrimp into ½-inch pieces and place them in a medium bowl. Again, you really want to make sure there is no shell. Add the egg and panko to the shrimp and mix with a fork until combined. Be careful not to break up the shrimp pieces. "You can refrigerate this mixture," Rapone says, "but it won't go bad at room temperature in the time it takes to complete the other steps." That also means that if you want to make this mixture in advance and refrigerate it, you can do so.

Dump the rest of the shrimp into a food processor. Squeeze the juice from the half a lemon into the food processor and sprinkle this with kosher salt and black pepper. The next ingredients will be the fresh ginger and the garlic. Peel them both and grate the garlic and the ginger using a zester. Pour the ginger and the garlic to the food processor as well. Once you have all your ingredients combined, pulse the mixture until it's almost a paste. Add the green onion from step one and give it five to eight pulses, not only to chop the onions but also to incorporate them thoroughly into the shrimp mixture.

Add the puréed mixture to the medium bowl that has been holding the coarsely-chopped shrimp, egg, and panko. Mix this near-paste and the panko blend with a fork until everything is well combined. Refrigerate this mixture for 15 minutes to harden a little. Once it's cold enough to be solid, remove your ground shrimp blend from the refrigerator and get to forming.

Divide the mixture into fourths and form patties just slightly bigger around than your buns. You can put these on a plate lined with aluminum and refrigerate for 15 more minutes, letting the burgers congeal even more.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the shrimp burgers and cook for three to five minutes, flip, and repeat the cooking process for the other side, until brown and cooked through. "You're looking for a crunchy golden brown exterior," Rapone says. Once they're done cooking, place the burgers back on a plate and put them aside for the final glorious construction of your amazing shrimp sandwiches.

Buttering and grilling the buns in the hot skillet is optional but will give them that hearty, crispy texture. Now, build the burgers with the sriracha mayo, lettuce, and other toppings. As for the lettuce, recipe creator Rapone adds, "Other types would work, I just find butter lettuce has that just right crisp/tender texture and it's bun-sized." 

One option topping Rapone loves adding is avocado. "This is definitely personal preference," Rapone explains. "Tomato could work. If using onion, I suggest green onion or thinly sliced red onion that has been soaked in water with a little salt in it to tame the 'burn'. If you like spice, sliced fresh jalapenos are delicious here." We think that this burger would pair well with the classic french fry or onion ring side, but feel free to enjoy whatever sides you like best.