These Cajun Shrimp and Corn Cakes take just 20 minutes to make and even less time to fly off the plate. They're the perfect treat for seafood lovers, whether they're served for a Mardi Gras dinner, as a party appetizer, or simply on toasted buns with lettuce, onion, and remoulade.
The Mardi Gras celebrations have already begun-- the parades are on, the beads are out, the people are letting loose, and I'm playing catch-up because I didn't even realize that Mardi Gras was upon us until yesterday. Luckily, I've had this recipe on my "must make" list for a while now, and I was able to churn it out and send it out into the universe (or webiverse, or whatever we call the infinite expanse of the internet these days) all in one day because the Cajun Shrimp and Corn Cakes are basically gold when you're low on time.
Can I get a big YES for 20 minute recipes?
WHAT ARE CAJUN SHRIMP AND CORN CAKES?
Like crab cakes, these shrimp cakes are made of chopped seafood which is seasoned and held together with a bit of egg and breading, and then pan-fried until crisp on the outside yet tender and juicy on the inside.
However, these Cajun Shrimp and Corn Cakes are more than that. They've also got corn (hence the name!) in three forms-- regular corn kernels, creamed corn, and cornmeal. The regular corn kernels are an obvious add-in for corn cakes, but the other two have equally important roles. The creamed corn lends moisture to the shrimp mixture which prevents the cakes from drying out. Meanwhile, the cornmeal adds extra savory-sweet flavor and crunch.
It might sound like a lot of corn is in these patties. You're right, there is. But the shrimp is still the star of the show here! And it's a whole lot less expensive than crab meat, to boot.
HOW TO MAKE CAJUN SHRIMP AND CORN CAKES
Shrimp is the backbone of this recipe, and it's incredibly easy to prepare if you have a food processor. Simply buy raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp, and throw them into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse a few times until they're chopped into pea-sized chunks (but not processed to a paste!) and then transfer them to a bowl so you can mix in the rest of the shrimp cake ingredients.
If you don't have a food processor, you can chop the shrimp by hand, just count on it taking a few more minutes.
Either way, once you transfer the chopped shrimp into a bowl, mix in an egg, minced garlic, 1 cup of whole kernel corn, 1 cup of creamed corn, a couple of tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley, Cajun seasonings, and salt and pepper, to taste. Then, add in the flour and cornmeal, which will help hold the shrimp cakes together. The mixture will be pretty wet and loose-- don't worry. Once they hit the pan, they'll firm up!
To get even-sized shrimp cakes, it helps to use an ice cream or cookie scoop. Drop the batter into a hot, oiled pan and then use the back of the scoop to smooth out the tops of the cakes and spread them out a bit in an even circle. Continue until the pan is full, and cook until crisp and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Then transfer them to a plate and finish up with the rest of the batter. Then sprinkle with parsley and serve with remoulade, aioli, or hot sauce.
HOW TO MAKE CAJUN SEASONING
If you don't have cajun seasoning on hand, don't worry. You can make your own blend out of these spices:
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Just mix 'em together and use as needed!
MORE CAJUN-INSPIRED RECIPES TO LOVE
Cajun Shrimp and Corn Cakes
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 12-16 cakes 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pound large raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup creamed corn
- 1 cup whole kernel corn
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus more to top
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons oil, for frying, divided
- Remoulade or aioli, to serve
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and place n the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the shrimp until chopped into pea-sized pieces, making sure not to over-process. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Mix in the egg, creamed corn, whole kernel corn, garlic, cajun seasoning, parsley, and salt and pepper. Stir in the flour and cornmeal until well-combined.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to transfer a scoop of the batter to the pan, and then use the back of the scoop to smooth the top and spread out the cakes into circles. Continue until the pan is full.
- Cook until crisp and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat for the remaining cakes, adding more oil to the pan if necessary.
- Sprinkle the shrimp cakes with extra chopped parsley and serve warm with remoulade or aioli.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
Juli says
What a great appetizer! I love that they only take 20 minutes to prepare. Thank you for sharing.
Jenni LeBaron says
Yum! These Cajun shrimp and corn cakes would make a fantastic side to soup or even a great breakfast option with a fried egg on top!
Lisa says
This was the perfect cajun recipe for my mardi gras party. Thank you fo sharing they were devoured in minutes.
Andrea Metlika says
Oh my gosh, these look Wonderful! My family is going to love these.
Emily says
I have never heard of this dish before but I can't wait to try it! I can't believe it only takes 20 minutes to make something this delicious.
Noel Lizotte says
I can't believe we're into Mardi Gras and Lent already ... time flies.
These corn cakes are going to be winner dinner at my house! Look at how awesome they are and only 20 mins!
Laura says
Do you have a recipe for the dip you used? It looks very good (as well as the cakes!).
deb says
I have read this over and over. It calls for a large egg but I swear it does not say anything about an egg it in the recipe.
Tonette says
It's this first ingredient you add in step 2, after you process the shrimp in the food processor.
Cookie says
Thank you for the extra 5 pounds on my hips. I ate the whole batch and didn't share ONE. Shame on them!
Franny Jaynes says
How do you recommend to make these ahead of time and reheat?
Judy Matthews says
Can I make the batter several hours ahead and keep in fridge until ready to fy? Thanks!
Donna Holbrook McLeod says
I'd also like to know