If you love coconut shrimp, you’re going to go nuts over these drool-worthy Gluten-Free Coconut Shrimp Cakes with Spicy Aioli! Some may call this “poor man’s crab cake,” but they taste like a million bucks and are so much less expensive than crab cakes.
I spiced up these golden-brown shrimp cakes with some Thai chili peppers, and added gluten-free coconut flour and coconut flakes to help bind them (along with an egg). The sambal aioli dipping sauce is the real kicker. Serve with some lemon wedges and your favorite glass of wine. You may never make crab cakes again!
How to make Golden-Brown Coconut Shrimp Cakes:
- You’ll want to start by chopping the shrimp into small even chunks. You don’t want to pulverize it because the cakes look so nice with a little texture from the shrimp. Try to chop you veggies uniformly also!
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix together the shrimp, scallions, red bell pepper, chili pepper, garlic, eggs, gluten-free Panko bread crumbs, coconut flour, coconut flakes, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Using your hand, make small 2 ½ inch thin patties and place them on a baking tray lined with foil or wax paper until your ready for frying.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet or cast iron pan (I prefer the cast iron because it browns so nicely) over medium-high heat. Fry the shrimp cakes on each side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer the cakes to a tray lined with paper towels to absorb the oil and sprinkle with more salt. Serve with the spicy aioli dipping sauce.
- To make the Spicy Aioli sipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and sambal oelek.
- Garnish with chopped scallions and toasted coconut flakes.
For these shrimp cakes, I used beautiful fresh shrimp from my local grocery store.
Look how gorgeous this shrimp cake mixture looks! The flavors are amazing!
These golden-brown Gluten-Free Coconut Shrimp Cakes fry up beautifully in a cast iron skillet.
Serve these shrimp cakes with the Spicy Aioli made with mayonnaise and sambal oelek.
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Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, these Gluten-Free Coconut Shrimp Cakes are loaded with flavor! And that spicy aioli sauce is killer!
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp, shelled & deveined, chopped
- 3 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 Thai red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup gluten-free Panko bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons organic coconut flour
- ¼ cup dry toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup light mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek
For garnish:
- Chopped scallions
- Dry toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix together the shrimp, scallions, red bell pepper, chili pepper, garlic, eggs, gluten-free Panko, coconut flour, coconut flakes, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Make small 2 ½ inch thin patties and place them on a baking tray lined with foil or wax paper until ready for frying.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Fry the shrimp cakes on each side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer the cakes to a tray lined with paper towels to absorb the oil and sprinkle with more salt. Serve with the spicy aioli dipping sauce and garnish with chopped scallions and toasted coconut flakes.
- To make the Spicy Aoili: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and sambal oelek.
Keywords: shrimp cakes, coconut shrimp, fried shrimp cakes, spicy aioli
If you liked this recipe, try our Gluten-Free Baked Coconut Shrimp.
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This poor man’s crab cake is delicious! The perfect spices and that aoli is yummy!
★★★★★
Thanks, Jordyn! The aioli really puts these shrimp cakes over the top! My family went nuts over these!
Coconut shrimp is one of my favorite foods on the planet! I love that you have constructed them into a cake! Delicious idea! I can’t wait to try these!
★★★★★
They’re delish, Beth! My party guests went nuts over these and now vow to have shrimp cakes over crab cakes any day!
What a nice variation to crab cakes! Can’t wait to try this out especially that aioli! Yum!!
Thanks, Nikole! The aioli sauce is so good with these shrimp cakes. I am now loving these more than crab cakes!
These look incredible and I bet that delicious spicy aioli goes so well with the shrimp cakes! I need to put them on my list of things to make as I’d love to try shrimp cakes out on my children.
★★★★★
Your family is going to love these coconut shrimp cakes! Drizzle with lemon and it’s over the top!
I do love love coconut and shrimp and will definitely go nuts over these coconut shrimp cakes and that spici aioli…. OMG! I am saving this recipe simple and so delicious. Wow! !
Thank you, Ramona! These shrimp cakes may be poor man’s crab cakes, but they taste like a million bucks! Can’t wait for you to try them!
Thank you, Ramona! My family loved these shrimp cakes so much and don’t care if I ever made crab cakes again! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Love that you use panko breadcrumbs to coat the shrimp cakes. The flavors are spot on, especially if served with the spicy aioli. YUM
★★★★★
Thanks, Helene! I also use gluten-free bread crumbs when necessary but it doesn’t compromise the flavor at all!
These look and sound delicious, love the extra flavors added both in the shrimp cakes and sauce. And as you say less expensive than crab cakes, which is always a bonus.
★★★★★
Poor man’s crab cake is just as rich! Thanks, Caroline!
I love that is called the poor man’s crab cake. I LOVE coconut shrimp and can’t wait to make this!
★★★★★
These shrimp cakes are so good! I love coconut shrimp and these are even tastier!
I made these shrimp cakes and I honestly think they’re as good as crab cakes! Fulll of such flavor, and that dipping sauce is to die for!
★★★★★
I could not agree more! Crab cakes are so much pricier and these shrimp cakes taste just as good, if not better! So glad you enjoyed them!