Name: Spicy Baked Shrimp Balls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: PT-462470H35M35S
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 tablespoon canola oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 shallots, chopped; 3 Thai chili peppers, seeded and chopped; Juice of one lime; 2 egg whites; ½ cup Panko bread crumbs; 2 green onions, chopped (green parts only); 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; Cooking spray; Sweet chili sauce

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My Spicy Baked Shrimp Balls pin went viral recently and is absolutely one of the most visited posts on my blog, soooo here's the recipe again, reshot 📸, and better than ever! And today is "National Shrimp Day," so how perfect is that? Trust me, you're going to want to save this one for your recipe files!

spicy baked shrimp balls on a round white plate being dipped in a sweet chili sauce

These shrimp balls require very little prep time and are baked, not fried, meaning lower calories but with plenty of flavor! Serve them with sweet chili sauce for dipping, or your fave dipping sauce. These babies truly are to die for!

Every time I serve these Spicy Baked Shrimp Balls at a dinner party they are gone before I can even grab everyone a cocktail! That's how good they are! You're definitely not going to slave over a hot stove or oven for this delicious appetizer. It's not even 20 minutes from start to finish!

ingredients for making spicy baked shrimp balls recipe on top of a white wooden board

Ingredients you'll need for this recipe

Gather up these simple ingredients for shaping these shrimp meatballs.

Shrimp of course! 🦐 Depending on how many guests you want to serve, start with about one pound of peeled and deveined wild shrimp. Cut the shrimp coarsely and set aside.
A few garlic cloves, to your liking. I love garlic everything so I probably put in more that a few! Finely chop them for the mixture.
Finely chopped shallots. I used just two small shallots, which I think was enough.
Thai chili peppers. 🌶 These are super hot, so remove the seeds before chopping! And don't forget to have a rubber glove on because if you handle it with your bare hands you will regret it!
Juice from one lime. You will love the tangy, citrusy flavor from the lime!
Egg whites which helps to bind the mixture together.
Panko bread crumbs, again for binding. Using gluten-free Panko bread crumbs will not alter the taste.
Chopped green onions and cilantro. The green onions give the shrimp balls such a great pop of color!
Salt & pepper for the finishing touch!
Sweet chili sauce for dipping. The contrast of sweet and spicy is amazing with these shrimp balls! I get my sweet chili sauce from Trader Joe's but it's available at just about every grocery store!

cut up shrimp inside a mini food processor ready to be chopped place on top of a white wooden board

Chopped shrimp in a mini food processor with spatula inserted placed on top of a white wooden board

I used a food processor to make it so much easier. It finely chops the raw shrimp with just a few pulses! So easy!

raw shrimp balls in rows on a baking tray ready to be put in the oven for baking

Spicy baked shrimp balls right out of the oven on a baking tray with tongs

The shrimp balls don't take long at all to cook in the oven. Make sure to spray the tops of the balls so they can get golden brown.

spicy baked shrimp balls piled hight with party toothpicks and a side of sweet chili sauce

How to make this recipe

Preheat oven to 350℉. Place shrimp in a food processor and pulse a few times until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
In a small skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat and sauté garlic, shallots, and peppers until translucent, about 3 minutes. Transfer veggies to a bowl to cool. (This step is optional. I sometimes don't even sauté the veggies and they cook in the shrimp mixture just fine.)
Meanwhile, add to the shrimp the egg whites, bread crumbs, green onion, cilantro, salt, chili peppers, and lime juice. When veggies have cooled, add to the mixture and combine all ingredients well.
Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Working in batches, form 1-inch balls with the shrimp mixture and place in rows on the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Spray the tops of the shrimp balls with cooking spray before putting in the oven. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Set oven to broil and brown the tops of the shrimp balls, about 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve with a side of sweet chili dipping sauce.

TIPS & TRICKS

Thai chili peppers are super hot, so remove the seeds before chopping! And don't forget to have a rubber glove on because if you handle it with your bare hands you will regret it!
Using a food processor to finely chop the shrimp will make your life so much easier! You'll thank me later! 😉
Make sure to spray the tops of the shrimp balls so they get golden brown when cooking in the oven. I put the oven on broil for the last few minutes to help that browning process along.
Sautéing the veggies is optional. I sometimes don't even sauté the veggies and they cook in the shrimp mixture just fine.
The shrimp balls can be made ahead a day in advance. Refrigerate overnight. Or freeze for up to two months.

WANT MORE?

If you like this recipe, you’re going to love my Thai Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp Meatballs. It's a delicious and healthy meal that will have you licking your plate!

Update Notes: This post was originally published on April 15, 2016, but was republished with slight text changes and additions, like new images, step by step instructions, and tips in May 2019.