Eggless Shrimp Cakes with Sweet Chili Sauce
These golden pan-fried shrimp cakes are crispy on the outside, tender and chunky on the inside, and served with a glossy homemade sweet chili sauce that you'll want to drizzle on everything. The secret to their satisfying texture is a two-step shrimp prep — half blended into a paste, half roughly chopped — so every bite has real substance. Vegan mayonnaise steps in as the binder here, doing all the work that eggs typically handle in a classic cake recipe, and it keeps the mixture moist without any compromise on flavor. Fresh ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and scallion greens bring a bright, savory depth that makes these feel restaurant-worthy on a weeknight. A quick panko coating and a hot skillet are all it takes to get that deeply golden crust. The sweet chili sauce comes together in under five minutes on the stovetop — tangy, a little spicy, and just thick enough to cling. Serve all four portions with lime wedges and fresh cilantro for a finish that's as pretty as it is delicious.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the shrimp cakes
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ⅓ cup vegan mayonnaise
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more for coating
- 2 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola oil or avocado oil), for frying
For the sweet chili sauce
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the sweet chili sauce: Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, water, sambal oelek, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk until the cornstarch dissolves, then bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and turns slightly glossy, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- 2
Pulse half the shrimp in a food processor until a coarse paste forms, about 8–10 short pulses. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Roughly chop the remaining shrimp into ½-inch pieces and add to the bowl — this mix of paste and chunks gives the cakes structure and texture.
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