Satisfying Shrimp Cakes Recipe with Pineapple Guacamole

These shrimp cakes are served with a delicious pineapple guacamole for a tasty appetizer, or they can be served as part of a larger meal. As well as being delicious, they are whole30, gluten free and paleo.

Remember that time we did Whole30 for 5 days?  It's but a distant memory, yet we keep coming back to some of the recipes that we tried and loved that week.  (To be fair, I had already meal prepped most of the following week, so we were pretty compliant for closer to ten days!)  This shrimp cake recipe is one of the gems that I came up with in the process and Aaron's been begging for me to make them again.

They're relatively easy to pull together, cook quickly, and make for a really yummy lunch when re-heated the next day. Plus, who doesn't love pineapple guacamole?!  You could make mini versions for a satisfying and healthy appetizer or two of these entree-sized shrimp cakes definitely qualify as dinner.

How to Make Shrimp Cakes with Pineapple Guacamole

For the shrimp cakes, combine all ingredients (except the avocado oil) in a large bowl and mix well. Depending on the consistency you might want to add an additional tablespoon or two of the almond meal to bind together the wet ingredients.

Once combined,  separate mixture into 8 even patties on a large plate or platter and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. (This will help them to stay together and not fall apart while cooking.)

While the shrimp cakes are chilling, make your pineapple guacamole by combining all ingredients by hand in a medium sized bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To cook the shrimp cakes, place a sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp. avocado oil.  Once the oil is hot, add three shrimp cakes and cook for about 2-3 minutes until the bottoms have become golden and crispy.  Flip the cakes and cook another few minutes until the second side is also golden and crispy and the shrimp is cooked to pink.

For best taste, serve immediately with the pineapple guacamole!

What do you serve with shrimp cakes?

These shrimp cakes are really versatile and you can make mini ones for a finger food appetizer or larger ones to enjoy as part of a main meal. As an appetizer, they just need to be served with a spoonful of the fresh guacamole and as a main, you can serve them with a Simple Arugula Salad or a pasta salad for a fuller meal.

How long do shrimp cakes keep?

Once you have made the cakes, let them cool completely, and then transfer them to an airtight container. They will keep in the fridge for around 3 days and can be reheated in the oven.  The guacamole can be made a couple of hours ahead of time, but it is best eaten on the same day.

Whole30 Appetizer Recipe

It can be so hard to find appetizers that a whole30 compliant, which can make this plan so hard to follow, especially during the holidays! These shrimp cakes are made without breadcrumbs so they are also gluten-free which makes them a great option if you are entertaining a crowd with differing dietary needs.

Top Tips To Make Shrimp Cakes with Pineapple Guacamole

• You can use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. If you are using frozen, be sure that they are fully defrosted.
• Once you have moulded the cakes, let them sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes so that they firm up.
• Don't crowd the pan when you cook the cakes, cook them in batches of three or four.
• Serve immediately or store covered in the fridge.

For more whole30 recipes:

• Whole30 Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs Recipe
• Potato Crust Sausage Butternut Squash and Egg Frittata (Whole 30 + Paleo)
• Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic Herb Aioli (Whole30 Approved!)
• Easy Whole30 Meal Plan || Week 1

I love hearing from you, so if you've tried these shrimp cakes be sure to let me know in the comments below!

Shrimp Cakes with Pineapple Guacamole (Whole30, Paleo, + Gluten Free!)

Jen Pinkston

Easy to make shrimp cakes, great as an appetizer or main

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Chilling time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8 large shrimp cakes

Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Ingredients for Shrimp Cakes:

• 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp roughly chopped into ½" pieces
• 2 eggs beaten
• ⅓ c. unsweetened coconut flakes
• ⅓ c. almond meal
• ¼ c. white onion finely chopped
• ¼ c. red bell pepper finely chopped
• 2 t. lime juice
• 1 t. paprika
• ½ t. chili powder
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. salt
• 2 Tbsp. + 2 Tbsp. avocado oil for cooking

Ingredients for Guacamole:

• 3 medium ripe avocados halved and pitted
• ½ small white onion finely chopped
• 1 jalapeños seeded and minced
• ¼ c. minced cilantro about one bunch
• 1 c. pineapple finely chopped
• 2 limes juiced
• ½ t. garlic powder
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• For the shrimp cakes, combine all ingredients (except the avocado oil) in a large bowl and mix well. Depending on the consistency you might want to add an additional tablespoon or two of the almond meal to bind together the wet ingredients.
• Once combined, separate mixture into 8 even patties on a large plate or platter and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. (This will help them to stay together and not fall apart while cooking.)
• While the shrimp cakes are chilling, make your pineapple guacamole by combining all ingredients by hand in a medium sized bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To cook the shrimp cakes, place a sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp. avocado oil. Once the oil is hot, add three shrimp cakes and cook for about 2-3 minutes until the bottoms have become golden and crispy. Flip the cakes and cook another few minutes until the second side is also golden and crispy and the shrimp is cooked to pink.
• For best taste, serve immediately with the pineapple guacamole! (Although we had these for leftovers the next day at lunch and they were still just as delicious!)

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Shrimp Cakes with Pineapple Guacamole (Whole30, Paleo, + Gluten Free!)

Amount per Serving

Calories

300

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

21

g

32

%

Saturated Fat

 

5

g

31

%

Cholesterol

 

184

mg

61

%

Sodium

 

762

mg

33

%

Potassium

 

523

mg

15

%

Carbohydrates

 

15

g

5

%

Fiber

 

7

g

29

%

Sugar

 

4

g

4

%

Protein

 

16

g

32

%

Vitamin A

 

580

IU

12

%

Vitamin C

 

35

mg

42

%

Calcium

 

117

mg

12

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword shrimp cake recipe, shrimp cakes with guacamole, whole30 shrimp cakes

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Photography by Katie Jameson

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