These shrimp and sweet potato cakes are crispy on the outside, soft and full of flavor on the inside. Theyโre perfect as a meal with a simple salad, or as a snack or finger food for a party.
Shrimp and sweet potatoes are a match made in heaven - and turning them into these delicate, delicious cakes makes them even better. Dip them in yogurt tahini sauce and enjoy. They can also add them to this Falafel Plate or use them to make sandwiches.
Try these addictive Cabbage Fritters or Corn and Zucchini Fritters, too.
Ingredients: 11 + spices, oil, salt, and pepper
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Jump to:
Recipe ingredients
Shrimp: I used raw, peeled frozen shrimp, thoroughly defrosted before cooking.
Ingredients for the cakes: Sweet potatoes, onion, spices, dried breadcrumbs, and cilantro or parsley. Try these Loaded Sweet Potatoes, too; they are amazing!
Coating ingredients: Roasted sesame seeds, oregano, thyme, sumac, and more breadcrumbs. Sumac is a red spice with a sour, lemon-like taste. Itโs often used in Middle Eastern food. If you donโt have sumac, try a mix of paprika and a little dried lemon zest - it wonโt be exact, but it will work.
See the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient quantities.
How to make shrimp and sweet potato cakes?
Step #1: Cook the sweet potatoes. Mash them roughly with a fork.
Step #2: Sautรฉ the onions briefly, add the chopped shrimp and the spices. Cook, then cool briefly.
Step #3: Combine sweet potatoes with the shrimp mixture. Add breadcrumbs and herbs, cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Step #4: Shape cakes with floured hands and coat them with the sesame seed, breadcrumb, and spices mixture.
Step #5: Fry in batches on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.
Step #6: Flip and cook on the other side.
Storage
Store the sweet potato and shrimp cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat them in a hot nonstick pan with a little oil and cook for a few minutes on each side until heated through and crispy again. You can also warm them in the oven at 350ยฐF/ 180ยฐC for about 10 minutes.
Freeze them in a single layer first, then transfer to a container or freezer bag. You can keep them for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
What to serve them with?
Sign up for our Newsletter to receive new, quick, and delicious recipes in your inbox occasionally! Find me sharing daily meal-time inspiration on Pinterest and Facebook
Give my quick recipes a try for your next family meal! Feel free to reach out if you need any assistance!
๐ Recipe
Shrimp and Sweet Potato Cakes
Equipment
- Cooking pot for the sweet potatoes
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl for the sauce
- Frying pan I prefer nonstick
Ingredients
Sweet potato and shrimp mixture:
- 5.5 oz raw frozen shrimp peeled, defrosted
- 1 lb sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ยฝ medium onion finely chopped
- ยฝ teaspoon cumin
- ยฝ teaspoon coriander
- ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs or a bit more if needed, Note 1
- a small bunch of cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- ยฝ - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Coating ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
- 1 ยฝ tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- ยฝ tablespoon thyme
- ยฝ tablespoon sumac Note 2
- 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Yogurt tahini sauce (optional but great):
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon mint
- 1 large garlic clove grated
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice freshly squeezed to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons cold water as needed
Instructions
- Sweet potatoes: Peel and chop them. Place them in the pot, cover them with water, and cook them until soft (about 15 minutes, but check). Drain them well and mash them roughly with a fork, and add salt and pepper.1 lb sweet potatoes + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- Shrimp: Defrost the shrimp completely, pat them dry with kitchen towels, and chop them into small pieces.1 lb sweet potatoes
- Cook shrimp: Heat the oil in the pan. Sautรฉ the finely chopped onion until translucent (2-3 minutes), add the shrimp, and the spices. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, transfer them to a large bowl, and let them cool for a few minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil + ยฝ medium onion + ยฝ teaspoon cumin + ยฝ teaspoon coriander + ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Combine: Add the mashed sweet potatoes to the shrimp, then add the breadcrumbs and finely chopped herbs. Mix well and adjust the taste. The mixture should be sticky but soft. If it feels too soft to hold, add a little more breadcrumbs - but donโt overdo it.6 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs + a small bunch of cilantro + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- Shape the cakes: Flour your hands lightly and shape 20 cakes. As you do that, press them lightly to flatten - they shouldnโt be round.ยฝ - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Chill: Place the shrimp cakes on a large plate and refrigerate them for 30 minutes until they are firmer. You can also cover them with plastic wrap and chill them for several hours until ready to fry and serve.
- Coat the cakes: Mix the coating ingredients on a shallow plate or in a bowl. Carefully turn the shrimp cakes in the mixture to coat them well.5 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs + 1 ยฝ tablespoons sesame seeds + 1 tablespoon oregano + ยฝ tablespoon thyme + ยฝ tablespoon sumac
- Cook the shrimp cakes: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Fry the cakes over medium-high heat in 2 or 3 batches, without overcrowding the pan, adding a bit more oil between batches if needed. Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, then flip carefully with a spatula and cook for another 2 minutes, or until nicely browned and crispy. Place them on kitchen towels to absorb excess oil.3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Tahini sauce:
- Combine all the sauce ingredients except the water in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water and whisk to combine. Add a little more water if the sauce seems too thick.1 cup Greek yogurt + 3 tablespoons tahini + 1 teaspoon mint + 1 large garlic clove + 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice + 2-3 tablespoons cold water
Notes
- Breadcrumbs: You will need them for the cakes and the coating. If the cake mixture seems too soft to shape, add a bit more breadcrumbs to make the mix a bit firmer. However, donโt add too much; the shrimp cakes should be delicate, and not cakey.
- Sumac is a red spice with a sour, lemon taste used a lot in Middle Eastern food. If you donโt have sumac, you can use paprika mixed with a little dried lemon zest. Itโs not the same, but it works well.
Comments
No Comments