Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes with Avocado Sauce

Shrimp is probably my absolute favorite protein to work with. Their flavor is so delicate and they play so well in endless types of dishes. It’s the mouthfeel too. I love when you bite into a shrimp and there is that slight crunch, then it just becomes so succulent and tender in your mouth. Plus they cook quickly, which means I get to eat quickly! Tequila lime shrimp is so amazing, so I was inspired to put a twist on it by making them into little tequila lime shrimp cakes. Oh goodness gracious, the flavor was incredible! I used homemade herb lime mayo instead of the jarred mayo to help bind the cakes and it completely made the dish. Serving them over a super easy avocado sauce sent them over the top! It sounds like a fussy recipe, but it’s so much easier than it sounds.

Herb lime mayo all ready!
The first thing I did was quickly make the herb lime mayo. All of the ingredients minus the oil just went into my mixing bowl. I wrapped the bowl in a cold, wet towel to help it emulsify as I whisked in the oil. Once all of the oil was whisked in, I had such a gorgeous mayo! It only took 5 minutes to make it myself.
The shrimp for the tequila lime shrimp cakes marinating!
Tequila and lime formed the basis of the marinade for the shrimp, along with lots of spices. It gave the tequila lime shrimp cakes so much flavor. I let the mixture sit for 20 minutes to really meld together. The lime tenderized the shrimp even more as it sat.
The tequila lime shrimp cakes all formed.
Then I assembled the tequila lime shrimp cakes. I divided the mixture and ended up with 5 good sized patties. I had enough mixture to form 5 perfect little patties out of it. Then I breaded them and let the formed cakes sit again in the refrigerator. That let them firm up and set the breading.
The avocado sauce all prepared.
While the cakes set, I made the incredible simple avocado sauce. It was so heavenly and creamy. All I did was stir the simple ingredients together.
The tequila lime shrimp cakes getting lovely and golden.
At last, it was time to cook the tequila lime shrimp cakes. They pan fried in a thin layer of oil for a few minutes on each side. They became so gorgeously golden. It was glorious!

Then it was time to plate and serve! I scooped a big dollop of the sauce on my plate and put a tequila lime cake right on top. I never put the sauce on top of anything I pan fry. It would have obscured all of the work I did to develop a beautiful crust! The last touch was to garnish with additional lime wedges. Hubby and I each had two and a half cakes with some salad on the side and let me tell you it was perfection. These tequila lime shrimp cakes were completely loaded with big flavors that just spoke summer to me!

Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes
Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes
Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes
Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes

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5 from 2 votes
Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes
Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes with Avocado Sauce
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes are just so packed with flavor and texture, using homemade herb lime mayo as a binder. A spicy avocado sauce completely makes it! 

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Shrimp Cakes, Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes
Servings: 5 cakes
Calories: 757 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
For The Herb Lime Mayo
  • 1 whole lime zested and juiced
  • 1 whole egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon water
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 cup canola oil
For the Shrimp Cakes
  • 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined, chopped small
  • 1 whole lime zested and juiced, plus additional lime wedges for garnish
  • 1/4 cup tequila
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs plus 1 cup for coating
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 whole shallot peeled and minced
  • 1/4 of a red bell pepper seeds removed and minced
  • 1 pinch salt
  • canola oil as needed for pan frying
For the Avocado Sauce
  • 1 whole avocado peeled, pitted and mashed
  • 1 whole lime juiced
  • 1 dash water
  • 1 dash Sriracha
  • 1 pinch salt
Instructions
  1. First, prepare the homemade herb lime mayo. Wrap a mixing bowl in a cold, wet towel. Add the lime zest, lime juice, egg yolk, mustard, water, dried parsley, dried tarragon and salt. Whisk them all together well. While still whisking, slowly pour in the oil until the mixture comes together into a rich mayo. Cover the bowl and set it aside in the refrigerator.
  2. Marinate the shrimp next, Combine the shrimp, lime zest, lime juice, tequila, smoked paprika and chili powder in a large mixing bowl. Stir it together and cover the bowl. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. When the 20 minutes is up, drain the marinade from the bowl. Add the herb lime mayo you had set aside, the breadcrumbs, eggs, shallot and red bell pepper. Mix it all together thoroughly with clean hands.
  3. Form the mixture into five fairly large shrimp cakes. Coat each of them in the additional cup of breadcrumbs and set them aside on a plate. Let them set for 10 minutes. While they set, make the avocado sauce. In a bowl simply stir the mashed avocado, lime juice, water, Sriracha and salt together. Voila, easy avocado sauce! Set the sauce aside.
  4. Now it's time to bring it all together! In a large stainless steal skillet, heat up a fairly deep layer of canola oil. It should be about 2-3 inches deep. Once it is hot get the shrimp cakes in the pan, in batches if necessary. Let them get golden on the first side for 3 minutes, then flip them to do the same on the other side. Remove them to a plate lined with paper towel to blot them when they're done.
  5. Scoop a big dollop of the avocado sauce on a plate, then place a cake on top of it. Garnish with additional lime wedges and serve immediately! They're great with a side of salad.
Nutrition Facts
Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes with Avocado Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 shrimp cake)
Calories 757 Calories from Fat 505
% Daily Value*
Fat 56.1g86%
Saturated Fat 6.1g38%
Cholesterol 237mg79%
Sodium 488mg21%
Potassium 398mg11%
Carbohydrates 35.7g12%
Fiber 5.8g24%
Sugar 4.3g5%
Protein 25.6g51%
Calcium 70mg7%
Iron 2.7mg15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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10 thoughts on “Tequila Lime Shrimp Cakes with Avocado Sauce”

  1. Great alternative to crabcakes!! My family loved these the other night!

  2. Shrimp, lime and avocados are three of my favorite things! I am printing this out and trying it this weekend!

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