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    Home » Main Courses » Fish & Shellfish Main Courses » Shrimp Burgers with Cilantro and Guacamole

    Shrimp Burgers with Cilantro and Guacamole

    Aug 8, 2020 · by Valentina · 38 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Shrimp Burger recipe is a super unique twist on a burger. Shrimp burger patties are topped with a delicious smoky guacamole recipe and they burst with Mexican fresh flavors. Great for lunch, dinner, and outdoor summer parties.Shrimp Cilantro Burgers with Smoky Chipotle Lime Guacamole

    I'm going to be in full bragging mode and tell you that you absolutely must make this Mexican shrimp burger recipe!

    There are so many ways to make and define a burger these days. Beef burgers (of course), turkey burgers, chicken burgers, veggie burgers, tofu burgers, and the list goes on.

    So why not shrimp?

    A pile of raw shrimp with shells behind them.

    Can you buy already peeled and deveined shrimp?

    Yes. Though if you have the time, it's quite easy and saves you money, to peel and devein the shrimp yourself. Here's an easy-to-follow, step-by-step photographic guide to teach you how.

    It's just a question of if you have the time or inclination.

    It's sort of a zen-like activity, once you get into it. (For me, anyway.)

    How to Peel and Devein Shrimp-A Photographic Guide

    What's in this shrimp burger recipe?

    • shrimp
    • cilantro
    • egg
    • avocado
    • Chipotle peppers in adobo
    • lime juice
    • red onion
    • cumin
    • salt, pepper

    You won't believe how much flavor these ingredients bring when combined!

    What do they taste like?

    This shrimp burger recipe has a Mexican vibe from the cilantro and cumin.

    It's such a delicious combination of flavors and the subtle sweetness of the shrimp balances everything perfectly.

    avocado sliced in half

    The shrimp burger is out of control juicy and oozing with delicious flavors, and the smoky guacamole recipe is beyond belief. It's smoky, spicy, fresh and creamy -- all at once.

    Oh, and the little bits of crunch from the red onion is so good!

    bunch of wet fresh cilantro

    They're ideally made in a thick-bottomed sauté pan. A cast iron skillet is perfect

    Can I grill Shrimp Burgers?

    Yes, but not directly on the grate.

    They're a bit fragile on the grill, while they're quite easy to manage in a sauté pan. So you can place a cast iron skillet on the grate, if you really want to be out side barbecuing.

    Even though we sauté them inside, they're still lovely to serve at an outdoor summer barbecue.

    I serve these burgers in a bun with the guacamole, tomato, and lettuce, but the shrimp burger patties are equally as delicious on their own.

    I'm telling you, you should try this shrimp burger recipe for dinner tonight!

    What to Serve with Shrimp Burgers

    • Chopped Mexican Salad with Pepitas
    • Fried Lemon Caesar Salad
    • Grilled Green Onions
    • chips and a super scrumptious salsa

    A stack of four shrimp burgers on what parchment paper.

    Enjoy the shrimp burgers and the delectable smoky guacamole recipe whenever you decide to try them.

    More delicious recipes with shrimp . . .

    • Tropical Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp
    • Spicy Cilantro Shrimp
    • Tomatillo Shrimp Ceviche
    close up of shrimp burger with guacamole in a bun on parchment paper

    Shrimp Burgers with Cilantro and Guacamole

    Valentina K. Wein
    This recipe is a unique twist on a burger. Topped with a delicious smoky guacamole, they're bursting with interesting, fresh flavors and are great for lunch, dinner, and outdoor summer parties.
    *To save about 15 minutes, you can buy the shrimp already peeled and deveined. If you have the time though, it's easy to do yourself and you'll save some money. Here's How to Peel and Devein Shrimp.
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 39 minutes mins
    Cook Time 6 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Mexican
    Servings 4
    Calories 333 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the guacamole

    • 1 medium-sized avocado should provide about ¾ cup mashed
    • 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
    • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
    • 1½ teaspoons chipotles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    For the burger

    • 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (Click here for How to Peel and Devein Shrimp)
    • 1 large egg
    • ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves, washed and dried
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • olive oil for the pan
    • about 8 thin slices vine-ripened tomato
    • 1 small handful baby lettuces
    • 4 of your favorite burger buns, lightly toasted

    Instructions
     

    For the guacamole

    • In a small mixing bowl, mash the avocado with a fork. Add the onion, chipotles, lime juice, and salt -- stir to blend. Cover with plastic wrap and press it gently directly on top of the guacamole. Set aside.

    For the burgers

    • Add all but about ¾ cup of the shrimp to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Turn it on to pulse it just a bit. Then add the egg and cilantro and blend again until it's smooth, about 10 seconds. Add this to a mixing bowl and set aside.
    • Roughly chop the remaining ¾ cup of shrimp into small pieces. Add them to the smooth portion in the mixing bowl, along with the salt, cumin and pepper. Mix just to blend and set aside.
    • Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil and place it over medium-high heat. Once it's very hot, use a ½ cup measure to scoop and shape the shrimp mixture into 4 burgers. They will be sticky, but will easily hold together when you place them in the pan. Sauté them just until they're cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. They should be golden brown.
    • Now add about 1 tablespoon or so of the guacamole to each half of the toasted buns. Add a burger to each, followed by a couple of tomato slices and a bit of the lettuce. Close the burger and enjoy! (These are best when the burgers are still warm.)

    NOTES

    Calorie count is only an estimate.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 333kcal
    Keywords good for summer bbq, burgers made with fish
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

    More Fish & Shellfish Main Courses

    • Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna Burger with tomato and avocado on a cream-colored plate.
      Ahi Tuna Burger (Sesame-Crusted)
    • Three baked Rockfish Fillets on white platter with fresh thyme and lemon slices.
      Rockfish Recipe (Baked with Lemon)
    • Top view of a black ceramic bowl filled with salmon, broccoli and tiny potatoes.
      Chili Crunch Salmon Bites with Broccoli and Potatoes
    • Top view of one Chilean Sea Bass fillet with a caper butter sauce on top, on a what and blue plate.
      Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass (Patagonian Toothfish)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cathy | She Paused 4 Thought

      August 30, 2015 at 8:48 pm

      I have made ground shrimp kabobs before but never a burger. I think I like your idea much better as it looks delicious. I can't wait to try this.

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 31, 2015 at 11:58 am

        Thanks, Cathy. The kebabs sound interesting -- and delicious, also. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Brasserie Louis

      September 01, 2015 at 5:02 am

      Hi Valentina, Delicious!!! I love cilantro so this caught my eye. I mixed up homemade bbq sauce made of brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, apple cider vinegar and worchestershire sauce. My maid chopped up garlic and cilantro and accidentally added to the sauce. It came out amazing!!! Yes they are a little crumbly and you have to be careful but so worth the effort! I reserved extra sauce to put on the bun also. Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe. 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        September 01, 2015 at 9:35 am

        Thanks so much -- so happy you enjoyed it, and your sauce sounds fabulous! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Lokness @ The Missing Lokness

      September 01, 2015 at 3:28 pm

      Wow! This looks AMAZING! The shrimp patties were crispy on the outside and juicy in the inside. I love the sound of the smokey guac too! Shared!

      Reply
      • valentina

        September 02, 2015 at 10:20 am

        Thanks so much!!! 😀

        Reply
    4. David

      September 05, 2015 at 9:38 am

      I am so excited to make these, Valentina! I can easily see using my spicy ginger-sesame mayo on them, too, along with the guacamole. I will report back! xo - and have a lovely long weekend!

      Reply
      • valentina

        September 05, 2015 at 4:25 pm

        That mayo sounds perfect for these! I'd like that with French fries, too. Enjoy and thank you! 🙂

        Reply
        • David

          May 15, 2022 at 11:39 am

          Being the bad communicator that I am, I neglected to report back to tell you how much we love these! I even make small ones for sliders…

          Reply
          • valentina

            May 19, 2022 at 10:28 am

            David, I truly appreciate how many of my recipe you try. With or without a report. So happy you liked them, and great idea to make them tiny! 🙂 ~Valentina

            Reply
    5. Chris Smith

      April 06, 2016 at 1:03 pm

      Maybe I missed it...do I start out with raw shrimp or cooked shrimp?

      Reply
      • valentina

        April 06, 2016 at 2:03 pm

        Yes, you start with raw shrimp. It cooks in the sauté pan. 🙂 I clarified it in the ingredient list. Thank you!

        Reply
    6. Tammy

      May 25, 2016 at 6:04 pm

      4 stars
      Made this tonight with my daughter. We loved it! So easy to make. We love anything with avocado. Even my husband enjoyed it. This is a keeper. Thank you!

      Reply
      • valentina

        May 25, 2016 at 9:25 pm

        Hi Tammy, Thank you -- you made my day! So happy the family enjoyed this recipe. It's one of my favorites. 😀

        Reply
    7. Jessica

      July 12, 2016 at 5:42 pm

      Can you use already cooked shrimp, or does it absolutely have to be raw shrimp? We have a lot of shrimp right now, but already cooked.

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 12, 2016 at 11:00 pm

        For this it really should be raw -- hard to get all the flavors in and form them into burgers, if not. Your cooked shrimp would be delicious dipped in the chipotle-lime guacamole, though. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Kelli

      September 08, 2016 at 9:40 pm

      I wonder if I could freeze the raw mixture before cooking or if it's better to cook all at once and reheat?

      Reply
      • valentina

        September 09, 2016 at 11:16 am

        Great question. I haven't tried freezing the raw mixture, but I think it would work great. I'd shape them, wrap individually in plastic wrap, freeze, and then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    9. anne

      November 13, 2017 at 5:40 pm

      5 stars
      Hi We love these. I have learned to only use fresh shrimp, as frozen shrimp has made mine salty. We usually eat these without buns and dip in thai chili sauce. I have an idea I want to try. I want to make the burger and add italian seasoning instead of cumin. Then I want to put tomato sauce and mozarella on top and turn it into shrimp parmesan. What do you think? I will let you know how it turns out.

      Reply
      • valentina

        November 13, 2017 at 7:34 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing, Anne. You made my day! I'm so happy these have become a "go-to" recipe in your house. Your idea sounds like it would be fun to try. The Italian seasoning and tomato sauce, for sure. I might try a few with the Mozarella and a few without, to see which one you prefer. Oh, and I might also swap out the cilantro for parsley. Let me what how it goes. I'd love to hear. ~Valentina

        Reply
    10. anne

      November 13, 2017 at 5:43 pm

      OMG. I didn't read my previous comment. I forgot I had made that suggestion for apps. And I love the wonton idea. Now you see how many times I actually make these. It's so funny I keep making suggestions on how to use this recipe many ways. Love them. Have I said that? Ha Ha.

      Reply
      • valentina

        November 13, 2017 at 7:36 pm

        I love it! The more suggestions the better. Really, I always appreciate hearing new ideas from my readers, and interacting. Keep them coming!~Valentina

        Reply
    11. Stacy

      April 08, 2018 at 10:41 am

      Any suggestions for replacing the egg?

      Reply
      • valentina

        April 08, 2018 at 11:28 am

        Hi Stacy, I haven't tried this in this recipe, a great way to substitute egg is a combination of flax meal (ground flax seeds) and water. The ratio is generally 1 tablespoon of flax meal to 3 tablespoons water to replace one egg. I hope this helps! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Eha

      February 17, 2019 at 3:55 pm

      5 stars
      Love the recipe minus the bun and chips (fries) . . . add a salad . . . perchance use a wholegrain flatbread instead. Always buy my prawns raw and in shell . . . unless one is catering for a huge party the shelling and deveining take but delicious minutes . . .

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 17, 2019 at 6:18 pm

        My husband wraps every burger of every sort in a crisp lettuce leaf. I'm not quite as disciplined as he is. 🙂 Using a flatbread would be lovely. When time permits I do find shelling and deveining the shrimp sort of meditative. Know what I mean? Enjoy and thank you for visiting, Eha. 🙂

        Reply
    13. Gary

      December 18, 2019 at 4:37 pm

      5 stars
      Outstanding made this evening so good will definitely make theses again

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 18, 2019 at 10:54 pm

        You made my day, Gary. Thank you for the message and for trying the recipe. So happy you loved them -- they're a favorite in my house. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    14. Kelly

      April 30, 2020 at 1:27 pm

      These were amazing! My whole family loved them, even the kids. Definitely a keeper. Thanks for the great recipe.

      Reply
      • valentina

        April 30, 2020 at 2:44 pm

        Thanks so much, Kelly. So appreciate you writing in and I'm so happy you and your family enjoyed this recipe. We love it over here, too. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    15. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop

      August 09, 2020 at 8:57 am

      5 stars
      These look delicious! I love all the Mexican flavors you've added to these burgers! Perfect for this weekend's dinner!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 10, 2020 at 11:25 am

        Hope you loved the, Kathy. Thank you! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    16. 2pots2cook

      August 10, 2020 at 1:17 am

      5 stars
      We both will add this one to our menu ! Perfect combination of ingredients Valentina ! Thank you so much !

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 10, 2020 at 11:27 am

        Thank you, Davorka! Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    17. Chef Mimi

      May 16, 2022 at 5:17 am

      Wow! The burgers are almost all shrimp! And they look so pretty and moist. Great recipe.

      Reply
      • valentina

        May 19, 2022 at 10:27 am

        Thanks, Mimi. Hope you're having a great week. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    18. Debbie Hursh

      July 31, 2023 at 1:13 pm

      These are just amazing! We also like to serve them with the copycat bloomin' onion sauce - amazing!

      Reply
      • Valentina

        July 31, 2023 at 6:12 pm

        Thank you so much, Debbie! This is a favorite over here and I love that you added your onion sauce. What a delicious idea. Thanks for sharing and trying my recipes. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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