Being from the US, we’re drawn towards meats like beef burgers or steaks when eating out but a recent vacation to Baja California in northeastern Mexico did change our taste buds for the better.
Being so close to the coast, many restaurants in Baja serve up lots of fresh seafood so it’s hard to opt for something else from the menu when your dinner was caught that morning.
One thing we tried out in Baja was a shrimp burger which is accompanied by a common Baja sauce that’s made up of sour cream or mayo, lime juice, cilantro, and chili peppers and it was delicious.
However, upon other visits to neighboring restaurants we found out the Baja shrimp burgers vary in ingredients and there is no definitive recipe that you should follow.
We wanted to recreate the Baja shrimp burgers when we returned home, so we searched around to find the best ones and thought we’d also share our best finds with you today.
These Mexican shrimp burgers are packed with flavor and that’s even without the additional avocado aioli. The burgers are made up of shelled shrimp, garlic, egg, cilantro, poblano chiles, bread crumbs, oil, and salt and pepper to combine and make a succulent patty.
The avocado aioli can be made up whilst your burgers are cooking to save you time and served up on some toasted hamburger buns.
Shrimp and chorizo are the perfect combination, there’s probably never been a time when these two ingredients did not go well together.
You’ll need plenty of seasoning to create your chorizo including chili powder, two types of paprikas, cumin, oregano, and tequila, yes, we said tequila.
It’s topped off with homemade paprika mayonnaise that incorporates tomato paste, mustard, and lime to create some huge flavors in your mouth.
If you love spicy food that leaves tears rolling down your face, then you’ll love this habanero shrimp burger by Pati Jinich.
You’ll need a food processor to blend your habanero peppers, shrimp, cilantro, and other ingredients, or you can choose to do it in a bowl with your hands.
The key is to refrigerate your patties for 30 minutes before grilling them so they hold their shape and don’t fall apart in the pan.
Just because you’re trying to be healthier, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a tasty burger. This one from Fit Men Cook is only 126 calories per burger but is still utterly delicious.
Opt for gluten-free buns or portobello mushrooms for lower carb options and keep your garnishes fresh with mashed avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts but without the creamy mayo.
Make up for flavor in the shrimp burger by adding plenty of seasonings like cumin, chili flakes, and cilantro.
This recipe can take a little longer to make, but it’s so worth it for the bright and fresh flavors. You’ll be making an avocado corn relish with jalapenos, avo, red onion, cherry tomatoes, lime juice, and plenty of seasoning to add to your shrimp burgers.
For the sauce, you’ll be making up a creamy citrus avocado aioli with honey, mayo, lemon juice, avo, and salt and pepper to season.
The succulent shrimp and savory chorizo patties are packed with flavor and will require both hands for you to handle as it’s overflowing with amazing ingredients.
The burgers are served with a spoonful of classic pico de gallo and you can even make up some homemade spicy sauce to go in between your burgers.
As the recipe is made up of two different patties, it will take a bit longer to prepare and make, so it’s best to make all your ingredients up in advance and then cook them all on the grill at the same time.
The creamy avocado aioli is made with your choice of sour cream or greek yogurt, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, and salt and pepper and also mixed in a food processor to make sure everything is smooth.
Form and chill your burgers for one hour before grilling and then you’ll only need to cook them for three minutes on each side in a skillet.
We’re a big fan of crab rolls, so when we came across this spicy shrimp and crab burger we were thrilled to be able to combine some of our favorite ingredients.
The rich burgers will be made up of shrimp, crab meat, jalapeno peppers, Sazon, Old Bay Seasoning, light mayo, garlic, egg, Mexican cheese, and salt and pepper to season.
The topping sauce is easy to make in seconds with just some mayo, hot sauce, garlic powder, and pepper and whisked with a fork.
You can even try your hand at the squash spiral relish to finish off your seafood burgers.
We know cajun seasoning is normally associated with food from the South, but this recipe still manages to incorporate some key Mexican ingredients and flavoring that remind us of our time in Baja.
The burgers will need some unique ingredients like Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and sugar to bring out the flavor of the shrimp.
The avocado mayo is simple and only contains 4 ingredients, but we like to add some extra spice with some jalapeno peppers and sometimes some diced baby tomatoes for texture.
Last but not least are these shrimp burgers with jalapeno remoulade by From A Chef’s Kitchen that has a taste of both New Orleans and the coast of Mexico. We love serving up this recipe on the weekends with some spicy sweet potatoes or spicy homemade salsa.
You may have to take a dedicated visit to the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for this recipe that you may not have lying around your kitchen such as, fresh herbs, celery, horseradish, and Dijon mustard.
There are plenty of ingredients with this recipe, so arrange everything into two areas so you don’t forget to include anything.
