My Spicy Baked Shrimp Balls pin went viral recently and is absolutely one of the most visited posts on my blog, soooo here's the recipe again, reshot 📸, and better than ever! And today is "National Shrimp Day," so how perfect is that? Trust me, you're going to want to save this one for your recipe files!
These shrimp balls require very little prep time and are baked, not fried, meaning lower calories but with plenty of flavor! Serve them with sweet chili sauce for dipping, or your fave dipping sauce. These babies truly are to die for!
Every time I serve these Spicy Baked Shrimp Balls at a dinner party they are gone before I can even grab everyone a cocktail! That's how good they are! You're definitely not going to slave over a hot stove or oven for this delicious appetizer. It's not even 20 minutes from start to finish!
Ingredients you'll need for this recipe
Gather up these simple ingredients for shaping these shrimp meatballs.
- Shrimp of course! 🦐 Depending on how many guests you want to serve, start with about one pound of peeled and deveined wild shrimp. Cut the shrimp coarsely and set aside.
- A few garlic cloves, to your liking. I love garlic everything so I probably put in more that a few! Finely chop them for the mixture.
- Finely chopped shallots. I used just two small shallots, which I think was enough.
- Thai chili peppers. 🌶 These are super hot, so remove the seeds before chopping! And don't forget to have a rubber glove on because if you handle it with your bare hands you will regret it!
- Juice from one lime. You will love the tangy, citrusy flavor from the lime!
- Egg whites which helps to bind the mixture together.
- Panko bread crumbs, again for binding. Using gluten-free Panko bread crumbs will not alter the taste.
- Chopped green onions and cilantro. The green onions give the shrimp balls such a great pop of color!
- Salt & pepper for the finishing touch!
- Sweet chili sauce for dipping. The contrast of sweet and spicy is amazing with these shrimp balls! I get my sweet chili sauce from Trader Joe's but it's available at just about every grocery store!
I used a food processor to make it so much easier. It finely chops the raw shrimp with just a few pulses! So easy!
The shrimp balls don't take long at all to cook in the oven. Make sure to spray the tops of the balls so they can get golden brown.
How to make this recipe
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Place shrimp in a food processor and pulse a few times until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- In a small skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat and sauté garlic, shallots, and peppers until translucent, about 3 minutes. Transfer veggies to a bowl to cool. (This step is optional. I sometimes don't even sauté the veggies and they cook in the shrimp mixture just fine.)
- Meanwhile, add to the shrimp the egg whites, bread crumbs, green onion, cilantro, salt, chili peppers, and lime juice. When veggies have cooled, add to the mixture and combine all ingredients well.
- Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Working in batches, form 1-inch balls with the shrimp mixture and place in rows on the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Spray the tops of the shrimp balls with cooking spray before putting in the oven. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Set oven to broil and brown the tops of the shrimp balls, about 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve with a side of sweet chili dipping sauce.
TIPS & TRICKS
- Thai chili peppers are super hot, so remove the seeds before chopping! And don't forget to have a rubber glove on because if you handle it with your bare hands you will regret it!
- Using a food processor to finely chop the shrimp will make your life so much easier! You'll thank me later! 😉
- Make sure to spray the tops of the shrimp balls so they get golden brown when cooking in the oven. I put the oven on broil for the last few minutes to help that browning process along.
- Sautéing the veggies is optional. I sometimes don't even sauté the veggies and they cook in the shrimp mixture just fine.
- The shrimp balls can be made ahead a day in advance. Refrigerate overnight. Or freeze for up to two months.
WANT MORE?
If you like this recipe, you’re going to love my Thai Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp Meatballs. It's a delicious and healthy meal that will have you licking your plate!
Update Notes: This post was originally published on April 15, 2016, but was republished with slight text changes and additions, like new images, step by step instructions, and tips in May 2019.
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Spicy Baked Shrimp Balls
These Spicy Baked Shrimp Balls pack so much flavor! They're sweet, spicy, healthy, and delicious -- the best appetizer!
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 3 Thai chili peppers, seeded and chopped
- Juice of one lime
- 2 egg whites
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 green onions, chopped (green parts only)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Cooking spray
- Sweet chili sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Place shrimp in a food processor and pulse a few times until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- In a small skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat and sauté garlic, shallots, and chili peppers until translucent, about 3 minutes. Transfer veggies to a bowl to cool. (This step is optional. I sometimes don't even sauté the veggies and they cook in the shrimp mixture just fine.)
- Meanwhile, add to the shrimp the egg whites, bread crumbs, green onion, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. When veggies have cooled, add to the mixture and combine all ingredients well.
- Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Working in batches, form 1-inch balls with the shrimp mixture and place in rows on the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Spray the tops of the shrimp balls with cooking spray before putting in the oven. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Set oven to broil and brown the tops of the shrimp balls, about 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve with a side of sweet chili dipping sauce.
Notes
- Thai chili peppers are super hot, so remove the seeds before chopping! And don't forget to have a rubber glove on because if you handle it with your bare hands you will regret it!
- Using a food processor to finely chop the shrimp will make your life so much easier! You'll thank me later! 😉
- Make sure to spray the tops of the shrimp balls so they get golden brown when cooking in the oven. I put the oven on broil for the last few minutes to help that browning process along.
- Sautéing the veggies is optional. I sometimes don't even sauté the veggies and they cook in the shrimp mixture just fine.
- The shrimp balls can be made ahead a day in advance. Refrigerate overnight. Or freeze for up to two months.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 15-17 min
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 2.4 g
- Sodium: 429.3 mg
- Fat: 3.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.5 g
- Protein: 25.8 g
- Cholesterol: 182.5 mg
Monica says
Can the shrimp balls be heated and kept warm in a crockpot or do you serve room temp?
Asian Inspired Eats says
Hi Monica! The shrimp balls can be kept warm in the oven or in your crockpot. They do taste better when served warm. (Just my opinion!😏)
Kelly says
When do you add in the chili peppers? It shows to do them for step 2 with the veggies and then again in step 3 with the shrimp and egg mixture
Asian Inspired Eats says
Great catch, Kelly! That was my mistake. You just need to use the chili peppers in step #2. Thanks for letting me know! Hope you enjoy the recipe. It's one of my favorite appetizers and always a hit!
Joyce says
If I make these a day ahead, how do i reheat them so they are not overcooked?
Asian Inspired Eats says
Hi Joyce! You can reheat these shrimp balls in the oven at 300-350 degrees, for about 10 min., or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
Julie says
What a yummy twist on shrimp! Love all the tasty flavors you added to this! Can't wait to try.
Asian Caucasian says
Thanks, Julie! This appetizer is always a winner with my friends!
Beth Neels says
Oooh! These look so delicious! Shrimp is one of my husbands and my favorites so I will definitely making these ASAP! I love that they are baked to to make them a bit healthier! No guilt!
Asian Caucasian says
Thanks, Beth! My hubby loves these too! But when I serve them to my dinner guests they are gone in a flash!
Adrianne says
What a great appetiser these are! I love that they cook quickly too. I wouldn't have thought to spray them but that is a handy tip also, cheers!
Asian Caucasian says
Thank you, Adrianne! Spraying helps to brown them and of course, the broiling at the end! These are super delish!
Brian Jones says
Oh boy these sound so very good, such wonderful flavour combinations. In other news I wish I would learn to wear gloves or rub my hands with oil when chopping chili, I always think I should just after I have chopped off the stalk... Then never bother and ALWAYS regret it 😉
Asian Caucasian says
Yeah, I've had way too many lessons learned with bare hands and spicy chilis! And if you rub your eyes right after handling it you're really in trouble!
Laura says
Congratulations on having a viral pin! This is a great recipe to use for a small gathering, and is definitely something everyone is likely to enjoy. Great tip on spraying the tops of the shrimp balls!
Asian Caucasian says
Thanks, Laura! When I make these shrimp balls they are gone so quickly and I always forget to double up and freeze them!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
These look to die for! Love the idea of oven baking rather than lots of frying and perfect for parties!
Asian Caucasian says
Thanks, Amanda! These are just as good baked as they are fried, but with a lot less calories!
Patti Schmidt says
These shrimp balls look amazing! I’m going to make these at my next dinner party! Healthy too!
Asian Caucasian says
Thank you, Patti! These are so popular when I serve them. Gobbled up very quickly, for sure! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!