I had a bag of tiny frozen shrimp and no idea what to do with them—too small to make a visual impact on their own, but too good to waste. So I started experimenting, and here's the result: flavorful, juicy shrimp patties that are super easy to prep, loaded with protein, and perfect for meal prep or a light lunch.
I do not really want to eat refined carbs so I try to find ways to diversify and use less inflammatory flours. 
🧾 Ingredients:
400g small shrimp (defrosted, drained)
2 eggs
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves (to infuse oil)
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped parsley or dill
½ tsp paprika
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp chia seeds soaked in 4 tbsp water (optional binder or egg booster)
3 tbsp buckwheat (sarrasin) flour AND/OR arrowroot flour (for structure), I used 3+2
Optional: 1 tsp soluble fiber (psyllium) if you want them extra firm
👩🍳 How to Make Them:
1. **Infuse the oil**
Heat olive oil in a pan, drop in the bay leaves, and let them release their fragrance for about 2 minutes. Remove bay leaves before continuing. (I personally keep them, I don’t mind eating basil leaves 😆)
2. **Sauté the aromatics**
Add the chopped onion and garlic to the oil and cook until soft and golden. Let cool a bit.
3. **Make the mix**
In a large bowl, mix shrimp, sautéed onion-garlic, parsley/dill, egg, soaked chia seeds (if using), paprika, salt and pepper. I suggest breaking the chia jelly before adding it to the shrimps as it will be more difficult to mix it evenly if added as is.
4. **Add dry ingredients**
Stir in buckwheat flour (or arrowroot), and psyllium if you're using it. Mix. Adjust with more flour if needed.
5. **Shape & fry**
Shape into small patties and cook on medium heat in a non-stick pan until golden brown on each side (3–4 minutes per side).
🧪 Ingredient Breakdown (estimated):
✅ 400g tiny shrimp
~360 kcal
~48g protein
~6g fat
0g carbs
✅ 2 eggs
~140 kcal
~12g protein
~10g fat
~1g carbs
✅ 2 tbsp chia seeds (~30g)
~140 kcal
~5g protein
~9g fat
~12g carbs (≈10g fiber)
✅ 3 tbsp buckwheat flour (~30g)
~100 kcal
~4g protein
~20g carbs (≈3g fiber)
✅ 2 tbsp arrowroot (~15g, optional)
~50 kcal
~13g carbs
0g fat/protein
✅ 1 tsp psyllium husk (~5g, optional)
~18 kcal
~4g fiber
Negligible protein/carbs/fat
✅ 1 tsp olive oil + sautéed aromatics
~50 kcal (mainly from oil)
Negligible macros otherwise
📌 If you only use chia + buckwheat (no arrowroot or psyllium), totals are roughly:
Calories: ~400 kcal
Protein: ~50g
Carbs: ~10g
Fat: ~18g
Fiber: ~10g
🥣 Flour & Binder Breakdown
Ingredient | Role | Optional? |
|---|---|---|
Buckwheat flour | Main binder; adds nutty taste and holds moisture | ❌ No |
Chia gel | Binds and adds fiber; keeps patties moist | ❌ No |
Arrowroot | Helps with crispiness and makes texture lighter | ✅ Yes |
Psyllium husk | Adds fiber and structure in gluten-free cooking | ✅ Yes |
You can simplify by using only buckwheat + chia if needed.
