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    Italian Fried Shrimp Balls

    Oct 26, 2018 · 38 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Thank you Carapelli Olive Oil for sponsoring this post. For more information and a store locator, please visit CarapelliUSA.com and be sure to check out Carapelli’s social channels: Facebook and Instagram.

    These Fried Shrimp Balls are boasting in rich Italian flavors thanks to Carapelli Unfiltered Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. They are easy to make and are a perfect appetizer for the upcoming holidays!

    The Romans had a parable, “Partes humani cultus necessariae vinum … atque oleum olivarum,” which means, in essence, “The necessary parts of human culture are wine and olive oil.” From the Neolithic period, wine opened up trade and spurred on the Greeks to colonize much of the coastal Mediterranean. In essence, wine had a ‘civilizing’ effect on those cultures who cultivated vines and indulged wine at meals – “Wine is the fruit of the vine, but etiquette is the fruit of the wine,” as a similar parable holds. Olive oil, too, had similar civilizing effects, ranging from a primitive source of preservation, to skin care and essential nutrients, to important source of trade revenue. In fact, the Romans even devised olive cultivation as a means to privately financing road construction and maintenance in North Africa – by tying the upkeep of the roads to ownership of roadside olive groves.

    As you might be able to tell from my recipes, olive oil is a cornerstone ingredient in my kitchen. Versatile, delicious, and supremely healthy, it’s an ingredient that, in all honesty, I really can’t imagine trying to cook without.

    With that said, I am a firm believer that recipes are the sum of their ingredients in terms of quality – and the oil you use is assuredly no exception. In general, you want the oil you use to be dense, slightly nutty, a sort of ‘nuance of nature’ that manages to be remarkably flavorful without being overpowering. Naturally, that perfectly describes today’s product Carapelli Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is cold-extracted, unfiltered, and all natural, allowing it to retain its naturally cloudy and rustic appearance, with heightened flavor and body, meaning it will pair excellently with beef, lamb, and greens. Carapelli Olive Oil, very simply, offers exquisite, reliable quality and flavor, via olives nurtured by nature, and harvested only at the optimal harvest time.

    To demonstrate this point, we come to today’s recipe – Italian Style Shrimp Balls.

    To start things off, we melt butter in a cast iron pan with Carapelli Unfiltered Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and then we sauté onion, garlic, celery, and zucchini until they are tender and the garlic is fragrant. After that, we mince about four cups of shrimp and add that to the pan, and continue sautéing for about two minutes.

    Once that’s done, place the mixture into a large bowl, and add in chopped parsley and basil, the seasonings listed below, along with grated cheese, fresh lemon zest, and two eggs. Mix that well, and then blend in the breadcrumbs.

    Now comes the fun part – getting your hands dirty.

    We’re going to need to begin forming the mixture into balls roughly one inch in diameter – but I doubt Zeus will strike you down if you prefer them a tad larger, though I would advise against forming them any smaller.

    Now, another fun part – more raw eggs, and more breadcrumbs. Can you guess what’s coming next?

    Beat the eggs into a wash, and set the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl and then dredge the balls in the egg mixture, and then roll them in the breadcrumbs. Yes, this is a dirty business, but this is the delicacy you’ve chosen.

    After that’s done, heat a few tablespoons of Carapelli Unfiltered Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large cast iron frying pan, and begin frying the balls until they reach a nice golden coloration.

    Then simply serve with some extra grated cheese and lemon wedges.

    Print

    Italian Fried Shrimp Balls

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    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Living the Gourmet
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Total Time: 35 minutes
    • Yield: 1 dozen Shrimp Balls 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 4 cups of fresh uncooked shrimp – minced
    • Carapelli Unfiltered Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for frying
    • 2 tbs. butter
    • 3 cloves of garlic – chopped
    • 1/2 cup of red onion – chopped
    • 1/2 cup grated zucchini
    • 4 cups fresh shrimp – minced
    • 1/2 cup of celery – about 2 stalks – chopped
    • 1/4 cup of Romano cheese – grated
    • 4 – 5 fresh basil leaves – chopped
    • 1/4 cup of fresh Italian parsley – stems removed and chopped
    • Zest of 1/2 lemon
    • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
    • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
    • 4 eggs
    • 2 cups of Italian bread crumbs – unseasoned
    • 1 cup of seasoned Italian bread crumbs

    Instructions

    1. Melt the butter with 2 tbs. of olive oil in a large cast iron frying pan.
    2. Sauté the onion, garlic, celery, and zucchini until the tender.
    3. Add the shrimp and sauté, for 1 to 2 minutes.
    4. Place the mixture into a mixing bowl; add the parsley and basil, seasonings, grated cheese, lemon zest and 2 eggs; mix well. Blend in the bread crumbs.
    5. Shape into balls about 1 inch in diameter.
    6. Beat the remaining 2 eggs in a small, shallow bowl and place the seasoned bread crumbs in another shallow bowl.
    7. Heat a few tbs. of olive oil in a large cast iron frying pan.
    8. Dip and coat each shrimp ball in the egg mixture, then roll in the bread crumbs.
    9. Fry in the skillet over a medium heat until a beautiful golden color appears on all sides.
    10. Place in a dish prepared with paper towels.
    11. Serve with extra grated cheese and lemon wedges.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 6

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @LTGfood on Instagram and hashtag it #LTGfood

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

    For more information regarding Carapelli Unfiltered Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or to find at a store near you, please visit CarapelliUSA.com and be sure to check out Carapelli’s social channels: Facebook and Instagram.

    Enjoy with Love!

    I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

    3

    Appetizers

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Monidipa Dutta says

      26/10/2018 at 4:10 pm

      For me, Italia food is love… And this looks so yummy! I can’t wait to give this recipe a try!

      Reply
    2. Anna MV says

      26/10/2018 at 4:17 pm

      These look incredibly yummy and I’m not a “shrimp” person. Do you think the recipe would work with another meat?

      Reply
      • Living the Gourmet says

        26/10/2018 at 5:27 pm

        Dear Anna,

        You most certainly may use crabmeat, drained well, salmon, oysters or canned tuna, again drained well.

        Thank you for stopping by and visiting.
        xo Catherine

        Reply
    3. Gloria says

      26/10/2018 at 5:32 pm

      OMG….this look AMAZING. I am always on the hunt for really good olive oil. I will see if I can find this at the store. These tasty little shrimp balls would be the hit of any holiday party.

      Reply
    4. Claudia Lamascolo says

      26/10/2018 at 6:09 pm

      Pass me the whole bowl. I love shrimp and I am certain with these delicious flavors in that olive oil these are heavenly in flavors!

      Reply
    5. DAVID J MYERS says

      26/10/2018 at 6:12 pm

      Catherine, Great looking appetizer for a wine tasting or holiday party! Something we’ve never had either… Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

      Reply
    6. Stacie says

      26/10/2018 at 6:48 pm

      I have to make these! I’ve never heard of anything like this before. They look so good!

      Reply
    7. Pavani says

      27/10/2018 at 12:35 am

      Those Italian fried shrimp balls look sooo crispy and delicious. They are going to be perfect appetizer during the holiday season.

      Reply
    8. Alexandra says

      27/10/2018 at 3:41 am

      I am SO craving these right now. They look and sound absolutely delicious 🙂
      Thank you for sharing this delicious looking recipe!

      All the best,
      Alexandra
      http://www.itsnotcomplicatedrecipes.com

      Reply
    9. angiesrecipes says

      27/10/2018 at 4:33 am

      Wish I could reach in and grab a few to try! They look amazingly delicious.

      Reply
    10. Dayna Hoskin says

      27/10/2018 at 5:20 am

      OMG! These look absolutely delicious! Hubby and I have only just started venturing into cooking seafood at home, so we’ll definitely be bookmarking and trying this one!

      Reply
    11. Brittnie says

      27/10/2018 at 7:58 am

      They look incredible and more importantly easy to make! Saving this recipe for my next cooking night.

      Reply
    12. Lisa says

      27/10/2018 at 10:23 am

      I live half the year in Italy, but have never tried anything like this! They look delicious, and will be looking out for them!

      Reply
    13. Mahy Elamin says

      27/10/2018 at 12:11 pm

      Oooh, this looks SO good! Would love to try this. A simple list of ingredients is what I love. Thank you for a great recipe!

      Reply
    14. Joanna says

      27/10/2018 at 12:32 pm

      I always use olive oil in my cooking, it is healthier and gives a better flavour to the dishes. Your shrimp balls sound delicious, I never had shrimp other than fried or grilled before.

      Reply
    15. Jyothi (Jo) says

      27/10/2018 at 12:57 pm

      Wait ..did you say Shrimp balls? That’s brilliant. I have to try this recipe, because it looks absolutely delicious. Wont mind popping a couple of it in mouth right away

      Reply
    16. Dan Zehr says

      27/10/2018 at 12:58 pm

      Oh yum! My whole family would go crazy for these! Wow and wow, this is so delicious and it makes my mouth watering. Looks VERY tasty!

      Reply
    17. Yeah Lifestyle says

      27/10/2018 at 1:47 pm

      These look so delicious and have my mouth watering! I love shrimp so will definitely be giving these a try!

      Reply
    18. Sara Welch says

      27/10/2018 at 8:53 pm

      My husband would really enjoy some of these. He is a freak about shrimps and seafood.

      Reply
    19. Noel Lizotte says

      27/10/2018 at 9:02 pm

      Such an elegant appetizer! Perfect with the before dinner glass of wine, I’m sure!

      Reply
    20. Lauren Vavala says

      28/10/2018 at 1:04 am

      I’ve made shrimp cakes before, but never little bite-size balls like these! What a delicious appetizer! I also love this olive oil…the unfiltered variety is in my cabinet right now!

      Reply
    21. Catherine Santiago Jose says

      28/10/2018 at 5:11 am

      Wow! Another great and clever recipe. Loved the idea and creativity you’ve done in this recipe, can’t wait to make this at home.

      Reply
    22. Hola Cheska says

      28/10/2018 at 11:59 am

      Hello girl! This recipe looks amazing. The pictures are so artistic. Love the preset you use. For this next thanksgiving I am writing down some new recipes and I will be trying this one instead of the traditional recipe with adobo. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    23. Cryst says

      28/10/2018 at 12:46 pm

      If I could follow this recipe, my family would love you forever, lol.

      Reply
    24. Veena Azmanov says

      28/10/2018 at 1:05 pm

      Oh, this reminds me of my mom. She made shrimp balls often. We loved it so much. Been years since I had any. I must try this Italian style. Sounds yum.

      Reply
    25. Jasmine Hewitt says

      28/10/2018 at 1:58 pm

      i’ve never heard of shrimp balls. I do often fry shrimp whole, but never made anything like this. Intriguing!

      Reply
    26. Evelyn Hernandez says

      28/10/2018 at 2:45 pm

      I was looking for a shrimp appetizer recipe for our get together next week, this is perfect!

      Reply
    27. Marisa Franca says

      28/10/2018 at 6:43 pm

      No household should be without delicious olive oil. When we first came to this country it wasn’t as prevalent as it is today. We had to wait for our friends from Chicago to come visit so they could bring it to my folks. I’ll start looking for the Carapelli Unfiltered Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. The fried shrimp balls would be a huge hit with our family. We all love seafood and appetizers. That’s a win-win.

      Reply
    28. Melissa says

      28/10/2018 at 7:25 pm

      These sound incredible, they remind me of a traditional Italian Rice Ball and those are my fave so I am sure these are just as delish!!

      Reply
    29. stacey says

      29/10/2018 at 6:27 am

      These look delicious. I love all the ingredients you used in making these fried shrimp balls.

      Reply
    30. Becca Talbot says

      29/10/2018 at 7:49 am

      These look and sound amazing! I love prawns 😀 And the recipe seems pretty easy to follow too. Will have to give them a whirl 😀 x

      Reply
    31. Amanda says

      29/10/2018 at 8:50 am

      These look so yummy. I haven’t made too many meals that are fried because my husband is not a big fan. Maybe I can convince him to now 😉

      Reply
    32. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says

      29/10/2018 at 7:41 pm

      I love shrimp, but I have actually never tried shrimp balls before! These look so tasty!

      Reply
    33. NAti says

      30/10/2018 at 11:33 am

      I love Italian culture and food ! (I married an Italian btw) So I know I will love making these shrimp balls!

      Reply
    34. April says

      30/10/2018 at 1:22 pm

      These look incredible and I don’t eat much shrimp but I would devour these in a minute! I can’t wait to give them a try!

      Reply
    35. Lucia says

      24/09/2022 at 9:52 pm

      Do you think this would work in an air fryer instead of frying in oil?

      ★★★★★

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Crispy Fried Onion Rings - Living The Gourmet says:
      15/03/2021 at 6:45 pm

      […] Italian-Style Fried Shrimp Balls. These are as delicious as they sound. Prepared with fresh basil, fresh lemon, Romano cheese, and […]

      Reply
    2. Fried Stuffed Pork Chops with Sage & Sundried Tomatoes - Living The Gourmet says:
      15/03/2021 at 6:47 pm

      […] Italian-Style Fried Shrimp Balls. These are as delicious as they sound. Prepared with fresh basil, fresh lemon, Romano cheese, and […]

      Reply

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