closeup of a plate with Chinese shrimp toast points topped with black sesame seeds

Shrimp Toast

This recipe is: dairy freenut free

Inspired by the classic Chinese takeout dish, this easy shrimp toast recipe is pan fried with garlic, ginger and sesame. This flavorful appetizer only takes a few minutes to make and is perfect for serving with your favorite dipping sauce.

5 from 1 vote
a cookie sheet with Chinese shrimp toast points topped with black sesame seeds

What is shrimp toast?

A few weeks ago, I had every intention of reshooting my cilantro lime shrimp recipe, which I’ve been wanting to do forever, and a paella recipe for my Friday Night dinner series. But, I accidentally came home with a bag of tail-off shrimp.

I know that they’re an idea choice for cooking because no one really wants to deal with tails, those tails make for some pretty pictures. Rather than make photos I didn’t love, I decided to test out a few recipes that were perfect for tail-off shrimp, and they turned out fantastic.

I made shrimp cakes – inspired by my favorite fish cakes – with mango aioli and shrimp toast. Both turned out great, and I promise to share the shrimp cakes as soon as I can get the photographed.

Shrimp toast is a classic Chinese takeout dish. It’s basically bread smothered in a super flavorful shrimp paste that’s fried until it’s crispy.

Shrimp toast definitely not healthy, but it’s one of my favorite shrimp appetizers. It’s a fun appetizer to change things up for a party and it’d be perfect to serve as an accompaniment to your favorite Chinese chicken and broccoli or kung pao chicken.

If you like this recipe, you have to try this smoked salmon platter, and these Thai tuna cakes and these baked scallops.

Searching for more shrimp recipes? Cilantro lime shrimp / Shrimp po boys / Shrimp macaroni salad / Smoked shrimp

a plate with Chinese shrimp toast points topped with black sesame seeds

SHOP THIS RECIPE:

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.

Ideas

Ingredients:

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

  • Shrimp – Starting with peeled and deveined shrimp keeps things easy—no need to peel or remove tails.
  • Cornstarch – Cornstarch thickens up the shrimp misture so it sticks to the bread better—and it gives the topping a nice crisp as you pan-fry it.
  • Egg – The egg acts as a binder to hold everything together and it helps the toast turn golden brown as it cooks.
  • White bread – While I don’t normally use a basic white bread, the softness of this type of bread allows the toast to get nice and crispy.
  • Canola oil – This neutral oil is great for pan-frying because it can handle the heat—it helps crisp up the bread and shrimp without taking over the flavors.
hand holding a piece of Chinese shrimp toast, a tray of shrimp toast behind it

The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.

How to make Chinese shrimp toast

Make a shrimp paste. The base of this recipe is bread, but you need to make a paste/spread of shrimp to top it. I recommend doing this in a food processor to save yourself time, but you can also minced the shrimp by hand if you want, or if you don’t have a food processor.

Combine all of the paste ingredients in the food processor and blend until almost smooth. I think it’s nice to a have a few chunks of shrimp left, but you could make it completely smooth if you prefer it that way. Next, stir in your green onions.

Assemble and fry your toast. Cut your bread slices into triangles and spread the shrimp paste on top. If you want, you can sprinkle sesame seeds on top for a little extra visual interest, but it isn’t necessary.

Next, heat your pan to medium-high and add some canola oil. Place the shrimp toasts face down and fry them until they’re golden brown. Flip them, and brown the bottom side.

When they’re done, transfer them to a plate and tent with foil while you finish the remaining toasts.

Serve your shrimp toast immediately while it’s hot, or pop it into the oven to keep warm (at about 200˚F) until you’re ready to serve. I like to serve my shrimp toast on it’s own with a lemon wedge, but it’s traditional served with sweet chili sauce. This cocktail sauce recipe would be really great, too.

More dairy free shrimp recipes: homemade cocktail sauce / shrimp salad / Moroccan shrimp / shrimp fettuccini

overhead view of a plate with Chinese shrimp toast points topped with black sesame seeds
closeup of a plate with Chinese shrimp toast points topped with black sesame seeds

Shrimp Toast

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Inspired by the classic Chinese takeout dish, this easy shrimp toast recipe is pan fried with garlic, ginger and sesame. This flavorful appetizer only takes a few minutes to make and is perfect for serving with your favorite dipping sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined (no tails)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced or chopped
  • 12 slices white sandwich bread halved diagonally
  • 3 – 4 tablespoons canola oil
  • Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a food processor, combine shrimp, cornstarch, egg, ginger and salt. Pulse until a chunky paste has formed. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in green onions until evenly distributed.
  • Spread mixture onto one side of each bread triangle. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  • Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola oil. Place bread, shrimp side down into pan and fry until golden. Turn toasts, and brown the other side.
  • Remove from pan and tent with foil. Repeat until all pieces have been toasted.

Nutrition

Serving: 2pieces Calories: 116kcal Carbohydrates: 15g Protein: 3g Fat: 5g Trans Fat: 0.02g Cholesterol: 14mg Sodium: 373mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 2g Vitamin C: 4mg

Similar Posts