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Shrimp Toast is made with a savory-sweet, garlicky shrimp mixture coated in nutty sesame seeds spread over fluffy slices of white bread. The loaded toasts are fried to a crispy golden brown and cut into perfect mini appetizers.
Just like this retro Chinese takeout classic, my Honey Walnut Shrimp and Firecracker Shrimp are must-tries for your homemade takeout night!
Meet your new favorite appetizer: quick and easy-to-make shrimp toast loaded with flavor and a creamy, crunchy texture. This is a Chinese takeout classic! It’s a flavorful mix of ground shrimp spread over bread and pan-fried to a crisp. You’ll sink your teeth into a layer of nutty sesame seeds, followed by a pleasant shrimp filling made of chopped shrimp, garlic, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and cilantro.
These shrimp toasts are some of the most commonly ordered appetizers at Chinese restaurants, but now that you have the recipe, you can have these tasty bites on your table in minutes!
Why You’ll Love Shrimp Toast
- Quick and easy. I still can’t believe this restaurant-quality app only takes 20 minutes to make. That’s faster than ordering takeout!
- Texture. I love the crunch of the sesame seed coating next to the pleasantly springy shrimp filling and the soft toast. With this shrimp toast recipe, there is never a dull moment.
- Dynamic flavor. From the brightness of the cilantro to the umami of the soy sauce to the nuttiness of the sesame oil to the slight sweetness of the shrimp, these little appetizers pack a flavorful bite.
Recipe Ingredients
To make this shrimp toast recipe, you’ll need fresh shrimp, white bread, too, and a few simple ingredients to make this tasty appetizer!
- Scallions: Trim off the ends and any bruised parts.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves for a robust, aromatic kick.
- Fresh Cilantro: Adds a fresh, citrusy note to the shrimp toast.
- Egg white: Helps bind the shrimp mixture, giving it a smooth, cohesive texture.
- Soy sauce: Provides saltiness to the shrimp mixture. You can use liquid aminos instead if you prefer.
- Toasted sesame oil: Contributes a nutty, smoky flavor.
- Seasonings: I use salt, black pepper, and ground ginger to enhance all the other flavors in the dish.
- Shrimp: I suggest purchasing shrimp that is already peeled and deveined. If you would like to use frozen shrimp, thaw before using them.
- Sesame seeds: Sprinkled on top for a nutty crunch and classic flavor.
- White bread: Use the most basic one you can find. You can cut the crusts off if you’d like, but it’s not necessary.
- Vegetable oil: Feel free to use canola oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil.
How to Make Shrimp Toast
Preparing this delicious appetizer at home is a breeze. Follow these steps to get that perfect crispy, golden-brown bite every time!
- Make the shrimp paste. In a food processor, pulse the scallions, cilantro, and garlic until well-chopped. Add the egg white, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sea salt, black pepper, ginger, and ¾ of shrimp. Pulse until a paste forms.
- Fold in more shrimp. Finely chop the rest of the shrimp and fold it into the paste.
- Assemble. Spread the shrimp mixture evenly over each piece of bread. Press sesame seeds into the shrimp mixture.
- Fry. Heat about 1/8 inch of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the shrimp toast to the pan, shrimp side down. Fry for 2 minutes, flip, and fry for an additional 1 minute.
- Cut each slice into quarters and serve the shrimp toast with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a side of dipping sauce for an extra burst of flavor!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t get fancy with the bread. It might be tempting to reach for that artisanal loaf or the fluffy sourdough loaf, but trust me, stick with basic white sandwich bread.
- Frying oil. Pick a neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point. If you choose olive oil, that flavor will transfer to the toasts. If you use an oil with a low smoke point, you risk burning the toast while cooking it. Stick with avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Get the temperature right. Oil that is too cool will not fry the toasts properly. They will absorb the oil and become soggy and greasy. Oil that is too hot will burn the toasts. Be sure to stick to medium-high heat.
- Do not crowd the pan. If you have a slightly smaller pan or if you are trying to double the recipe, opt to fry in batches so as not to crowd the pan.
Serving Suggestions
Feel free to enjoy shrimp toast as a snack or take it to the next level by serving it with some sweet chili sauce, ponzu sauce, or soy sauce. I serve them alongside my air fryer crab rangoon, these air fryer vegetable spring polls with peanut sauce, or my chicken lettuce wraps.
You could also serve shrimp toast as an appetizer before diving into your favorite Chinese-inspired entree. Try my easy chinese hot pot recipe, this easy kung pao chicken recipe, or my spicy Szechuan chicken.
How to Store Leftovers
Allow the toasts to cool completely before sealing them in an airtight container and storing them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop them in the oven at 350˚F for 10 minutes or until heated through.
More Chinese-Inspired Recipes
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Mongolian Chicken
- Air Fryer Crab Rangoon
- Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
- Pork Chop Suey
- Salt and Pepper Chicken
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Shrimp Toast
Ingredients
- 3 scallions
- 3 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 egg white
- 3 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 4 slices white bread
- vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Make the shrimp topping. In a food processor, pulse together the scallions, cilantro, and garlic until well-chopped. Add the egg white, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, salt, black pepper, ground ginger, and ¾ of the shrimp. Pulse until a paste forms. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl, finely chop the rest of the shrimp, and fold it into the mixture.
- Assemble. Spread the shrimp mixture evenly over each piece of bread and sprinkle each slice with sesame seeds. Press the sesame seeds into the bread.
- Fry. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat about 1/8-inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Wait for the oil to shimmer before adding the shrimp toast to the pan, shrimp side down. Fry for 2 minutes, flip, and fry for an additional 1 minute. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the toasts in batches if necessary.
- Remove from the pan and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate while you work on the rest of the toasts.
- Serve. Cut each slice into quarters and serve the shrimp toast warm.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen raw shrimp, not cocktail shrimp.
- Keep it simple and use regular white bread slices.
- For frying, use a high smoke point, neutral-tasting oil like avocado, canola, or grapeseed. Avoid olive oil.
- Shrimp toast is best served immediately while hot and crispy. Serve with soy sauce or sweet chili sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
