Shrimp Toast

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Make these crispy savory shrimp toasts as an appetizer or finger food for the holidays or your next dinner party.

Shrimp toast is a classic dim sum appetizer in American Chinese restaurants and an ultimate comfort food.

The minced shrimp is similar to shrimp balls (often seen in a hot pot setting) or the shrimp filling in wontons and dumplings. The shrimp is seasoned with aromatics and savory seasonings, then spread onto slices of bread and fried to golden perfection.

The dish originates from Hong Kong and made its way to the US in the mid-1900s through Cantonese immigrants and their Chinese-American restaurants.

Ingredients for shrimp paste

  • Raw shrimp: I prefer to purchase fresh shrimp (not the pre-peeled frozen type), because the texture is better and they contain less sodium. Pre-peeled shrimp are often soaked in a solution to prolong their shelf life, which results in a soapy taste.
  • Egg white: It binds all the ingredients together and yields a smooth mouthfeel.
  • Ginger: Fresh ginger is a must for the best taste.
  • Garlic: Fresh is the best, but garlic powder is OK too (use 1/4 teaspoon powder to replace fresh garlic).
  • Light soy sauce: It adds a lot of umami without adding much color to the paste.
  • Sugar: It balances the salty ingredients and adds umami. Your toast won’t taste sweet.
  • Salt: I used sea salt.
  • Sesame oil
  • White pepper

Best bread for shrimp toast

Any white bread works well for shrimp toast, but I prefer brioche bread and milk bread. Their soft texture and lightly sweet taste work very well with the savory shrimp topping.

How to make shrimp toast

Make the minced shrimp topping

There are two ways to make the minced shrimp topping: in the blender or mince it by hand. I personally prefer to mince it by hand because it creates a nicer, bouncier texture.

Assemble the toast

Slice off the edges of the bread to get a nice square.

Divide the shrimp paste across 8 pieces of toast (or 6 if your toast is larger in size). Spread the shrimp so it covers the toasts evenly.

Sprinkle sesame seeds generously over the shrimp.

Cook the shrimp toast on the stove

There are three ways to cook the shrimp toast: on the stovetop, in an air fryer, or in the oven.

The most common way is to cook the shrimp toast on the stovetop, which gets a more succulent result.

I prefer to use a small pan to cook one toast at a time. But you can also use a larger pan to cook 4 toasts at a time. Add enough oil so it covers all the surface of the pan, but not so much that it submerges the shrimp paste.

Cook the shrimp side first, until the shrimp is cooked through. You can tell that it’s cooked through when the edge of the shrimp turns pinkish white all the way through.

Then flip the bread to cook the bread side very briefly, until it just turns golden brown. Be very careful because white bread cooks very quickly and can burn if using high heat.

Cook the shrimp toast in the oven or in an air fryer

You can cook shrimp toast in your oven or in an air fryer. In this case, you will only need to spray a layer of oil onto the shrimp side.

Air Fryer Method: I use a Cuisinart AirFryer Toaster Oven and its air fryer function is quite strong. I found 300°F (150°C) is a sweet spot and any temperature above it would burn the toast without cooking the shrimp through. You might need to slightly tweak the temperature and cooking time according to the air fryer you use.

Oven Method: The oven baking method is great if you need to cook for a crowd. Plus, you can also store the shrimp toast in the oven to keep it warm after cooking, making it a great warm appetizer or finger food for your party.

How to serve shrimp toast – with a “cherry” on top

Shrimp toast is a great appetizer or finger food for a dinner party. I like it when it is just cooked, hot and crispy. But it keeps pretty well at room temperature, and you can always warm it up slightly right before serving.

Restaurants often serve shrimp toast by itself, but I found that a squeeze of lemon and a smear of Kewpie mayo works wonders. Not only do lemon wedges and mayo make for a great presentation, but they really enhance the flavor and make these toasts five times tastier.

Notes

  1. This technique is called “dat”, and works the protein in the mix to create a bouncy texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 234 kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 13.5g, Fat: 13.2g, Saturated Fat: 2.6g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 472mg, Potassium: 138mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1.7g, Calcium: 101mg, Iron: 2mg

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