Shrimp Toast
I haven’t had shrimp toast since I was a kid. And even then, I’ve only ever had it at restaurants.
A few weeks ago when I was watching The Taste, one of the contestants made shrimp toast and I was suddenly reminded of this dish I hadn’t thought of in years, which made me want to try making it.
The recipe starts with a shrimp mousse which is actually just a few ingredients ground up in a food processor. Then you spread it on the toast, dip it in breadcrumbs and fry it. And you’re done. Easy!
I remember loving these as a kid but I was afraid it was one of those dishes I might have grown out of. But as it turns out, I still really enjoy it! The exterior is crunchy, the inside is filled with a soft shrimp mix. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought to make this sooner. I’ll definitely be making them again.
I love the toasted side of these. They are so perfectly golden!
For this recipe, I adapted recipes found on Use Real Butter and The Way to His Heart, along with incorporating memories of the ones I ate as a child.
More Recipes to Try
Shrimp Toast
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined
- 1 egg
- pinch of salt
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 5 slices of white bread, crusts removed and cut into triangles (4 triangles per slice of bread)
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Pulse shrimp, egg and salt in food processor until mostly smooth though some lumps in the shrimp mousse is fine. Add in scallions and pulse again just until the scallions are incorporated.
- Spread shrimp mousse on top of each triangle, making sure to spread evenly across.
- Add oil to pot being used for frying, about 1 inch deep. Bring oil to a medium high heat. Dip shrimp mousse side of toast into breadcrumbs, so that it covers the shrimp mousse. Place toast into hot oil, frying the shrimp side first. When it turns golden, turn it to the other side and fry until toast side is also golden. You can cook a few at a time. Serve warm. You can garnish with fresh herbs like scallions or parsley.
Can u air fry?
We haven’t tried cooking these in an air fryer so we are not sure what adjustments would need to be made! If you give it a try let us know how it goes!
Nostalgic dream satisfied & Fantastic!!! I grew up in Minnesota and for special occasions we went to The Nankin in downtown Minneapolis. It was more of a formal affair with beautiful decor, white linens, delicious food and excellent service. We always had a few appetizers, but shrimp toast was a must. This is as close, if not better than the shrimp toast they served! It’s simple and fantastic! My guests raved and couldn’t stop talking about it. I assembled them earlier in the day and fried just before serving.
Wow, that’s great! We’re so glad you loved this recipe!!
Assuming unseasoned breadcrumbs ? And which oil for frying is recommended?
Yes we used unseasoned. We usually fry in canola oil but you should be able to fry in whatever your preferred frying oil is.
I’m wondering if I could freeze just the mousse part if I made a bigger batch of it. Thanks. This is a great recipe. Taste so good.
Sorry, but we haven’t tried freezing it. Let us know if you do and how it works.
My friend Ming used to make these except he wrapped each toast in foil before frying them and then when it was time he unwrapped them and have them a quick fry to crisp them up and make them golden toasty and delicious.Â
i see on mukbang where they put the shrimp between 2 slices of bread and fry. it looks so good. i was surprised to not find a receipe for “sandwich’ type shrimp toast. i am going to try it both ways.
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Totally Delicious! Great recipe!! We paired them with a homemade sweet and sour sauce and wrapped in soft lettuces. It was dynamite.
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Just a question. Been looking at recipes and they all say to fry the shrimp side first and flip. Can you not just put them in a deep fryer and do it all at one time? Will the filling fall off ? Like I said just a question on why you can’t do them that way?
thanks for any input
Shrimp toast is traditionally pan fried rather than deep fried. You would have issues deep frying because there is nothing that keeping the shrimp filling from falling off the toast.
Hi, I want to try these, but a quick question (don’t know if I’ll get a quick answer!), do you only coat one side worth breadcrumbs? Thanks! I’ll probably try it anyway as written soon.
Yes, you only coat the side with the shrimp mousse with breadcrumbs. This is explained in step 3 of the recipe card.
I have begun to try cooking my own Chinese recipes on my own . The restaurants are now run by children who cook like children trying to follow in their parents footsteps. The food including the rice is mostly substandard and contain too much cornstarch. You cannot save it for later consumption because next day it looks awful and congealed. YUCK! The ribs are tough and taste like they were cooked in the microwave . Once when I asked why the butterfly shrimp with bacon no longer came with the bacon, I was told that people did not like half fried bacon so now it was not a part of the recipe but the price did not change . Thank you for the shrimp toast recipe. I will try it tomorrow. I wish the older Chinese owners were still cooking because the kids are not up to snuff . Everything taste the same . I live in SC though so maybe that has something to do with it. The restaurants in GA have better cooks so maybe they have older cooks who care about what they feed the public.
I hope you enjoy this recipe. Making chinese food at home is much healthier too.
I wish you realized how people get old and retire. The “young” you are complaining about will hone the craft. You should not complain
Can you make ahead of time and re-heat in the oven?
yes!
I didn’t realize I’d already critiqued this recipe – I made them and they are DIVINE!! By the way, I never copy a recipe without a picture….
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe
My sister and I were staying at the Hyatt Hotel in New Orleans, waiting to go up the Mississippi River on the American Queen stern wheeler for a cruise to Memphis. John Besh’s restaurant in the hotel had Shrimp Toast that were delicious, – we’d never even heard of shrimp toast, but wow, oh wow, now I can make some!! Shrimp and bread in freezer, green onions in fridge, HERE I GO!! Thanks so much !! xoxoxo
So what about the breadcrumbs? It’s in the list of ingredients but not in directions. Do you coat the shrimp toast before frying or add it to the shrimp paste when mixing?
It’s in the directions under step 3.
We had these at John Besh’s restaurant in New Orleans last year. We had never heard of them, but instantly fell in love with them.
Oh I want to try! I went to a John Besh restaurant in New Orleans two years ago and loved what I had though shrimp toast wasn’t on the menu
Friends from Hong Kong make this when visiting us. They use only egg whites With the raw shrimp to make the mousse. Peanut oil for frying. Just delicious! Â Make sure the oil is hot and the toasts will fryvquickly without absorbing much oil so they won’t be greasy. Be sure to cut the crust from the bread. Pepperidge Farm makes a perfect thin sliced white sandwich loaf! Had this as a main lunch dish with sesame noodles. Perfect!
thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the recipe. Do you think it would turn out the same if I fried them in a deep fry?
i think so
Is panko bread crumbs suitable here or no? Thank you in advance!
We’ve haven’t tried panko in place of the breadcrumbs but it should work – let us know how it works for you!
Don’t you mean peeled shrimp in your ingredient list?
yes! sorry about that.
I love shrimp toast and have been looking for a recipe for a while now. I used to get it when my family would order the Pu Pu Platter. The Chinese restaurant that had this went out of business and I wasn’t able to get it like I had in the past. I found it at one place ordered it and it was bad little golden hockey pucks…not the shrimp toast I had known and come to love. I recently found two restaurants that have it and I have reestablished my love of Shrimp Toast.
I hardly ever see it on the menus anymore! remember eating it all the time as a child!
I’ve never made shrimp toast, but I sure remember the first time I ate it. I loved it. Now I have a recipe. Thanks!
I remember my first time too! So glad to recreate memories again with this.
i have never had these / they look enticing / i just happen to have some shrimp, some green onions, and some panko crumbs / watch out, Kitchen, here i come!
I hope you love this as much as I do!
I’ve heard of shrimp toast but it seems I’ve never had it in my life. Your version looks great! I’ll have to remedy it and try your recipe soon.
I’m wondering why this dish seems to have dropped off. It is quite yummy! I came across a few different versions, but the way I remembered it as a kid, it was completely fried looking piece of toast, no sesame seed crust or anything, so that’s how I made mine.
Huh, I have never heard of or had shrimp toast before. Looks really easy and sounds really tasty! I like how golden brown these look.
You know I haven’t seen it offered on menu in years. But maybe I haven’t been paying attention. I remember it being very popular when I was a kid.
I haven’t made shrimp toast in forever! Thanks for the reminder – it really is easy to make.
oHehe, you’re welcome! I haven’t though about these in years! I rarely see it offered anymore