Shrimp toast has always held a special place in my heart, but let’s be real—it can be seriously oily. I mean, it’s essentially fried bread slathered with a shrimp mixture that already has a fair bit of fat. When I decided to recreate this Chinese takeout classic at home, I was determined to keep all the flavor without drowning in oil. And guess what? The air fryer came to the rescue.
This shrimp toast comes together in less than 15 minutes, with a crispy, golden crust and that delicious shrimp filling. Even better, it’s way lighter than the deep-fried version, and my kids couldn’t get enough of it!
Air-Fried vs. Deep-Fried: What’s Better?
Traditionally, shrimp toast is deep-fried, giving it that super crispy, light texture while keeping the filling moist. And don’t get me wrong—deep-frying is delicious. But after air-frying them, I’m happy to report that the air fryer version holds up. It’s still crispy, golden, and much less oily. The only noticeable difference? The filling is just slightly drier, but trust me, you won’t even miss the extra oil. Plus, as you can see in the pic below, there’s really no big difference in appearance between the two versions.
So yeah, the air fryer wins in my book. Less mess, less oil, and just as tasty!
Tip: Since we’re chopping up the shrimp, don’t waste money on big, expensive ones. I always go for the cheapest, smallest shrimp I can find because you’re turning them into a paste anyway.
My Shrimp Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 500g shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 small knob of ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or potato starch)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 egg white
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 stalk green onion (reserve green part to mix in later)
- 8 slices white bread or thick brioche
- Melted butter (for brushing)
Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup Kewpie mayo
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
Instructions:
Toss your shrimp, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, onion powder, white pepper, salt, sugar, egg white, the white part of your green onion stalk, and sesame oil into a food processor. Blitz until you have a smooth paste (or you can leave the shrimp mixture chunky—it’s totally up to you!).
Chop the green part of the green onion and stir it into the paste for a bit of extra texture.
Now, prepare your slices of bread by cutting the crusts off. Spread a generous amount of shrimp mixture onto one slice. Top with another slice to make a sandwich. Use a spatula to clean up the edges so there’s no shrimp filling spilling out.
Brush both sides (and the edges!) with melted butter to get that nice golden finish.
Pop those shrimp toast sandwiches into the air fryer at 180°C (350°F). Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping them halfway through to ensure both sides get that beautiful crispiness.
Once done, serve hot with the dipping sauce. Simply mix the Kewpie mayo, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha together, and you’ve got the perfect pairing.
These shrimp toasts are so good, you’ll wonder why you didn’t make them at home sooner. Plus, they’re party-ready—just double or triple the recipe and you’re set! If you try the deep-fried version, let me know how it goes. But for a lighter, just-as-delicious option, the air fryer is my new go-to.