Sesame studded Vietnamese shrimp toast
If you’ve never had shrimp toast before, I implore you to grab the ingredients and make some as soon as humanly possible. Seriously, if your New Year’s Eve plans involve grazing all day, shrimp toast is the ultimate addition to your appetizer spread. You won’t regret it—though you might find yourself giving major side-eye to anyone going back for seconds (or thirds).
If you’ve had or made shrimp toast before, let me introduce you to my version. It’s inspired by my mom’s recipe, which she reserved for special occasions. Since we’re Vietnamese, this is a Vietnamese-style shrimp toast—but it’s just one way to make it. Try this version, then tweak it to suit your own tastes if you like.
On that note, I firmly believe most savoury recipes should come with a disclaimer: they’re guidelines, not rules, and should always be adapted to your preferences.
As for me, I’m currently floating in the liminal space between Christmas and New Year’s, so I’ll keep this short. The only thing that matters is this: shrimp toast belongs in your immediate future. Ideally, before 2025 rolls around.
PS: Happy new year!
Sesame studded Vietnamese shrimp toast
You can make the mixture entirely with shrimp or swap the imitation crab for canned or fresh crab meat. I’ve tried all the variations, and the combo of shrimp and imitation crab hits the sweet spot for me.
If you prefer using a food processor instead of chopping by hand, just be careful not to over-process. You want to keep some nice, chunky pieces of shrimp in the mix.
No air fryer? No problem. You can bake them in the oven or shallow fry them in a pan:
Oven method: Preheat to 400°F. Follow the recipe up to step 6, then bake for 20 minutes. Finish by broiling for 2–3 minutes to get the tops extra crispy and fragrant.
Shallow frying method: Follow the recipe up to step 5, skipping the sesame oil brushing from step 6. Heat about an inch of neutral oil (like vegetable oil) in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the shrimp side first for 2–3 minutes, then flip to fry the baguette side until golden and crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined wire rack before serving.
Ingredients:
300g bag of shrimp, deveined and peeled, roughly chopped with a knife
227g package of imitation crab meat (I like the flaked kind, which I pull apart with my fingers before giving them a quick chop)
4 green onion stalks, using both the green and white parts, thinly sliced
60g mayo (Kewpie is my favourite)
1 tsp black pepper
1.5 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp chili flakes
A sprinkle of MSG or a dash or two of fish sauce for that umami boost
3 tsp cornstarch
1 egg white
To finish:
1 baguette (skip the fancy, super crusty kind—you don’t want to risk cutting your mouth after frying or air frying)
75g sesame seeds ( love a mix of black and white sesame seeds)
50g sesame oil
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, mix all the filling ingredients until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, though you can prep this the day before.
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
Slice the baguette into slightly diagonal slices (for extra surface area), about 1/2 inch thick.
Generously spread the filling on top of each baguette slice.
Press the filling side into sesame seeds until fully coated.
Brush sesame oil over the sesame-covered filling.
Cook the shrimp toast in batches, if needed, in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes per batch. All air fryers operate slightly differently, so check in on your shrimp toast at the 10 minute mark. The filling will puff up during the cooking process, thanks to the egg white and corn starch.
Remove and let cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm with your favourite chili sauce or chili crisp (we love Chin-Su!).
