Air Fryer Garlic Prawn Toast

Sesame-crusted prawn toast, crisp without a pan of hot oil.

Prep Time15 mins
Air Fry10 mins
Temp190°C / 375°F
Yield16 triangles
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Before You Start

Prawn toast is normally shallow fried in a lot of oil, which is exactly why nobody makes it at home. Air frying it works well as long as you brush the bread with a little oil, because the sesame seeds need fat to toast rather than just dry out.

Instructions

0 of 6 done

  1. Blitz the prawns, garlic, spring onions, egg white, cornstarch, soy and sesame oil into a coarse paste. Leave some texture, since a completely smooth paste turns rubbery.

  2. Spread the paste thickly over the bread, right to the edges, in an even layer about 5 mm deep.

  3. Press each slice paste-side down into the sesame seeds so they stick in a solid crust, then cut into four triangles.

  4. Brush the bread side generously with oil and lay the triangles paste side up in the basket, not overlapping.

  5. Air fry at 190°C / 375°F for 6 minutes, then flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more until the sesame crust is deep golden.

  6. Drain briefly on a rack and serve hot with sweet chilli sauce.

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♨️ Air fryer notes

  • Cook at 190°C / 375°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
  • Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
  • Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.

💡 Cook's tips

  • Slightly stale bread is better than fresh. Fresh bread is soft and soaks up the prawn moisture, going soggy underneath.
  • Spread the paste to the very edges. Bare corners burn while the middle is still cooking.

🔀 Make it your own

  • Add a teaspoon of grated ginger and a pinch of white pepper to the paste, which is the classic seasoning.
  • Use minced chicken thigh instead of prawns, adding 2 extra minutes of cooking.

📦 Storing & reheating

Best within the hour. Keeps for a day in the fridge and re-crisps at 190°C for 3 minutes. Freeze uncooked triangles for 2 months.

❓ Frequently asked

How many grams is a cup of sesame seeds?

About 144 g per US cup, so the ⅓ cup here is roughly 48 g. You need more than you think, since the seeds must fully cover the surface.

Do I need to flip prawn toast?

Yes. The bread side needs direct heat to crisp, and without flipping it stays pale and slightly doughy underneath.

Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.

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🛒 Our air fryer picks

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