This crispy sesame shrimp would be perfect served as a holiday party appetizer or for dinner. It tastes just like tempura, but without the deep frying.
It's December 16 and the countdown is on!
T minus 3 days until we head up north to my parents house for Christmas. There will be Christmas tree hunting {while wearing snowshoes}, probably followed by drinking some celebratory spiked hot chocolate. There will be cross-country skiing. There will be tobogganing. Maybe some outdoor pond skating. Definitely hot tubs. Definitely fondue.
I am starting to get excited about the holidays and all of those winter traditions that are just so much fun this time of year. I'm really excited for Kai's second Christmas, although he's only 15 months and will probably be way more distracted by the wrapping paper {and not the gift}, and will probably be pretty busy trying to take down the Christmas tree.
I've spent some time this month thinking up fun food that would be perfect for the holidays, and I could see this crispy sesame shrimp recipe being a holiday party appetizer, served with some tempura dipping sauce. Or maybe served for a few friends with a happy hour drink. Or even for dinner with some rice and steamed veggies.
Reasons you'll ♡ this crispy sesame shrimp
- it is pan fried rather than deep fried making it a bit healthier
- it's a total flavor bomb!
- it can work perfectly for dinner or as a party appetizer
Do you like shrimp?
I like shrimp. So long as they don't taste like shrimp.
You know what I mean? Anything too shrimpy turns me off. But cook them up in a creamy curry sauce, or in this case, wrapped up in a crispy sesame-Panko coating, and sign me right up, please!
This sesame shrimp appetizer are not shrimpy at all...and they have a hint of garlic and a hint of sesame, and to my surprise, ended up tasting very similar to tempura!
Best of all, they are so perfectly crispy, no deep frying necessary!
The secret to perfect crispy shrimp is to dredge first in flour, next in egg, and finally in a Panko, sesame seed and garlic salt mixture. This technique helps keep the moisture inside the shrimp, which keeps the shrimp from becoming overcooked and tough. It also keeps the surface dry, allowing it to crisp up in the pan.
This sesame shrimp appetizer is so addictive! After taking these photos, I kept on snacking on them...just one more....and one more...and OK fine! One more, but that's it!
These will definitely be somewhere on our holiday menu, and I'm looking forward to it!
What are you looking forward to this Christmas?
Tips & equipment for sesame panko shrimp
- I bet this would work great in an air fryer. Try 390°F/ 200 °C and air fry a single layer of shrimp for 3-5 minutes or until cooked through. I use this air fryer!
- Serve this sesame panko shrimp with tempura sauce, sweet chili sauce, or a homemade dip like this Roasted Red Pepper Dip
- Looking for more shrimp recipes? Check out this Honey Lime Air Fryer Shrimp, this Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai and this Sweet Chili Shrimp Stir Fry
Crispy Sesame Shrimp
Ingredients
- 24-30 shrimp
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup Panko
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp garlic salt
- freshly ground pepper
- vegetable oil as needed 4-6 tbsp
- lime to squeeze over {optional}
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp: remove the tails and devein if necessary, rinse, and gently pat dry with a paper towel.
- Prepare in three separate shallow bowls the flour, the eggs, and combine the panko, sesame seeds, garlic salt, and pepper.
- First, coat the shrimp in flour. Tap gently to remove excess.
- Dredge in the egg, then in the panko/sesame seeds/garlic salt. Place on a plate until ready to fry.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Working in 2-3 batches, fry shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side, until shrimp is golden brown as shown in the photos. Set on a paper towel until ready to serve.
- Serve immediately with tempura dipping sauce, sweet chili sauce, or your favorite sauce.
