The Humble Prawn Toast Takes Centre Stage
As Chinese New Year celebrations unfold this week, supermarket aisles are brimming with enticing Asian delicacies designed for home enjoyment. Among these, one product is flying off the shelves at an unprecedented rate: the unassuming prawn toast. This simple yet delicious dish, consisting of bread coated with prawn paste and sesame seeds, then fried to a golden crisp, represents a fascinating culinary fusion. It marries shellfish from the East with the Western concept of toast, typically sliced into triangles.
A Resurgence Driven by Convenience and Instagram Appeal
Ocado has reported a remarkable 67 per cent increase in sales of M&S frozen prawn toasts compared to the same period last year. Many other retailers have now incorporated prawn toast into their year-round party food selections. This surge in popularity can be attributed to its exceptional convenience for home cooks, coupled with its photogenic qualities that appeal to the Instagram generation. This visual appeal likely explains its recent revival in high-end dining establishments, such as Poon's at London's prestigious Somerset House.
'Its popularity stems from its adaptable simplicity,' explained founder Amy Poon in an interview with the Daily Mail. 'Who doesn't adore a deep-fried, golden, crispy morsel?' At Poon's, the traditional recipe is elevated with rose liqueur and a thinly-sliced disc of lard, creating a £12 dish that consistently sells out during every service. Prawn toast, a beloved staple since the 1970s after its journey from China, is undoubtedly enjoying a significant moment in the spotlight.
Nostalgia and Indulgence at Premium Prices
At Hakkasan Mayfair, where prawn toast commands a price of £25 and is crafted with luxurious black truffle paste, head chef Michael Zhen highlights that a combination of 'nostalgia and indulgence' makes it a standout hit. The dish's origins are somewhat varied, with some culinary historians tracing it back to the Canton region of southern China in the 19th century, while others assert it first appeared on menus in Hong Kong during the 1950s. From these beginnings, its popularity spread globally, and it has been a fixture in UK Chinese restaurants for over seven decades.
Today, every major supermarket offers its own version, with some options costing less than £2. This raises an intriguing question: can budget-friendly prawn toast truly compete with your favourite takeaway dish or the more sophisticated restaurant offerings? To find out, we conducted a comprehensive taste test of several supermarket varieties.
Supermarket Prawn Toast Taste Test
Sainsbury's Prawn Toasts (£4)
This generously sized pack contains eight full-sized prawn toasts, double the usual quantity, and serves four people. The paste is composed of prawns (28 per cent), water chestnut, egg white, potato starch, and sugar, seasoned with white pepper and sesame seeds. Cooking times are 10 minutes from chilled or 14 minutes from frozen in the oven.
TASTE TEST: Noticeably larger than other supermarket options, these prawn toasts deliver a flavoursome punch. The base is crisp and light, the paste offers a pleasant fishiness without being overpowering, and there is an ample sprinkling of sesame seeds. However, each serving contains 229 calories and 17.1g of fat, making them best reserved for special occasions.
Score: 4/5
M&S Best Ever Prawn Toasts
A bestseller since its launch a few years ago, this is the most luxurious prawn toast available at supermarkets. Its distinction lies in the use of responsibly-sourced black tiger prawns, which are sweeter and firmer than regular king prawns. The topping is blended with spring onions, ginger, and sesame seeds, and it comes with a sweet chilli dipping sauce. They can be oven-cooked in 15 minutes or air-fried in 14 minutes straight from the freezer.
TASTE TEST: At 66p per postage stamp-sized canapé, these are certainly pricey, but they are utterly captivating from the first bite. Succulent, juicy prawns, crispy fried bread, and a delicately spiced topping create little mouthfuls of heaven.
Score: 5/5
Tesco Prawn Toasts (£3.25)
Part of Tesco's 'A Taste of China' range, this four-pack appears rather ordinary. The prawn topping is blended with water chestnuts, resulting in each toast containing just 32 per cent prawn, with no additional spices or herbs. On a positive note, they are quick to prepare, taking 7 minutes from frozen or 6 minutes from chilled in an air fryer.
TASTE TEST: Expectations were low, as the cooking aroma was fatty rather than fragrant, and the toasts emerged glistening with oil. The dominant flavour is sugary, with only a faint hint of sesame and very little prawn taste. Disappointingly, each toast packs a hefty 107 calories and 7.8g of fat.
Score: 1/5
Asda Party Mini Prawn Toast (£1.86)
These frozen party staples are tiny morsels, the smallest tested, making them ideal finger food. Although they contain only 20 per cent prawn (with flour and soybean oil as main ingredients), they incorporate other flavours like yam beans, bamboo shoots, and white pepper. Cooking times are 7-8 minutes in an air fryer or 10-12 minutes in the oven, purportedly serving eight not very hungry people.
TASTE TEST: When cooked, these puff up into little golden, crispy nuggets that look appetising. The prawn flavour is pleasant though somewhat insipid, and a meatier shellfish layer would be preferable. However, the fried white bread base is crunchy and moreish, and the price is undeniably attractive.
Score: 3/5
Waitrose Prawn Toasts (£3.25)
Crafted from Vietnamese king prawns, these are the largest prawn toasts available in any store. The prawns are diced into a paste with ginger, spring onions, and toasted sesame oil. Each triangle is substantial, reminiscent of starters at a favourite Chinese restaurant. They are not air fryer friendly, requiring 10-12 minutes in the oven from chilled or 14-16 minutes from frozen, but they look like a tasty addition to a 'fakeaway' meal.
TASTE TEST: Subtly fishy, zingy with ginger, and crunchy in all the right places, these emerged as the favourite. The prawn topping feels gourmet rather than token, and the fried bread has a delicious golden exterior without tasting greasy or unhealthy. The toasted sesame oil adds a delightful nuttiness to each bite, elevating these toasts above the rest.
Score: 5/5
Asda Prawn Toasts (£1.75)
The cheapest option tested, these prawn toasts hold pride of place in the New Year display at local Asda stores and appear appealing in the packet. They are a decent size and contain an impressive 37 per cent prawn sourced from the Atlantic. They can be air-fried from chilled in 8 minutes or oven-cooked in 10 minutes.
TASTE TEST: A thick layer of prawn paste on each toast, flavoured with ginger, spring onions, and lemon juice, provides a lovely zingy aftertaste. The bread is thin-cut and golden, with plenty of crunchy sesame seeds. This is a triumph, albeit at 92 calories per triangle.
Score: 5/5
M&S Sesame Prawn Toasts (£3.30)
A step down from the 'Best Ever' version, these sesame prawn toasts are marketed as a side dish in M&S's Chinese range. They are made from king prawns, constituting a substantial 40 per cent of the product, along with flour, vegetable oil, sesame seeds, spring onions, sugar, and ginger. They are chilled and take 6 minutes in an air fryer or 8 minutes in the oven.
TASTE TEST: There is very little to dislike here: the bread is spongy with a golden crust, the prawn paste has added kick from ginger and onions, and the sesame seeds adhere well to each triangle. However, they lack the fragrant spices of the fancier version, making them feel less special.
Score: 4/5
Tesco Crispy Prawn Toast (£3)
Designed for parties, these petite frozen prawn toasts can be ready in 8 minutes using an air fryer or 12-14 minutes in the oven. The prawn paste is blended with yam beans and bamboo shoots, resulting in just 20 per cent prawn content, but it includes a mixture of black and white sesame seeds, salt, and white pepper.
TASTE TEST: These start small and seem to shrink further during cooking, yielding miniature fried triangles. The flavour is disappointing, offering all crunch and no substance, with virtually no detectable shellfish taste. A sachet of dipping sauce would have been a welcome addition.
Score: 1/5
Conclusion: A Dish for Every Occasion
Prawn toast has firmly re-established itself as a culinary favourite, bridging the gap between affordable supermarket options and luxurious restaurant creations. Whether you seek convenience, nostalgia, or gourmet indulgence, there is a prawn toast to suit every palate and budget. From the budget-friendly excellence of Asda's offering to the premium delights of M&S and Waitrose, this fusion dish continues to captivate food lovers across the UK.
