Make your own vegan shrimp for your favorite recipes like shrimp cocktail, shrimp scampi, or fried shrimp. This simple shrimp substitute will satisfy your cravings for seafood and is the perfect addition to pasta, soups, or spring rolls. Use store-bought vegan prawns or make homemade vegan shrimp from king oyster mushrooms and seasonings.
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You have a few choices when it comes to vegan shrimp substitutes. If you are looking for a truly authentic mock shrimp, there are a few on the market. The Loving Hut brand shrimp is pretty realistic looking and close in taste and texture as well. I find it in the frozen section at my local Asian market, but you can also buy them from Vegan Essentials. If you can't find these faux shrimp near you, they can also be made at home with king oyster mushrooms (aka trumpet mushrooms) and seasonings.
Whether you use homemade or store-bought shrimp, you can use either one in your favorite shrimp recipes.
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- King Oyster Mushrooms - these can also be referred to as king mushrooms or king trumpet mushrooms. They have a large meaty stalk and a small brown cap. I always find them at Asian markets, and sometimes get them at whole foods or large grocery stores.
- Kelp Flakes - for a seafood flavor. You can also use a sheet of nori instead.
- Old Bay Seasoning - for flavor and color. You can also use paprika instead.
- Salt - for the salty seafood flavor.
- Paprika - for color.
- Vegan Butter - for sauteing the shrimp. You can also use any neutral-flavored oil for pan-frying. You can use any oil or margerine that you want or my homemade vegan butter.
🔪 How to use king mushrooms
Always cut the brown cap off the top of the mushroom and discard it. It has a strong flavor that you don't want. The bottom section of king oyster mushrooms is also hard and doesn't have the soft seafood-like texture that you are looking for. Cut off the bottom inch or so where it feels harder than the rest of the stem.
🥄 Instructions
- Cut the brown caps off the top of the king mushroom as well as the inch or so at the bottom of the stem.
- Slice the mushroom stems into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Then cut the circles into the shape of a shrimp.
- In a saucepan, heat 1/3 cup of water, 1/2 teaspoon kelp flakes, 1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Heat until it starts to boil then take off the heat and pour the broth over the cut mushrooms.
- Allow the mushrooms to marinate in the broth for about 20 minutes.
- Heat vegan butter in a skillet until melted, then add the marinated "shrimp."
- Saute the shrimp over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side. You can also add some minced garlic for extra flavor and sprinkle them with a little paprika to give them a red color. They are also delicious with a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
- Serve as you would shrimp or toss them into your favorite recipes that call for shrimp.
👩🏻🍳 Pro tips
- Allow the king mushrooms to marinate for at least 20 minutes in the broth to allow time to absorb the flavor.
- Saute the shrimp mushrooms over medium-low heat so that they cook without burning or getting charred.
How to make store-bought vegan shrimp
The frozen vegan shrimp brands, like Loving Hut brand or others that you can sometimes find in Asian markets, need to be cooked before they are eaten. There are no cooking instructions on the package, but the taste and texture are much improved when sauteed in a little butter and garlic.
Simply pan-fry the shrimp in 1 tablespoon of vegan butter for about 3-5 minutes on each side. (You can put them in the pan directly from the freezer. There is no need to thaw the shrimp first. For more flavor, add 1-2 cloves of fresh minced garlic during the last minute or two of cooking.
🦐 Vegan Shrimp Cocktail
If you want to make a vegan shrimp cocktail, simply saute the vegan shrimp in a little vegan butter or oil for about 2-3 minutes on each side then allow them to cool. To make the vegan cocktail sauce, mix together 1/4 cup of ketchup with 2 tablespoons ground horseradish and stir well. Place the cocktail sauce in a fancy dish or bowl and arrange the shrimp substitute around the edges of the rim.
How to use vegan shrimp
Use your "shrimp" as you would shrimp in any recipe. Toss them into pasta dishes like vegan alfredo, creamy pesto pasta, tomato basil pasta, lemony spinach orzo, or make vegan shrimp scampi.
Add your mock shrimp to rice dishes like vegan fried rice, Thai coconut rice, or red Thai curry.
They are also delicious in summer rolls for in soups like Tom Yum or Tom Kha.
My favorite thing to do with vegan shrimp is to batter and fry it making a classic vegan fried shrimp in a basket.
🥡 Storage and reheating
Refrigerate: These homemade vegan shrimp will keep well in the fridge for 3 - 5 days in a sealed container.
Reheating: Reheat the "shrimp" by pan-frying in a little oil for a few minutes until warm.
🌟 More vegan seafood recipes
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
Homemade vegan shrimp (vegan prawns) made from king oyster mushrooms and seasoned to taste like shrimp. Use this mock shrimp as you would shrimp in any recipe.
- 2 large king oyster mushrooms
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon kelp flakes or a sheet of nori
- 1/2 teaspoon old bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 clove garlic minced (optional)
- 1 squeeze lemon juice (optional)
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Cut the brown caps off the top of the king mushroom as well as the hard bottom inch or so.
-
Slice the mushroom stems into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Then cut the circles into the shape of a shrimp.
-
In a saucepan, heat 1/3 cup of water, 1/2 teaspoon kelp flakes, 1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Heat until it starts to boil then take off the heat and pour the broth over the cut mushrooms.
-
Allow the mushrooms to marinate in the broth for about 20 minutes.
-
Heat vegan butter in a skillet until melted, then add the marinated "shrimp."
-
Saute the shrimp over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side. You can also add some minced garlic for extra flavor and sprinkle them with a little paprika to give them a red color. They are also delicious with a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
-
Serve as you would shrimp or toss them into your favorite recipes that call for shrimp.
- Allow the king mushrooms to marinate for at least 20 minutes in the broth to allow time to absorb the flavor.
- Saute the shrimp mushrooms over medium-low heat so that they cook without burning or getting charred.
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