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.

Vegan shrimp sauted in a pan with butter and garlic and sprinkled with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
Loving Hut brand vegan shrimp fried in butter and garlic.

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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 them 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.

This recipe was amazing, perfect taste and texture! I used to love shrimp and it’s hard to find store-bought mock shrimp, so I was super excited to try this, and as usual your recipe did not disappoint. Doubled the recipe because I didn’t know what I’d do with the other 2 mushrooms in the pack, and I’m glad I did because it was all devoured!

—Julie

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 margarine 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.

Two king oyster mushrooms on a cutting board with the top and bottom of the mushroom cut off of one of them.

How to make vegan shrimp

Step 1 – Cut the brown caps off the top of the king mushroom as well as the inch or so at the bottom of the stem.

Step 2 – Slice the mushroom stems into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Then cut the circles into the shape of a shrimp.

A king oyster mushroom cut into the shape of shrimp.

Step 3 – 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.

Step 4 – Allow the mushrooms to marinate in the broth for about 20 minutes.

Vegan shrimp made from king oyster mushrooms marinating in a seafood flavored broth.

Step 5 – Heat vegan butter in a skillet until melted, then add the marinated “shrimp.”

Step 6 – 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.

Step 7 – Serve as you would shrimp or toss them into your favorite recipes that call for shrimp.

Homemade vegan shrimp made from king mushrooms cooking in a frying pan.

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 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.

Frozen store-bought vegan shrimp being sauted in a skillet.

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 of 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.

Vegan shrimp cocktail in a glass with cocktail sauce in the middle and vegan shrimp around the edges.

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 or 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.

A top view of a plate of vegan fried shrimp on a white plate with cocktail sauce on the side.
Battered and fried vegan shrimp made with king oyster mushrooms.

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.

Vegan shrimp sauted in a pan with butter and garlic and sprinkled with fresh parsley.

More vegan seafood recipes

A close up of vegan shrimp cooking in an skillet.
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5 from 14 rating

Vegan Shrimp

Yield: 4
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 6 minutes
Total: 31 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
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.
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Ingredients

  • 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)

Instructions
 

  • 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.

Notes

  • 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.
Calories: 62kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 340mg, Potassium: 512mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 197IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 9mg, Iron: 2mg
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