Vegan Prawn Crackers: Shrimp Style Rice Paper Recipe
Last updated on October 17th, 2026
Prawn crackers get their crunch from actual prawn, but this vegan prawn cracker recipe gets there a different way: sesame, salt and a sheet of nori standing in for the ocean flavour, puffed up in hot oil exactly like the real thing. No shellfish, no compromise on the crunch.
Why Regular Prawn Crackers Aren’t Vegetarian (And How Nori Fixes That)
Traditional prawn crackers are made with real prawn, and often egg, so they’re not vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free, whatever the takeaway menu says. This recipe closes that gap and comes together in minutes, pairing with almost anything you’d dip a real prawn cracker into. They’re great alongside a Vietnamese cabbage and chicken salad too. Sesame and salt give the base its seasoning, and a sheet of nori does the work you’d expect shellfish to do: that unmistakable, subtle savoury-of-the-sea flavour, without a scrap of animal product in the ingredient list. Nori brings the same savoury depth to my onigiri three ways. There are no artificial additives or preservatives either, so it’s a cleaner option than most of what you’d find in a packet from the shop, and being vegan means more people at the table can actually eat them. A drizzle of fragrant homemade chilli oil makes a punchy dip. Try them alongside my Sweet Chilli Sauce Recipe, the sweetness plays really well against the salty crunch.
How to Make Vegan Prawn Crackers
This is how to make prawn crackers without prawns, in five short steps. In the video I called them the most delicious thing I’d eaten that week.
Make the seasoning
Chop some lightly toasted sesame seeds. Cut half a nori sheet into equal lengths, then chop across them until you have a fine powder. You can buy seaweed powder instead, I just didn’t have any and fancied the chopping. Tip it into a small bowl with the sesame seeds and add an equal volume of salt.
Cut the rice paper
Cut the rice paper sheets into equal-sized pieces with scissors.
Heat the oil and test it
Put a frying pan on the heat with a little high smoke point oil, around 160c/320f. Use one small shard of rice paper to test it: it should puff up immediately. If it doesn’t, the oil is too cold, which is also what leaves them greasy.
Fry one at a time
Use small tongs, or chopsticks if you’re skilled, and fry the pieces one at a time. Drain them onto kitchen paper.
Season and serve
Season generously with your sesame and nori salt, then serve on your favourite plate with sweet chilli sauce.
Why Your Crackers Might Come Out Greasy (And How To Fix It)
- If the rice paper comes out too greasy after frying then the oil is too cold.
- Experiment with different types of seasoning, the sachets from instant ramen packets are a great tasty and quick alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are prawn crackers vegan?
No. Regular prawn crackers are made with real prawn, and often egg, so they are not vegan or vegetarian. These vegan prawn crackers use rice paper, sesame seeds, nori and salt instead, so there is no animal product in them at all.
What are vegan prawn crackers made of?
Rice paper, fried in a neutral, high smoke point oil until it puffs, then seasoned with a powder of sesame seeds, nori and salt. The nori gives the savoury flavour of the sea. In the US they are often called vegan shrimp chips.
Are these vegan prawn crackers gluten free?
Rice paper is made almost entirely from rice flour and water, with no gluten, and the sesame, nori and salt seasoning is naturally wheat free. Check the packet of your rice paper to be sure, as brands differ.
Can I use spring roll wrappers instead of rice paper?
No. Rice paper is what puffs up into a light, crisp cracker when it hits hot oil, because it’s made almost entirely from rice flour and water with no gluten. Spring roll (wheat) wrappers won’t puff the same way and will fry chewy rather than crisp.
Why didn’t my crackers puff up in the oil?
The oil wasn’t hot enough. Test with one piece first: if it doesn’t puff almost immediately, let the oil come up to temperature (around 160c/320f) before doing the rest.
Can I bake or air-fry these instead of deep frying?
Frying in hot oil is what makes rice paper puff and crisp properly. An air fryer’s lower, drier heat won’t replicate that puff, though it will still crisp the sheets up if you’re avoiding deep frying.
How do I store leftover crackers?
Keep them in an airtight container once fully cooled. They’re best eaten the day they’re made, since fried rice paper softens quickly once exposed to air.
Can I use a different seaweed instead of nori?
Yes, any dried seaweed sheet works: nori is just the easiest to find. The goal is that subtle savoury, ocean flavour in the seasoning.
Vegan Prawn Crackers: Shrimp Style Rice Paper Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowl / Bowl
- Chef’s knife
- Chopping board
- Measuring spoons
- Frying pan
- Serving plate / Platter
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1/2 nori sheet
- salt
- 4 Rice paper sheets
- Neutral tasting high smoke point oil.
Instructions
- Chop, grind or blend sesame seeds and nori into a fine seasoning, then mix with an equal volume of salt.
- Cut rice paper sheets into equal segments with scissors.
- Heat some high smoke point oil in a frying pan around 160c 320f.
- Test if the oil is hot enough with one sheet, if it doesn’t puff immediately then your oil is too cold.
- Fry the rice paper pieces one at a time and drain on kitchen paper.
- Season the pieces well and enjoy with a sweet chilli dipping sauce, link to a great recipe below.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
| Total Fat | 17.3g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.3g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 372mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 14.2g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.3g |
| Sugars | 0g |
| Protein | 0.7g |
| Potassium | 20mg |
