Spicy Shrimp Crispy Rice bites are a delicious appetizer or lunch made with crispy, air-fried sushi rice squares topped with a delicious spicy shrimp salad. Packed with flavor in every bite!
Spicy Shrimp on Crispy Rice
These Spicy Shrimp Crispy Rice bites taste like something straight off the menu at a high-end sushi spot—at least, that’s what my husband said after his first bite. (He even joked they should be featured at our favorite local sushi place.) Each bite of these crunchy, golden rice squares topped with spicy shrimp tossed in sriracha mayo is a flavor bomb. And the best part? No deep frying required. The rice gets perfectly crispy in the air fryer, making this recipe lighter, easier, and way less messy. For other Asian-inspired appetizers, try my Spicy Crunchy Tuna Tartare and Spicy California Shrimp Stack.
Why This Recipe Works
If you’ve ever had crispy rice at a sushi restaurant and thought, “I could eat a whole plate of this,” you’re not alone! Unlike traditional versions topped with spicy tuna or salmon, this one uses cooked shrimp, making it easier to find and more approachable for sharing at parties, date nights, summer parties, or anytime you want a restaurant-style appetizer at home.
- Air Fryer Crispy Rice: No oil splatters or deep-frying required.
- Restaurant-quality appetizer you can make at home
- Special Occasion Worthy: Perfect for parties, date nights, or impressing yourself
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free (if using tamari), dairy-freeIf you make this spicy shrimp recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. And be sure to join the Skinnytaste Community to see what everyone’s cooking!
What You’ll Need
Here are all the ingredients you need to make this easy spicy shrimp crispy rice. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Sushi Rice: For this recipe to work, you must use sticky rice. You can cook it yourself, but I use Bibigo’s precooked sticky rice or frozen InnovAsian’s sticky white rice for convenience.
- Seasoned Rice Vinegar for the rice and spicy shrimp sauce
- Shrimp: You can buy boiled shrimp at your local seafood shop or supermarket. You can also boil, air fry, or bake it at home without any seasoning.
- Aromatics: Fresh ginger and scallions
- Sriracha to make it spicy
- Low-sodium Soy Sauce for salty umami flavor
- Light Mayonnaise makes it creamy but keeps the calories low.
- Toasted Sesame Oil balances the soy sauce’s saltiness and the vinegar’s acidity.
- Sesame Seeds for the sauce, but you can also use furikake, a Japanese condiment made with nori seaweed and sesame seeds.
- Jalapeño for garnish and extra heat
How to Make Spicy Shrimp Crispy Rice
Using precooked sticky rice saves you a step. Just follow the package directions, and then it’s ready to air fry. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Season the Sticky Rice: Combine the hot sticky rice with seasoned rice vinegar.
- Air Fry Sticky Rice: Spray your hands with cooking spray and form the rice into small rectangles. Place them in the air fryer basket sprayed with cooking spray (or use these parchment liners). Air fry at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are crispy and golden.
- Make the Spicy Shrimp Topping: Mix the cooked shrimp, ginger, sriracha, soy sauce, the remaining rice vinegar, mayo, sesame oil, scallions, and sesame seeds.
- Assemble the Shrimp Crispy Rice: Top each air-fried crispy rice with the spicy shrimp and garnish with jalapeño or scallions.
Variations
- Seafood: Swap shrimp with sushi-grade tuna or salmon from a reputable fishmonger or market.
- Make it gluten-free by using low-sodium tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Don’t want spicy tuna? Omit the sriracha and jalapeño.
Storage
These crispy rice bites are best eaten right after air frying, but if you have leftovers, here’s how to store them:
- Refrigerate the spicy shrimp and crispy rice in separate airtight containers for 3 days.
- Reheat the rice in the air fryer for about 5 minutes at 360°F until warm and crispy. Then, top with tuna and jalapeño/scallions.
More Asian-Inspired Sushi Recipes You’ll Love
For more appetizer ideas using sushi, check out these 5 delicious sushi-inspired recipes to inspire your next meal or my shrimp recipe collection for more shrimp ideas.
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 3 pieces
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Combine hot sticky rice with 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar.
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Spray hands with cooking spray and form rice into small rectangles about 2½ tablespoons each. Place in air fryer basket that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure that the portions are not touching each other, work in batches if need be. Air fry at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are crispy and golden.
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While the rice cooks, make the spicy shrimp: In a medium bowl combine chopped shrimp, ginger, sriracha, soy sauce, ½ tablespoon rice vinegar, mayo, sesame oil, scallions and sesame seeds.
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Top each air fried crispy rice with about 2 ½ tablespoons of spicy shrimp. Garnish with jalapeño or scallions.
Last Step:
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No Air Fryer? No Problem
Pan-Fried Crispy Rice (Stovetop Method):
Heat a generous layer of neutral oil, such as avocado in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the rice squares in the pan and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing down gently with a spatula, until they turn golden brown and crispy. Transfer the crispy rice to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
Oven-Baked Crispy Rice:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spray both sides of the rice squares with oil and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until the edges are golden and crisp. For extra browning, you can broil them for one to two minutes at the end.
Serving: 3 pieces, Calories: 198 kcal, Carbohydrates: 33 g, Protein: 6.5 g, Fat: 4.2 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Cholesterol: 35 mg, Sodium: 434.5 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g
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