Easy Coconut Shrimp - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

Golden, sweet, and crisp coconut shrimp is a crowd-favorite finger food and it always flies off the serving platter especially if you serve it with spicy sweet dipping sauce. The recipe and process are both EASY. Serve this favorite dish as a meal alongside a fresh salad (try this berry quinoa salad) or set out as an appetizer or snack. All will be devoured in no time!

One reader, Paul, commented: “I made these tonight for an appetizer for us and they turned out PERFECTLY! Thank you so much for such a great recipe. I cannot wait until we have guests to make these for them. ★★★★★”

If you’ve never prepared homemade coconut shrimp, let me teach you how. This is shrimp coated in a coconut breadcrumb topping and quickly fried to perfection.

Tell Me About Easy Coconut Shrimp

• Flavor: This coconut shrimp recipe is unlike many others I’ve tried in the past. I use extra coconut because its sweet flavor perfectly balances the slightly salty shrimp. What a combo! Cool and refreshing sweet chili sauce is a dipping favorite.
• Texture: You’ll love the varying textures here. The shrimp arejuicy and plump, and thanks to the breadcrumbs,the coconut crust stays crispy without tasting greasy—a big plus!
• Ease: Prep is a quick3-step process: dunk the shrimp into the flour mixture, then into a bowl of beaten egg, and then give it a super generous coating of coconut and Panko breadcrumbs before frying. If you’ve never fried shrimp before, don’t get nervous—they cook very fast. You need enough oil to cover the bottom of your skillet and tongsare helpful for flipping.

This shrimp recipe makes the perfect midweek meal or quick appetizer because the ingredients are simple and there’s minimal cook time.

What Kind of Shrimp is Best?

Make sure you purchase large + raw peeled shrimp with tails attached for this recipe. I recommend tails attached because the coconut shrimp are easy to prep, coat, and handle as an appetizer that way. Feel free to remove the tails before starting, if desired.

I like using large shrimp for this recipe since they shrink during the cooking process. If you have medium shrimp, they will work here but they’ll be tiny. Or you can use medium shrimp in this honey garlic shrimprecipe.

Can I Use Frozen Cooked Shrimp?

Yes, you can use frozen cooked shrimp in this recipe. Thaw, then use in this recipe as directed. The shrimp will taste slightly over-cooked, though, since you’re buying it already cooked and cooking it again. For best results, start with raw shrimp.

And if you don’t like seafood, try my coconut chicken recipe instead.

How to Coat Shrimp in Coconut Mixture

To coat the shrimp and ensure the coating actually STICKS, you need to coat them in 3 separate and quick steps just as we do when coating baked chicken fingers. Coat the shrimp in a flour mixture, then beaten eggs, then the coconut breadcrumbs. Each coating serves an important purpose: flour allows the egg to stick, egg allows the coconut to stick, and coconut is our main flavor. Make sure you mix the coconut with Panko breadcrumbs because without the breadcrumbs, the coconut is more likely to fall off.

Coconut Shrimp FAQs

1. Can’t I just coat shrimp in coconut? Coating wet shrimp in coconut may sound like it could work, but the coconut falls off. That’s why you need the flour and egg, too.
2. Should I use sweetened shredded coconut? Yes, definitely. The sugar on the coconut shreds melts and the coating becomes crisp and slightly caramelized. It’s incredible. If you prefer unsweetened shredded coconut, you can absolutely use that but you’ll lose the sweetness and some crisp.
3. Do I have to use Panko breadcrumbs? For this recipe, Panko is better than regular breadcrumbs because it ensures a crunchy texture. Made from crustless bread, it is coarsely ground into airy, large flakes. For that reason, Panko breadcrumbs staycrispier than regular breadcrumbs because they do not absorb as much grease and liquid during the frying process. You can find this type of breadcrumb in the regular breadcrumb aisle of most grocery stores.

We like to use a little more coconut and a little less Panko for the final coating because the more sweet coconut crust, the better! See full written recipe below.

Can I Bake or Air-Fry This Coconut Shrimp?

Many readers have skipped the traditional stove-top frying method for baking or air-frying instead. I have not personally tried them in an air-fryer. You’ll lose a lot of crispiness baking them in the oven, but feel free to try it in a 400°F (204°C) oven. Spread out onto a lined baking sheet, bake for 10 minutes, then flip each and bake for another 7-8 minutes.

Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce

You can serve coconut shrimp plain, but it tastes even better with a dipping sauce. (It’s just like serving zucchini fritters with the accompanying Greek yogurt dip.) I’m particular to an orange chili sauce, which is made with store-bought Thai chili sauce and orange preserves. It’s sweet with a little spicy kick.

But pictured here with the coconut shrimp is a store-bought spicy peachchili sauce that I found in the Asian food section of my regular grocery store. My family and I have also tried and loved this dipping sauce.

More Crowd-Favorite Recipes

• Crab Cakes
• Stromboli
• Bacon Wrapped Cheesy Stuffed Jalapeños
• Soft Pretzel Bites
• Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

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