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 are juicy and plump, and thanks to the breadcrumbs, the coconut crust stays crispy without tasting greasy—a big plus!
- Ease: Prep is a quick 3-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 tongs are 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 shrimp recipe.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 stay crispier 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 peach chili 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
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Easy Coconut Shrimp
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
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. Coat raw shrimp in a flour mixture, then dunk into beaten eggs, then cover in your coconut breadcrumbs topping before frying.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails attached
- 3–4 Tablespoons vegetable oil or coconut oil (or olive oil)*
- optional for topping: 1 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Serving Sauce (Optional)
- 3 Tablespoons Thai chili sauce
- 6 Tablespoons orange, peach, or apricot jam or preserves
Instructions
- Start with 3 medium bowls. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in one. Beat the eggs in the second bowl. Combine Panko and coconut in the third bowl.
- Dip the shrimp into the flour, then the eggs, and then dredge the shrimp into the coconut mixture, pressing gently to adhere. You want a lot of coconut on each shrimp. Set the coated shrimp aside on a plate as you coat the remaining shrimp.
- Add enough oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the coconut shrimp in batches such as 7-8 shrimp at a time—do not crowd them in the pan. Flip after 2 minutes and fry the other side for 2 minutes or until golden brown. We prefer ours a little darker, so I fry each side for about 2:30-3 minutes.
- Place the finished coconut shrimp on a plate lined with a paper towel as you fry the rest. Sprinkle with finely chopped cilantro. Mix dipping sauce ingredients together and serve with shrimp.
- Cover and store leftover shrimp in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Fried coconut shrimp freezes well, up to 2 months. Reheat for 10 minutes in a 350°F (177°C) oven or until thawed and warm.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Large Skillet | Tongs
- Shrimp: Large + raw shrimp with tails attached are best for this coconut shrimp recipe. If frozen, thaw before starting. I recommend getting them peeled and deveined because that will save you time at home. 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. Can I use frozen cooked shrimp? Yes, you can use frozen cooked shrimp in this recipe but starting with raw shrimp is best. Thaw, then use in this recipe as directed.
- Oil: I prefer frying the coconut shrimp in coconut oil for the best taste. You need enough to coat the bottom of your skillet, usually about 3 Tablespoons or close to 4.
- Serving Sauce: We’ve also tried and loved this dipping sauce too.
Keywords: coconut shrimp
Loved it.
★★★★★
My whole family loved this recipe! Even my dad who is a picky eater! It wasnt too sweet or plain just the perfect mix!
★★★★★
Sally in the last week I have made your sweet chili chicken and your coconut shrimp. Both turned out so good! Thanks for the recipes. In the photo what is the sauce with the shrim? It almost looks like your Sweet Chili sauce! 🙂
It’s store-bought spicy orange/chile sauce. But the sauce from my sweet chili chicken would be excellent!
I enjoyed these very much right after they were made. I really pushed a lot of the coconut/panko into each shrimp on both sides to A) get a lot of the yummy coating on each shrimp and B) to not waste any of the mixture. They were very yummy the night we made them. We tried to reheat the leftovers on a special setting on the convection oven but as with many fried foods, they were not nearly as crispy a couple days later. I will make them again, but only enough for the meal we are going to eat them.
★★★★★
We are making shrimp for Christmas Eve and I am so excited you have a recipe! I’m leaving 5 stars in advance because EVERY single recipe I’ve made of yours has been outstanding.
Merry Christmas
★★★★★
I plan on making these shrimp for Christmas Eve. Do you think I can coat them with the flour, egg, & panko coconut mixture the day before, refrigerate and then fry the following day?
Yes, absolutely. I do that all the time.
Tried this recipe in my Ninja Foodi on the Air Crisp cycle. No frying and delicious!
Do you think these would work well in an air fryer?
Should work just fine, yes! I haven’t tried it yet since I don’t have one, but I don’t see any issue. Let me know how you like them!
These were fabulous. Everyone loved them at my girls night. I prepped them ahead, rubbed coconut oil on a foil lined cookie sheet. I placed them on the sheet and put them in refrigerator. When my guests calmed, I sprayed them with canola spray and baked 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Flipped them and baked 6 more minutes. They were perfectly golden and crunchy. It was easy prep with ingredients I had. Don’t fret about frying them. We loved them baked. Thanks Sally.
Hi im making this tonight for supper. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Does the shrimp have to be defrosted or can it be frozen??
Hi Lisa! Defrost the shrimp first.
Love, love, love your recipe Sally thank you!!!
I have tried many recipes for coconut shrimp and these were by far the best and so easy! I did have to make up more panko/coconut mix but I was using smalls (40 per pound) so there could have been more surface area to cover. I let them set up for about 15 minutes before frying. I put 1″ rice bran oil in my large wok and cooked 10 at a time for 1 minute each side. I also take off the tails.
My go to sauce is 1/4c orange marmalade, 2T honey, 2T Dijon mustard, few drops Tabasco (optional).
Coconut shrimp is my very picky son’s favorite dish – even he thought they were good. I froze some to see how they did, but I don’t imagine the dish will have many leftovers!
I made these tonight for my family they really enjoy them
This recipe is absolutely delicious. It is SO EASY, and the directions are spot on. I used one of the tips – soak in rum before hand. I used dark rum for an hour, and they had a strong rum taste. Very delicious, but the more timid may want a quick dip in a lighter rum. I also made a dipping sauce by simmering some orange juice, lime juice, honey, dash of soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and corn starch. Loved it!
I have to take these to a party an hour away. Do you think that if l slightly under-fried or baked them and then finished in a toaster oven @ 350° they would still be warm and crunchy?
That should be fine.
OMG Sally, I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing! Followed your recipe exactly using coconut oil and made the orange marmalade/sweet chili sauce for dipping. This was so easy and quick to do. The shrimp was delicious and everyone loved it! Your recipes are always the best and easy to follow. Thanks for making me a better cook and baker! I am truly one of your biggest fans!
I made this tonight and it was fabulous! I used coconut flour instead of wheat and I used coconut oil. For the sauce, I made homemade orange marmalade, mixed it with pure maple syrup, dijon mustard and a little hot sauce. It was perfect!
Should I thaw out frozen coco shrimp before baking?
No need to thaw before baking.
Those were so absolutely DELICIOUS!!! You really don’t need any dipping sauce 🙂
I’ve never made coconut shrimp in my life- until tonight. First of all, the pictures were mouth watering and, hallelujah, the recipe was easy to follow. I used the recipe tonight and we (my boyfriend and I) both loved it.
Thank you for sharing your recipe and adding a new meal to my list of dinner options.
– Jules
I made these coconut shrimp this past weekend, 1 pound of them! I ate them all except the 8 I packed for lunch for Monday! I am going to make more! They are very very yummy! Made the sweet potatoe fries too. awesome!
OH MY GOODNESS! You’re right, this is THE BEST coconut shrimp I have ever had! I am the queen of condiments and I couldn’t use any dipping sauce for these because I didn’t want to take away from the deliciousness. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing this sweet goodness with us.
Did this tonight with my mom for my birthday instead of a big dinner. It was FANTASTIC! I got the idea from my boss who works as a caterer, but I wanted fresh ingredients! Loved it. Thanks!
These were AMAZING! I made these tonight using whole wheat flour. This was the first time I’ve ever used coconut oil for frying. My middle son hates shrimp & he was absolutely in love with these. I’m very happy with the recipe, as usual with all of your recipes that I’ve tried. This one is definitely a winner that I will be making again!
(For our sauce, I mixed apricot preserves with that Chile sauce & it was a great accompaniment.)
I cook for only one and want to cut the recipe in half. I know you said to be careful in measuring, but if I just cut your measurements in half, will it still be as successful. IMHO, I’m SURE IT WILL, but need reassurance.
Yep, you can halve the ingredients.
Your recipe is bang on. I didn’t have Panko, so I had to use cornflake crumbs and that tasted good as well. I just wanted to say we tried it with thin slices of chicken, and it was really good too!