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Learn how to make my coconut shrimp with a handful of ingredients and get crispy, crackly, succulent shrimp every time! It takes just 10 minutes.
Love cooking with shrimp? Try my sautéed shrimp, shrimp curry, blackened shrimp, and Hunan shrimp next.
We enjoy shrimp regularly in my household because its healthy, foolproof, and quite versatile. When we want something a little more fun and flavorful, my coconut shrimp recipe is the #1 pick. It turns out crispy and golden brown yet juicy and tender in the center.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- It’s fast. This dish comes together in 10 minutes flat.
- Multiple cooking methods. I’m partial to a quick pan-fry, but I went ahead and tested it in the oven too.
- The sauce! This 3-ingredient sauce is so good you’ll want to bottle it off and use it on everything.
- Makes a great appetizer or main course. When I’m hosting, I love to start with a plate of coconut shrimp, but if I need an easy weeknight dinner, I’ll simply pair this shrimp with coconut rice and call it a day.
Ingredients needed
- Jumbo shrimp. Choose shrimp on the larger side so there is a good meat-to-batter ratio. I also recommend keeping the tails on as it keeps everything intact when frying.
- Oil. For frying, use oil with a high smoke point, like peanut or vegetable oil.
- Almond flour. Blanched almond flour or superfine almond flour, not almond meal. I tested this with all-purpose flour, but I found it wasn’t as crispy.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste.
- Eggs. Room temperature, preferably.
- Unsweetened coconut flakes. I used “shredded coconut.” If you’re really into sweet flavor, you can use sweetened coconut flakes, but I prefer the natural flavor of unsweetened coconut.
- Panko breadcrumbs. For the breading.
- Coconut shrimp sauce. I used ketchup, Sriracha, and honey.
How to make coconut shrimp
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Bread. Coat shrimp in the almond flour, everything except the tail. Shake off excess, then dip in the egg mix, then the coconut mixture. Continue dredging until all the shrimp is battered.
Step 2- Fry. Add oil to a deep pot over medium heat. Once it reaches 180C/350F, add shrimp in batches and fry for 2-3 minutes. Repeat until all of the shrimp are fried.
Alternative cooking methods
While I prefer the stovetop method, you can use your air fryer or oven instead. Here’s how it’s done:
Air fryer method. Follow my air fryer coconut shrimp recipe. Prepare and batter the shrimp as instructed. Grease an air fryer basket and add the shrimp in an even layer. Air fry at 200C/400F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Oven-baked method. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Place the battered shrimp on a lined baking sheet, spray with cooking spray, and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Save time and swap the dipping sauce for Thai sweet chili sauce.
- Keep an eye on the oil. I like to use a thermometer and make sure the oil stays around 180C/350F. If it dips any lower, the shrimp will soak up the oil and not turn out as crispy. If you notice it gets below 325F, fry in smaller batches.
- Transfer the fried shrimp to a wire rack to remove excess oil and crisp up the shrimp. Please avoid paper towels because after they drain the oil, they actually soften the batter.
- Add some spices to the flour mixture, like cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, or garlic powder.
- Garnish the shrimp with fresh lime juice and cilantro for a fresh flavor.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
To freeze: Place the cooked and cooled shrimp in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the oven or air fryer at 350F until crispy.
Frequently asked questions
Although containing coconut in the breading, there is no strong coconut flavor. Instead, this dish tastes like breaded shrimp. When paired with the sweet and spicy coconut shrimp sauce, it hits all the flavor senses.
Yes! Swap out the panko crumbs for gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
More elegant seafood dishes
- Tuna tartare
- Pan-seared ahi tuna
- Chilean sea bass
- Salmon dip
- Or any of these seafood recipes
10-Minute Coconut Shrimp
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds shrimp extra large with shells removed
- 1/2 cup almond flour or white flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup shredded coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup oil to fry * see notes
Instructions
- In one bowl, add the flour, salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl, add the two eggs and in the third bowl, add the shredded coconut and bread crumbs.
- Dip the shrimp in the almond flour mix, everything except the tail. Shake off excess flour then dip in the egg mix, then the coconut mix. Repeat the process until all the shrimp is battered.
- Add the oil to a deep pot and once it reaches 350F, add the shrimp in batches for about 2-3 minutes, until golden. Repeat the process until all the shrimp is cooked.
- Serve with the coconut shrimp sauce. To make the sauce, whisk the ketchup, sriracha, and honey together.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published January 2022, updated and republished July 2024
This recipe is so good. Thank you for sharing it. On a side note, I would like to mention that your dog is actually your best gym buddy. I can tell by the way your dog looks at you that your dog absolutely adores you. And what more could you ask for, than an adorable, adoring gym buddy!
This looks super yummy 😋. Any suggestions for trading the panko for gluten free item?
Yes! gluten free panko or crushed pork rinds.
This looks delicious. How to make this receipt keto?
Swap the panko for keto bread crumbs or crushed pork rinds;
This looks amazing. Really tasty dinner should be!