This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
This coconut shrimp is an easy and delicious recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to make! Crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside, they are secretly low carb and can be made in the air fryer!
Shrimp is one of my favorite seafood, and something I enjoy regularly. Some of my favorite dishes include coconut curry shrimp and Hunan shrimp. When I have guests over or want something a little more fancy, I love to whip up some coconut shrimp.
Now, this coconut shrimp recipe is a little different that what you may have been used to. Instead of using white flour and bread crumbs for the coating, we use a mix of almond flour and keto bread crumbs. This makes this dish keto friendly and yielding just 2 grams net carbs per serving. Don’t fret though- it is just as crispy, crunchy, and with a lovely coconut flavor as you expect coconut shrimp to be!
What I love about this dish is just how many ways you can cook it. While frying them is the best method, you can cut the calories and fat by cooking them in the air fryer or baking them in the oven! Pair it with the coconut shrimp sauce and you’ll be in food heaven!
What is coconut shrimp made of?
For the shrimp.
- Extra large shrimp– Choose shrimp on the larger side, so there is a good balance of the meat and the batter.
- Almond flour– Blanched almond flour or superfine almond flour, not almond meal.
- Salt and pepper– To taste.
- Eggs– Room temperature.
- Unsweetened coconut flakes– either large flake coconut or shredded coconut. Be sure to double check that it is unsweetened, or else the coating will have a sweet flavor.
- Panko bread crumbs OR keto bread crumbs– I used keto bread crumbs to keep this recipe low carb.
For the coconut shrimp sauce.
- Ketchup– Sugar free ketchup or standard ketchup.
- Sriracha– For the slightly spicy kick.
- Honey– Again, either sugar free honey or standard.
How to make coconut shrimp
Start by preparing three small bowls. In one bowl, add the almond flour, salt, and pepper and then in the second bowl, add the eggs and whisk them. In the third bowl, add the coconut flakes and bread crumbs and mix until combined.
Next, dip the shrimp in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and finally the coconut/bread crumb mixture. Repeat the process until all the shrimp is coated.
Now, add oil to a non-stick pan and place it over medium heat. Cook the shrimp in batches for 2-3 minutes at a time, flipping halfway through. Serve the shrimp with the special sauce. To make the sauce, whisk together the ketchup, sriracha, and honey.
Air fryer coconut shrimp
If you’d like to make coconut shrimp in the air fryer, prepare the shrimp as instructed. When ready to cook, add a single layer of the shrimp in an air fryer basket and air fry at 200C/400F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Tips to make the best recipe
- If you choose to fry the shrimp, ensure the oil you use has a high smoke point. I recommend peanut oil, safflower oil, or avocado oil.
- Use a thermometer to ensure the oil remains at a hot temperature. The ideal temperature for frying the shrimp is 180C/350F.
- Feel free to add some extra spices to the flour mixture, like cayenne pepper or smoked paprika.
- Serve coconut shrimp with a cauliflower potato salad or keto mac and cheese for the ultimate low carb dinner.
Storing, freezing, and reheating instructions
- To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to three days.
- To freeze: Place the cooked and cooled shrimp in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to two months.
- Reheating: Either reheat in the oven or in the air fryer until crispy and hot.
More seafood recipes to try
Frequently Asked Questions
When made using these ingredients, coconut shrimp is a fantastic low carb dinner recipe. If you don’t follow a particular diet, cooking the shrimp in the air fryer instead of the frying pan will cut the calories and fat.
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.
Per 1/6 of this recipe, there are 243 calories, 4 grams of net carbs, and 27 grams of protein.
Coconut Shrimp (Low carb!)
Video
Ingredients
For the shrimp
- 1 1/2 lbs 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 keto bread crumbs or panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup oil to fry * see notes
For the coconut shrimp sauce
- 1/4 cup sugar free ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 2 tablespoons keto honey
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 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.
