Hand-breaded and tossed in flaky, shredded coconut flakes and fried until golden brown, this easy coconut shrimp recipe will wow your tastebuds.
Quick–think about your favorite thing to order at Red Lobster for an appetizer. Did coconut shrimp come to mind? If it didn’t we can’t be friends lol What’s funny is, I never really ordered coconut shrimp before meeting my husband. He’s almost always guaranteed to order coconut shrimp wherever we go if it’s on the menu. If you’ve never had shrimp prepared this way it’s the most delicious appetizer you never knew you needed. The coconut is sweet and pairs beautifully with the shrimp and if it’s cooked just right that crunch is undeniable. I love a good dipping sauce for coconut shrimp and prefer a sweet chili sauce to go with it. I wanted to recreate the restaurant staple appetizer and give it a go at home. I was shocked at just how easy it was to make.
Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
1 lb Large to jumbo shrimp, deveined with tails left on
2 large eggs
1/3 cup of flour
3/4 cup of panko
1 cup of sweetened coconut flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
How to make my coconut shrimp from scratch:
- Clean and devein the shrimp then pat dry and leave tails on
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper and set aside
- Combine flour and panko in a bowl then in another bowl beat two eggs and set aside. In the third bowl, pour the sweetened coconut flakes
- Assemble shrimp by dipping the shrimp in the egg bath then the flour mixture and lasty in the coconut flakes. Put shrimp in the freezer on a lined baking tray for about 15 minutes
- Deep fry or pan fry with canola oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes
Tools you’ll need to make this recipe:
Deep Fryer or Air Fryer or Cast Iron Skillet
Common questions
Can I make this in the air fryer instead?
Yes, you can! I would cook the shrimp at 375-400 degrees for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden brown and crispy.
Do I have to use sweetened coconut flakes?
Yes, I would recommend sweetened because unsweetened coconut flakes don’t have much flavor and will make the dish bland.
More recipes to try
Buttermilk Fried Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
If you make this recipe be sure to tag me at @asiliglamcooks on Instagram so that I can re-post it.
Easy Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp peeled and devined , with tails on
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup panko or regular italian breakdcrumbs
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- Salt and peper to taste about 1 tsp of salt per pound of shrimp
- canola oil for frying if deep frying, use enough oil to submerge the shrimp, if pan searing use enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet
Instructions
- Clean and devain the shrimp then pat dry and leave tails on
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper and set aside
- Combine flour and panko in a bowl then in another bowl beat two eggs and set aside
- In the third bowl, pour the sweetened coconut flakes
- Assemble shrimp by dipping the shrimp in the egg bath then the flour mixture and lasty in the coconut flakes
- Put shrimp in the freezer on a lined baking tray for about 15 minutes
- Deep fry or pan fry with canola oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes
Notes
Recipe adapted by Sallysbakingaddiction
