Coconut Shrimp: a make-tonight method

A pile of crunchy coconut shrimp on a sheet pan with cilantro leaves for garnish.

These coconut shrimp are jumbo shrimp rolled in a sweet and savory coating, then deep fried to golden brown perfection. A restaurant style appetizer or main course that’s super straightforward to make at home.

I love to recreate my restaurant favorites at home, including appetizer recipes such as garlic parmesan wings, crab rangoon, lettuce wraps and these succulent coconut shrimp.

A pile of crispy coconut shrimp on a sheet pan with cilantro leaves for garnish.

Coconut shrimp are one of my all time go-to indulgences – if I see them on a restaurant menu, I immediately order some! It’s actually really straightforward to make crunchy shrimp at home. I have to say, I think the flavor of kitchen-made is even better than the restaurant version.

Coconut Shrimp Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need large shrimp, flour, salt, black pepper, eggs, coconut, panko breadcrumbs, oil for frying, and sweet chili sauce for a dip.

How Do You Make Coconut Shrimp?

Place flour in a small bowl with salt and pepper, and stir or whisk to combine. Add beaten eggs to a second bowl, and prepare a third bowl of panko breadcrumbs mixed with coconut. Dip each shrimp into the flour mixture and egg, then dredge the shrimp in the breadcrumbs and coconut. Heat a few inches of oil in a deep pot, then fry the shrimp in batches until they are brown. Drain the shrimp on paper towels, and repeat the process until all the shrimp are ready. Serve the shrimp immediately with sweet chili sauce, then enjoy.

Large raw tail-on shrimp arranged on a sheet pan.

Tips For Coconut Shrimp

Buy the largest shrimp you can afford – I used jumbo shrimp at 16/20 count per pound.
This recipe calls for panko bread crumbs which is a type of Asian breadcrumb found at most grocery stores.
You can use sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes for this recipe. I personally prefer sweetened coconut, but either one will work just fine.
While I recommend serving this dish as an appetizer, it also works well as a main course when paired with sides like spam fried rice, buddha’s delight or sushi rice.
I like to serve my shrimp with a dipping sauce of Thai sweet chili sauce. This sauce can is available in the ethnic aisle at your local grocery store, or at any Asian market. Another option is to serve your shrimp with sweet and sour sauce, orange marmalade or pineapple preserves.
Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat the shrimp in the oven at 425 degrees F for 5-7 minutes or until crunchy.
Use a neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point such as peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil.
Make sure to let any excess egg drip of the shrimp before they go into the coconut crumb mixture.

Quick Tip

Use a thermometer to make sure your oil is at the correct temperature. You want your oil to be between 350 and 375 degrees F. If your oil is too hot, the coating might burn. If your oil is too cold, the breading will absorb more of the oil and become greasy.

Raw shrimp coated with breadcrumbs and shredded coconut.

Recipe FAQs

How do you peel and devein shrimp?

To peel shrimp, start at the bottom where the legs attach and carefully pull off the shell, leaving the tail piece on. It’s finest to keep the tail on for this recipe because the tail will act as a little handle for you to pick up and eat your shrimp. You’ll also need to devein your shrimp, which you can do by running a small paring knife down the back of each shrimp and removing the dark vein. If you’ve purchased pre-peeled shrimp you can skip all of these steps and just proceed with the recipe.

What is coconut shrimp made of?

Coconut shrimp is contains shrimp that have a coating of egg and flour, then are smothered in shredded coconut and breadcrumbs and deep fried.

What goes well with coconut shrimp?

You can serve coconut shrimp as a starter or as a main dish. As a starter, I offer a dipping sauce and sometimes a little red cabbage slaw on the side. While this recipe calls for sweet chili sauce as a dip, you can get creative and use other options such as pineapple salsa. The shrimp pair well with a variety of side dishes for a meal option. Some of my favorites include kitchen-made french fries and cilantro lime rice.

Do you eat the tail of coconut shrimp?

You do not eat the tail of the shrimp. The tail is left on for presentation purposes, and also gives you something to hold onto as you eat the shrimp.

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A plate of coconut shrimp with a bowl of sweet chili sauce.

Baked Coconut Shrimp

You can bake your coconut shrimp in the oven instead of frying them if you prefer. The coating won’t come out quite as crunchy and browned, but it’s still tasty! Arrange your breaded shrimp on a greased baking sheet and coat the shrimp with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until browned.

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

This recipe can also be prepared in the air fryer. Follow the instructions for coating the shrimp, then air fry them at 400 degrees F for 6-8 minutes. Be sure to flip halfway through the cooking process. You will need to cook them in batches so they cook in a single layer in the air fryer basket.

A hand dipping a crispy prawn into a bowl of sweet chili sauce.

Once you make these coconut shrimp at home, you’ll never want to order them out again! Whether you’re serving your shrimp as a hearty appetizer or a main course over rice, they’re sure to be a hit.

More Great Shrimp Recipes

Shrimp Ceviche

35 mins

A serving bowl of Mexican shrimp cocktail which contains small shrimp, diced avocado, herbs and jalapeno.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Coctel de Camarones)

21 mins

Shrimp Alfredo

30 mins

Skewers of jerk shrimp and pineapple, topped with parsley.

Jerk Shrimp Kabobs

15 mins

Shrimp Fajitas

25 mins

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Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen A pile of crispy coconut shrimp on a sheet pan with cilantro leaves for garnish.

These coconut shrimp are jumbo shrimp rolled in a sweet and savory coating, then deep fried to golden brown perfection. A restaurant style appetizer or main course that’s super straightforward to make at home. Time Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 pounds jumbo shrimp devein and peel but leave tails on
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs beaten
1 1/2 cups finely shredded coconut the sweetened variety
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
oil for frying
3/4 cup sweet chili sauce
cilantro for garnish optional

Instructions

Place the flour in a medium size bowl along with the salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Place the eggs in a second bowl. In a third bowl, add the coconut and breadcrumbs and mix until combined.
Dip each shrimp first into the flour, then into the egg, then roll in the coconut mixture to coat evenly. Place each breaded shrimp on a sheet pan. Repeat the process until all shrimp are breaded.
Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep large pot to 350 degrees F.
Add 6 shrimp at a time and cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Repeat the process with the remaining shrimp.
Place the shrimp on a plate. Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce and garnish with cilantro leaves if desired.

Notes

Use a thermometer to make sure your oil is at the correct temperature. You want your oil to be between 350 and 375 degrees F. If your oil is too hot, the coating might burn. If your oil is too cold, the breading will absorb more of the oil and become greasy.
Buy the largest shrimp you can afford – I used jumbo shrimp at 16/20 count per pound.