Coconut Shrimp
Crispy Coconut Shrimp made three ways—deep-fried, baked, or air-fried! This easy recipe makes a great casual dinner, a snack for game day, or an appetizer for holiday entertaining. Serve with a sweet-spicy dipping sauce for a restaurant-quality bite.
Servings: 4 to 5 servings (4 shrimp)
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw 16/20 count shrimp , deveined, shelled, tail left on
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon cool water
- ¾ cup unseasoned Panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup shredded coconut (unsweetened or sweetened - your preference; I use unsweetened)
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- vegetable, canola, or peanut oil (for deep frying) or oil spray (for baking or air frying)
- thinly-sliced scallions or chopped cilantro , for garnish (optional)
- Orange Dipping Sauce , for serving
Instructions
All Cooking Methods
- Prepare 3 bowls for breading. Place flour in the first bowl with a pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. In the second bowl, whisk together eggs and water. In the third bowl, combine panko and coconut with 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper.
- Pat shrimp with paper towels to remove excess moisture. One at a time, dredge shrimp in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg wash, allowing excess to drip off. Roll the shrimp in the coconut-panko mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
To Deep-Fry
- Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed, deep pot to 350°F. Fry shrimp in batches of about 5-6, being sure not to crowd the pot, until the breading is golden and the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 3-4 minutes. Use a spider strainer to gently move the shrimp around in the oil for even browning.
- Remove shrimp from the oil with the spider strainer and place them on a double layer of paper towels set on a plate or baking sheet to drain.
To Bake
- Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in the lower-middle position.
- Place breaded shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spray both sides of each shrimp with vegetable oil spray (I use an oil spray bottle), or another high-heat neutral flavored oil spray of your choosing.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the breading is light golden and the shrimp are opaque throughout, turning the shrimp over once halfway through baking.
To Air-Fry
- Spray breaded shrimp on both sides with vegetable oil spray, as in the baking method. Add shrimp to the air-fryer basket in a single layer with a little space between each (cook in batches if needed).
- Air fry at 425°F for 6-8 minutes, until breading is golden and shrimp are opaque throughout. Flip the shrimp over once during cooking.
To Serve
- Place Coconut Shrimp on a serving platter and garnish with sliced scallions or chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
*Note: nutrition estimates below are for deep-fried shrimp, assuming 10% oil absorption. Values are for the shrimp only and do not include the dipping sauce.
Prep-ahead: If you're entertaining, you can bread the shrimp up to 6 hours in advance and store them on a baking sheet in the refrigerator. Depending on how chilled they are when you cook them, you might need to add a minute to the cooking time.
Variation:
To add a little spice to your breading, whisk 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper into the flour.
See the blog post above for information on shrimp sizing, comparisons of cooking methods, and reheating suggestions.
Nutrition
Serving: 4shrimp | Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Cholesterol: 391mg | Sodium: 1048mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 153IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 5mg
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