Oven-baked coconut shrimp delivers all the crispy, golden goodness you crave—no frying needed! Coated in shredded coconut and coconut flour, these shrimp are ready in just 8-10 minutes. Pair them with a tangy mango dipping sauce for a tropical twist, whether you're serving them as an appetizer or a main course.
This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
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Why We Love Coconut Shrimp
Baked coconut shrimp is a tasty way to enjoy a crispy shrimp dish without a lot of fat.
Instead of frying, the shrimp is baked, which makes it healthier with a crunchy bite. The mix of shredded coconut and coconut flour gives it a golden, crunchy coating that tastes great. It’s a light and delicious option for a fun appetizer or or main course!
Living in Key Largo, Florida, we make this dish with fresh Key West Shrimp. Wild-caught shrimp from the Florida Keys are known for their firm texture and natural sweetness and they taste great!
What You Need
For The Coconut Shrimp
You can pick up wild-caught pink shrimp at either Publix (frozen bag) or any of the fresh fish markets in Florida.
- Large or XL shrimp, defrosted, peeled & deveined, leaving the tail on.
- Unsweetened coconut or rice flour
- Unsweetened coconut flakes (Bob's Red Mill Coconut Flakes are best)
- Eggs
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper
- Lemon or lime wedges for serving
- Cooking spray
For The Dipping Sauce
- Mango
- Lemon or lime
- Fresh basil
- Sugar or honey
To defrost the shrimp place them in a large mixing bowl and run cold water over it. The shrimp will defrost quickly.
Also, you can place a bag of shrimp in the fridge in the morning and it should be defrosted by afternoon.
How To Make Baked Coconut Shrimp
First, make the dipping sauce and chill until ready to serve.
Use the freshest mango you can find! A ripe mango gives a bit when you squeeze it. They should have smooth skin without blemishes.
- Slice the mango cheeks off the two sides of the pit.
- Score the flesh in a checkerboard pattern without cutting through the skin.
- Fold the fruit backward and cut between the flesh and skin.
- Blend all ingredients together using a blender or food processor. Chill.
TO BAKE THE SHRIMP
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) with the oven rack in the center of the oven.
- Place a wire cooking rack on a parchment lined baking sheet; lightly spray rack with cooking oil.
- Devein the shrimp by making a shallow incision down the back of each one with a paring knife. Grab the vein with a tip of a knife and remove.
- Rinse shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Using three separate shallow bowls, place coconut flour in one bowl, shredded coconut in another, and beaten eggs in the third.
- Season the coconut flour with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Holding the tail, dredge each shrimp in the seasoned flour, then dip in egg, and press into shredded coconut. Gently shake off excess coconut and place on wire rack. Repeat with all the shrimp.
- Bake for 7 to 10 minutes (depending on the size of the shrimp) until crispy and golden brown.
Reheating and Storage
To store leftover coconut shrimp, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
To reheat, bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy.
Serving Suggestions
For an appetizer, serve coconut shrimp on a platter with mango sauce, lemon or lime wedges, and a few scattered basil leaves.
For a main course, coconut shrimp can be served with steamed jasmine rice tossed with butter, a little salt, and torn basil leaves.
You can also try Tostones, twice-fried plantains, a South Florida Cuban specialty!
What Goes with Coconut Shrimp?
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Summary
Baked coconut shrimp is a healthier, gluten-free, and dairy-free alternative to traditional fried shrimp, offering the same crispy texture with less fat than fried shrimp.
Coat the shrimp in a blend of seasoned coconut flour and coconut flakes. The shrimp bakes to golden brown in just 8-10 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
Pair with a mango dipping sauce made from ripe, fresh mangoes, lemon, and basil. This dish can be served as an appetizer or entree.
Fresh Key West shrimp bring a naturally sweet, firm texture, making them perfect for any dish. Pair them with lemon wedges, steamed rice, or tostones for a complete tropical-inspired meal.
FAQ
Shrimp is seasoned with coconut flakes, paprika, garlic, powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper and fried or baked until cooked through.
Coconut shrimp is a savory crispy shrimp appetizer that is a very popular dish in Key West, Florida. It is served with a sweet dipping sauce.
I did a few coconut taste tests and Bob's Red Mill had the best coconut flakes. The flakes are larger than their competitors. In turn, the coconut shrimp were much crispier and had a fresh taste of coconut.
Oven Baked Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
FOR THE MANGO SAUCE
- 1 cup diced mangoes, from 1 or 2 mangoes
- juice of 1 lemon
- 10 fresh basil leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons sugar, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
FOR THE COCONUT SHRIMP
- 1 pound large or XL raw shrimp peeled and deveined with tails left on
- avocado cooking oil spray
- ¼ cup coconut flour or rice flour
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes I like Bob's Red Mill, it has bigger flakes than other brands.
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lemons or limes sliced into wedges for serving
Instructions
FOR THE MANGO DIPPING SAUCE
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a food processor or immersion blender and pulse until smooth. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill until ready to serve.
FOR THE COCONUT SHRIMP
- Devein the shrimp by making a shallow incision down the back of each one with a paring knife. Grab the vein with a tip of a knife and remove.
- Rinse shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel. Set shrimp aside.
- Using three separate shallow bowls, place coconut or rice flour in one bowl, shredded coconut in another, and beaten eggs in the third.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the coconut flour with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Holding the tail, dredge each shrimp in the seasoned flour, then dip in egg, and press into shredded coconut. Gently shake off excess coconut and place on wire rack. Repeat with all the shrimp.
TO BAKE THE SHRIMP
- Preheat oven to 400°F with the oven rack in the center of the oven.
- Place a wire cooking rack on a parchment lined baking sheet; lightly spray rack with cooking oil.
- Bake for 7 to 10 minutes (depending on the size of the shrimp) until crispy and golden brown.
- Arrange shrimp on a platter with the bowl of dipping sauce and lemon or lime wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
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