Coconut Shrimp recipe with mango salsa on the side.

We love Coconut Shrimp…like REALLY love it. It’s one of the first recipes we put up on the site 10 years ago, and we’ve finally given it a fresh update! Not only is this recipe so simple and delicious, but we’ve made sure to include air fryer and baking instructions so there’s no excuse not to make this recipe!

How to Make Coconut Shrimp

Coconut shrimp ingredients on a kitchen counter.

Process

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.

Jumbo shrimp seasoned in a bowl to make coconut shrimp.

In a shallow dish combine flour and garlic powder. In another shallow dish combine coconut and breadcrumbs.

Flour and garlic powder in a bowl for coconut shrimp.

Breadcrumbs and shredded coconut for coconut shrimp.

Dredge shrimp in the flour mixture and shake off any excess flour. Then dip each shrimp into the beaten eggs, followed by the coconut mixture, shaking off any excess. Season with salt and pepper.

Place shrimp onto a parchment covered baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Coconut shrimp on a sheet pan about to go into the refrigerator.

Preheat oil. Carefully add shrimp to the hot oil and fry. Gently flip and continue to fry until golden brown and shrimp has just cooked through (do this in batches to avoid crowding the pan).
Transfer cooked shrimp to a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack or paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer shrimp to a platter and serve with our Mango Salsa.

Tools You Will Need

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp Instructions

Making coconut shrimp in an air fryer is so easy, the results are just as delicious and it makes this dish healthier too.

After coating and refrigerating shrimp set air fryer to 400˚F. Lightly spray shrimp on each side with cooking spray and transfer to fry basket. Air fry shrimp for about 10 minutes or until golden brown and just cooked through. Remove from air fryer and season with salt and pepper.

Baked Coconut Shrimp Instructions

We totally get that not everyone likes frying and that not everyone has an air fryer, so we’ve included baking instructions below, so everyone can make this addicting recipe!

After coating and refrigerating shrimp set oven to 400˚F. Lightly spray shrimp on each side with cooking spray and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake shrimp for about 8 minutes, then flip each shrimp and continue to bake for an additional 6 to 8 minutes or until both sides are golden brown and shrimp has just cooked through. Remove from oven and season with salt and pepper.

Coconut shrimp with lime wedges on a platter.

Freezing Instructions

Freezing

Our coconut shrimp can be made and frozen (uncooked) up to 2 months ahead of time. To freeze, coat shrimp as written in the recipe below and place shrimp onto a parchment lined baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. Place baking sheet in the freezer until shrimp are frozen, then transfer shrimp to a freezer proof resealable plastic bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Cooking Coconut Shrimp from Frozen

Frying: Fry shrimp from frozen, but add an additional 1 to 2 minutes frying time to each side.
Air Fryer: Fry shrimp from frozen, but do not spray with cooking oil and add an additional 3 to 4 minutes to the air frying time.
Baking: Place frozen shrimp onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Do not spray shrimp with cooking spray and add an additional 4 to 5 minutes of baking to each side.

What to Serve with Coconut Shrimp

We love that this dish can be enjoyed as an appetizer on its own, but we also love that it can be added to so many other dishes to make it a complete meal. So of our favorites are:

simply with some steamed rice and roasted vegetables
on a variety of different salads, like our Coconut Shrimp Summer Salad
over creamy, buttery grits
along with our mango salsa, our coconut shrimp can also be served with out spicy honey drizzle, from our Hush Puppies