Wish you could escape to an exotic beach? Me too! These baked coconut shrimp may not be the perfect substitute for crashing waves and windswept palms, but they’ll definitely satisfy your appetite’s wanderlust.
And even better—this oven-baked version is a lot more healthy than deep-fried shrimp, so they’re perfect if you’re working on your beach bod. A triple hit of coconut—oil, flakes, and milk—gives the shrimp a subtly sweet, tropical flavor that’s well balanced by a hint of lime and salt.
If you like things extra spicy, add a little extra sriracha to the dipping sauce. Fair warning—you might need a fruity umbrella drink or an ice-cold beer on the side.
How to Get Extra Crispy Coconut Shrimp
The best way to get extra crispy baked shrimp is to use panko breadcrumbs because they’re super crispy and much lighter than regular breadcrumbs. I used a mix of panko crumbs and coconut flakes for an extra coconut kick and it works perfectly!
How to Make Baked Coconut Shrimp
- In a medium skillet, heat canola and sesame oil over medium heat. Add panko, coconut, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately transfer to a small bowl.
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; coat generously with cooking spray. In another small bowl, whisk together, egg, coconut milk, lime zest, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Place flour in another small bowl.
- Pat shrimp dry; working a few at a time, lightly toss in flour, dip in egg mixture, then dredge in coconut mixture, pressing gently to coat. Place breaded shrimp on prepared baking sheet; spray tops with cooking spray.
- Bake until shrimp are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
- While shrimp cool, whisk together honey, vinegar, sriracha, and chile flakes. Serve sauce with shrimp; garnish with cilantro, if desired.
Should You Use Fresh or Frozen Shrimp?
I used large fresh shrimp for this recipe and if you can get them fresh I’d recommend to use them because they have a higher quality taste than frozen. That being said frozen shrimp will work just as well with this recipe.
If you are using frozen just make sure to defrost them thoroughly, rinse them and pat them dry before using to make sure there isn’t any excess water.
The Best Chile Honey Dipping Sauce
The dipping sauce for these coconut shrimp is the perfect mix of sweet, sour and spicy and it really couldn’t be easier to make! I used a mix of honey, red wine vinegar, sriracha sauce, and red pepper flakes and it goes perfectly with the sweet and juicy coconut shrimp!
Top Tips for Making the Best Baked Coconut Shrimp
- When you’re toasting the coconut and panko crumbs make sure to keep an eye on it because it browns very quickly and will easily burn.
- Make sure to pat the shrimp dry before breading.
- Make sure to spray the baking sheet with cooking spray so the shrimp don’t stick.
- Leftover shrimp can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days or can be frozen in batches.
- The dipping sauce will last for 3-5 days in the fridge and can be used in so many different ways from on salads to over chicken.
More Delicious Shrimp Recipes to Try:
- Honey-Jalapeño Glazed Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
- Shrimp Boil
- Shrimp Ceviche with Mango
- Garlic Shrimp with Crispy Pancetta
Baked Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 cup panko
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 tsp. kosher salt divided
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp. lime zest
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 lb. large fresh shrimp peeled and deveined
For the Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp. sriracha
- 1/8 tsp. red chile flakes
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, heat canola and sesame oil over medium heat. Add panko, coconut, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat; immediately transfer to a small bowl. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; coat generously with cooking spray.
- In another small bowl, whisk together, egg, coconut milk, lime zest, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper.
- Place flour in another small bowl. Pat shrimp dry; working a few at a time, lightly toss in flour, dip in egg mixture, then dredge in coconut mixture, pressing gently to coat.
- Place breaded shrimp on prepared baking sheet; spray tops with cooking spray.
- Bake until shrimp are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
- While shrimp cool, whisk together honey, vinegar, sriracha, and chile flakes. Serve sauce with shrimp; garnish with cilantro, if desired.
Notes
- When you're toasting the coconut and panko crumbs make sure to keep an eye on it because it browns very quickly and will easily burn.
- Make sure to pat the shrimp dry before breading.
- Make sure to spray the baking sheet with cooking spray so the shrimp don't stick.
- Leftover shrimp can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days or can be frozen in batches.
- The dipping sauce will last for 3-5 days in the fridge and can be used in so many different ways from on salads to over chicken.
I really loved this recipe! I was surprised it turned out so well. I ended up buying a bag of frozen jumbo shrimp and thawed in fridge and dried well before using and they worked out great. It definitely took me longer than 10 minutes for the prep time to put everything together -toasting the mixture, battering up all the shrimp etc but TOTALLY worth the effort. And.. don’t skip the step of cooling on a rack because if you don’t they can get soggy on the sheet pan. A+ will definitely make again!
Yay- I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it!