Homemade Coconut Shrimp Recipe and Dipping Sauce

This easy-to-make delicious Coconut Shrimp recipe is served up with a complimentary zesty orange dipping sauce. You will love the amazing flavors in this tasty classic appetizer.

I would eat seafood every day if I could. The different types of fish and shellfish can be prepared in a myriad of delicious ways. If you love seafood as much as I do, then check out my Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass or my Grilled Swordfish.

Coconut shrimp consists of peeled shrimp that are coated in a coconut breading that is then fried and served. In addition, they are commonly served with a dipping sauce. They are simple to prepare and can be served as an appetizer or as an entrée alongside a side dish.

The history of the origin of coconut shrimp is unknown, but many believe it’s the Caribbean or even Polynesian. Since coconut shrimp do not have an origin country, you will see them served at a myriad of different restaurants across the world.  

Coconut Shrimp Ingredients

• Shrimp – I like 16/20 size shrimp for this, however, you can use whichever size you’d like.
• Flour – All-purpose flour will be used for the initial coating and for the egg wash.
• Corn Starch – This will be used in the egg wash to help create a tempura like batter.
• Eggs – large eggs will be used to make the batter for dipping the shrimp into before frying
• Club Soda – You can use club soda or cold water, or even beer.
• Coconut Shreds – Use sweetened coconut shreds for this recipe.
• Breadcrumbs – I prefer to use panko as I think it works best.
• Oil – Any neutral flavored oil will work.

Ingredients for the Dipping Sauce

Here is what you’ll need to make the coconut shrimp dipping sauce:

• Orange Marmalade – This is essentially a sweet orange jam or preserves with orange peel.
• Chili-Sauce – use the sweet chili-sauce for this recipe. You can use sambal if you want some spice.
• Mustard – I prefer Dijon or whole grain mustard.
• Honey – Any good raw honey will work.
• Hot Sauce – I like Tabasco, but and hot sauce will work.

How to Make Coconut Shrimp and Dipping Sauce

use easy-to-follow procedures to make this delicious Coconut Shrimp and Dipping Sauce recipe:

For the sauce add all the ingredients to a medium-size bowl and whisk until combined. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a shallow bowl or cake tin, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper until combined. Set aside.

Next, whisk together the eggs with club soda, flour, corn starch, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or cake tin until combined. Set aside.

Mix the coconut shreds and panko in a shallow bowl or cake tin until combined. Set aside.

Dust the shrimp with the flour, then dredge in the egg wash, and finally coat completely in the coconut breading.

Fry the shrimp in the oil for 2 to 4 minutes or until browned and cooked throughout.  Drain on paper towels.

Serve the shrimp alongside the dipping sauce.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: While these are meant to be eaten immediately, you can keep them warm on a sheet tray with a rack in the oven at low temperatures (165° to 200°).

How to Store: Cover and keep the shrimp in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They will freeze covered after being cooked for up to 3 months. See chef notes on freezing raw. The dipping sauce will store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks. It will not freeze.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of coconut shrimp to a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and heat at 350° for 4-5 minutes or until hot. If reheating frozen and cooked, place them on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and heat at 350° for 13-15 minutes or until hot.

chef notes + tips

• You can freeze these once they have been breaded up before frying and will keep covered for up to 6 months.
• There is enough egg wash batter in this recipe for 2 pounds of shrimp, so feel free to scale down.

More Seafood Recipes

• Salmon Patties
• Cajun Shrimp Pasta
• Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass
• Tuna Noodle Casserole
• Pan Seared Halibut

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Homemade Coconut Shrimp Recipe and Dipping Sauce

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5 from 13 votes

This easy-to-make delicious Coconut Shrimp recipe is served up with a complimentary zesty orange dipping sauce.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the Sauce:

• 1 cup orange marmalade
• 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

For the Shrimp:

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup club soda
• ¾ cup corn starch
• 3 cups sweet coconut shreds
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 pound peeled and deveined tail on 16/20 shrimp
• oil for frying
• salt and ground white pepper to taste

Instructions

• For the Sauce: add all the ingredients to a medium-size bowl and whisk until combined. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Heat some oil in a medium-size pot over medium heat and keep at 350°.
• For the Shrimp: In a shallow bowl or cake tin, whisk together 1 cup of flour, salt, and pepper until combined. Set aside.
• Next, whisk together the 2 eggs with club soda, ¾ cup of flour, corn starch, salt, and pepper in a separate shallow bowl or cake tin until combined. Set aside.
• Mix the coconut shreds and panko in a separate shallow bowl or cake tin until combined. Set aside.
• Add a few shrimps at a time into the seasoned flour to coat. Dust off any excess then dredge in the egg wash, and finally coat completely in the coconut breading. Place on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper until all the shrimp have been breaded.
• Fry the shrimp in the oil for 2 to 4 minutes or until browned and cooked throughout. Drain on paper towels. Cook in batches for 3-5.
• Serve the shrimp alongside the dipping sauce.

Notes

Make-Ahead: While these are meant to be eaten immediately, you can keep them warm on a sheet tray with a rack in the oven at low temperatures (165° to 200°).

How to Store: Cover and keep the shrimp in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They will freeze covered after being cooked for up to 3 months. See chef notes on freezing raw. The dipping sauce will store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks. It will not freeze.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of coconut shrimp to a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and heat at 350° for 4-5 minutes or until hot. If reheating frozen and cooked, place them on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and heat at 350° for 13-15 minutes or until hot.

You can freeze these once they have been breaded up before frying and will keep covered for up to 6 months.

There is enough egg wash batter in this recipe for 2 pounds of shrimp, so feel free to scale down.

Nutrition

Calories: 615kcalCarbohydrates: 88gProtein: 19gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 344mgPotassium: 412mgFiber: 7gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 88IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 3mg

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Carribean

Author: Chef Billy Parisi