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Coconut Shrimp
Coconut shrimp are crispy and slightly sweet on the outside, plump and juicy on the inside, and irresistible with a homemade dipping sauce.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw extra large/jumbo shrimp thawed, peeled and deveined, tail-on
- 1 ½ cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour divided
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- Vegetable oil for frying
Dipping Sauce:
- ½ cup pineapple preserves
- ½ cup chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon jarred horseradish
Instructions
- Lay shrimp out on a flat surface and pat dry with paper towels.
- Add the 1/2 cup of flour to a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Add eggs to another bowl and lightly whisk.
- Add coconut, 1 cup flour, cornstarch, and salt to a third bowl and mix until combined.
- Dredge shrimp through the coating station, one at a time: First in the plain flour, shaking lightly to remove excess. Dredge through the egg and let excess drip off. Finally coat in the coconut mixture, pressing firmly and coating thoroughly.
- Heat 3-4 inches of oil to 350 degrees in a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Gently drop shrimp into preheated oil one at a time, careful not to over-crowd. Fry until golden; about 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining shrimp in batches.
- Once golden, place shrimp on a paper towel covered surface, or use a rack placed over a baking sheet.
- Add dipping sauce ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined.
- Serve shrimp with dipping sauce, if desired.
Notes
- A pound of jumbo shrimp will yield approximately 20-25 shrimp. As an appetizer, you should plan on 2-3 shrimp per person. As a meal, plan on 6-8 per person.
- Baked - Instead of frying, the coated shrimp can be baked on a parchment lined baking sheet at 425℉ for 10-12 minutes until the shrimp are cooked and the coconut is golden brown. Keep in mind this method won't get quite as crispy as frying but it will still be delicious.
- Air Fried - You can air fry the shrimp, in batches, at 375℉ for 8-10 minutes until cooked and golden.
- Make Ahead: To save time, you can dredge the shrimp earlier in the day, place on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate until you're ready to fry.
- Storage - Leftover fried shrimp can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing - Fried shrimp can be frozen for up to 2 months. I like to flash freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer container.
- Reheating - To reheat, bake them in a 350℉ oven for about 5 minutes until warmed. To reheat frozen shrimp you can also bake them but they will take longer to thaw and warm - about 10 minutes. They can also be reheated in an air fryer.
Nutrition
Calories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 13gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 901mgPotassium: 279mgFiber: 5gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 277IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 2mg