10 Minute Coconut Shrimp

Love cooking with shrimp? Try my sautéed shrimp, shrimp curry, blackened shrimp, and Hunan shrimp next. We enjoy shrimp regularly in my household because its healthy, foolproof, and quite versatile. When we want something a little more fun and flavorful, my coconut shrimp recipe is the #1 pick. It turns out crispy and golden brown yet juicy and tender in the center.

Why I love this recipe

It’s fast. This dish comes together in 10 minutes flat. Multiple cooking methods. I’m partial to a quick pan-fry, but I went ahead and tested it in the oven too. The sauce! This 3-ingredient sauce is so good you’ll want to bottle it off and use it on everything. Makes a great appetizer or main course. When I’m hosting, I love to start with a plate of coconut shrimp, but if I need an easy weeknight dinner, I’ll simply pair this shrimp with coconut rice and call it a day.

Ingredients needed

Jumbo shrimp. Choose shrimp on the larger side so there is a good meat-to-batter ratio. I also recommend keeping the tails on as it keeps everything intact when frying. Oil. For frying, use oil with a high smoke point, like peanut or vegetable oil. Almond flour. Blanched almond flour or superfine almond flour, not almond meal. I tested this with all-purpose flour, but I found it wasn’t as crispy. Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste. Eggs. Room temperature, preferably. Unsweetened coconut flakes. I used “shredded coconut.” If you’re really into sweet flavor, you can use sweetened coconut flakes, but I prefer the natural flavor of unsweetened coconut. Panko breadcrumbs. For the breading. Coconut shrimp sauce. I used ketchup, Sriracha, and honey.

How to make coconut shrimp

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Arman’s recipe tips

Save time and swap the dipping sauce for Thai sweet chili sauce. Keep an eye on the oil. I like to use a thermometer and make sure the oil stays around 180C/350F. If it dips any lower, the shrimp will soak up the oil and not turn out as crispy. If you notice it gets below 325F, fry in smaller batches. Transfer the fried shrimp to a wire rack to remove excess oil and crisp up the shrimp. Please avoid paper towels because after they drain the oil, they actually soften the batter. Add some spices to the flour mixture, like cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, or garlic powder. Garnish the shrimp with fresh lime juice and cilantro for a fresh flavor.

Storage instructions

To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Air fryer method. Follow my air fryer coconut shrimp recipe. Prepare and batter the shrimp as instructed. Grease an air fryer basket and add the shrimp in an even layer. Air fry at 200C/400F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Oven-baked method. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Place the battered shrimp on a lined baking sheet, spray with cooking spray, and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. To freeze: Place the cooked and cooled shrimp in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the oven or air fryer at 350F until crispy.