Crispy Coconut Shrimp Recipe with Pina Colada Coconut Shrimp Sauce

Coconut Shrimp is a crispy, crave-worthy appetizer that everyone will love. It’s especially delicious when paired with the perfect coconut shrimp sauce: a Spicy Pina Colada Dipping Sauce! The two go hand in hand, a match made in heaven. And this coconut shrimp recipe is just as good as a main dish as it is as a party appetizer!

Coconut Shrimp Recipe

This coconut shrimp recipe is super crispy and full of flavor. Matched with the Pina Colada coconut shrimp sauce, it’s absolutely irresistible!

Crispy, battered, deep-fried, and delicious…this Coconut Shrimp Recipe is just so tasty! This shrimp appetizer is perfect for parties (especially New Year’s Eve), and it’s just as good when eaten as a main dish. When eaten with the most amazing coconut shrimp sauce…watch out, because you won’t be able to stop eating!

These crispy little shrimp are covered in the most delicious coconut-flavored batter, then fried to perfection on the stove top. They’re surprisingly easy to make! I always love ordering shrimp at restaurants, so it’s nice to know I can make it at home too. 

Plus we’ve got a super delicious coconut shrimp sauce for dipping, because no appetizer is complete without a little dip. It’s a Spicy Pina Colada dipping sauce, which pairs so well with the coconut flavor.

Fry up some coconut shrimp next time you have a seafood craving, or any time you need an appetizer for a special occasion!

This Crispy Coconut Shrimp recipe is beyond crave-worthy. Dip the shrimp in this Pina Colada shrimp sauce and you’ll be in heaven!

How to Make Coconut Shrimp

Frying shrimp at home is actually really easy. You can make this crispy battered coconut shrimp recipe stress-free, in just about half an hour! All you need is a deep pot/pan to heat the oil, then drop the battered shrimp in. And speaking of batter, that coconut batter is what makes it so good. 

Coconut Shrimp Batter:

• Panko Breadcrumbs
• Shredded Coconut
• Flour
• Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper
• Salt & Pepper
• Eggs
• Water

How to Make Coconut Shrimp:

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven or deep-sided pot/pan. Oil should heat to 340°F before frying.
2. Lay out the shrimp, pat dry, and season.
3. Set up three shallow bowls for the dredging process: one with flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, & salt; a second with eggs and water whisked together; and a third with breadcrumbs and shredded coconut.
4. Dip the shrimp in the flour mixture, then the eggs, then the breadcrumb/coconut mixture. And then dip it a second time in the eggs, and again in the breadcrumbs. Then place it in the hot oil to fry.
5. Let the shrimp fry about 1 minute on each side (2-2 1/2 minutes total). Remove them carefully and place them on a paper towel lined plate while you finish the others.

Serve them up hot along with the dipping sauce and enjoy! Check the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Pina Colada Coconut Shrimp Sauce

There’s nothing better than biting into a crispy battered shrimp, except maybe a crispy shrimp dipped in Pina Colada coconut shrimp sauce. The dipping sauce always makes the dish for me, because it just adds a whole new level of flavor. It’s a sweet coconut pineapple mix, with just a hint of spice from the red pepper flakes. So good!

Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• Pina Colada Mix
• Crushed Pineapple
• Sweetened Coconut Flakes
• Water
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Cornstarch
• Salt
• Lime Juice
• Lime Zest

Basically, all you have to do is mix the ingredients together, let the sauce simmer to thicken up, and then serve it with the shrimp. Check the recipe card for detailed instructions.

You should prepare the sauce before making the shrimp. It can easily be made ahead of time (up to 4 days) and stored in the refrigerator until you need it.

Best Shrimp Appetizers

Shrimp makes such a great appetizer. I don’t know what it is about it, but shrimp in any form, any flavor, cooked in any way, with any dipping sauce…it just always turns out SO GOOD. I love shrimp appetizers for parties and for an extra dish pre-dinner. They’re the perfect (almost) bite-sized little treat, easy to grab, easy to dip, and just so tasty.

This coconut shrimp is a favorite, but we have plenty of other shrimp recipes to share!

• Easy Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Appetizer
• Creamy Parmesan Shrimp
• Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Cream Sauce
• Garlic Butter Shrimp
• Shrimp and Grits Appetizer Cups
• Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
• Hot Shrimp Cocktail Dip
• Cilantro Lime Shrimp Scampi
• Creamy Garlic Shrimp

You are going to LOVE this coconut shrimp recipe for any occasion. And don’t forget the Pina Colada dipping sauce!

See the recipe card below for details on how to make Coconut Shrimp & Dipping Sauce. Enjoy!

If you like this recipe, try these other easy appetizers:

• Deep Fried Toasted Ravioli
• Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Skillet
• Best Crab Cake Recipe
• Buffalo Chicken Dip Bites
• Avocado Egg Rolls
• The Best Fried Buffalo Wings
• Buffalo Shrimp Tacos
• Edamame with Everything Bagel Seasoning

Recipe

Crispy Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Pina Colada Dipping Sauce

4.77 from 47 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 20 minutes minutes

Total: 30 minutes minutes

Serves4

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Coconut Shrimp is a crispy, crave-worthy appetizer that everyone will love. It's especially delicious when paired with the perfect coconut shrimp sauce: a Spicy Pina Colada Dipping Sauce! The two go hand in hand, a match made in heaven. And this coconut shrimp recipe is just as good as a main dish as it is as a party appetizer!

Ingredients

For the Spicy Pina Colada Sauce:

• ▢ 1½ cups pina colada mix
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• ▢ 4 tablespoons crushed pineapple
• ▢ ¼ cup sweetened flaked coconut
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon crushed red peppers
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ Juice from 1 lime
• ▢ Zest from 1 lime

For the Coconut Shrimp:

• ▢ 3-4 cups canola oil for frying
• ▢ 1 pound raw jumbo shrimp 16-20 count, peeled and deveined
• ▢ kosher salt for seasoning shrimp
• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground white pepper or black
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon table salt
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons cold water
• ▢ 1 cup unsweetened or sweetened shredded coconut
• ▢ 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

For the Spicy Pina Colada Sauce:

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together pina colada mix, water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a low-boil over medium-low heat. Simmer while stirring 4-5 minutes or until mixture thickens.
• Add the crushed pineapple, coconut, crushed red pepper, salt, lime zest and lime juice and whisk well.
• Bring the mixture back to a low boil and simmer until mixture is desired consistency, about 4-5 minutes.
• Strain the sauce through a mesh strainer over a medium bowl.
• Serve with Crispy Coconut Shrimp.

For the Coconut Shrimp:

• Heat oil in a deep-sided, heavy-bottom Dutch oven or sauté pan over medium heat until it registers 340°F on an instant-read or candy thermometer.
• While the oil heats, lay the shrimp on double thick paper towels and pat the tops dry with another paper towel. Lightly season the shrimp with kosher salt.
• In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, paprika, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and table salt.
• In a second shallow bowl, whisk together 2 whole eggs, 2 egg whites and water. (Reserve the extra 2 egg yolks for later use, if desired.)
• In a third shallow bowl, whisk together panko breadcrumbs and shredded coconut.
• When the oil is ready, pick up the shrimp by the tail, dip it in the flour mixture and shake off the excess.
• Dredge the shrimp in the beaten eggs allowing the excess to drip off.
• Press the shrimp in the coconut/panko mixture so the mixture adheres.
• Dip the shrimp in the beaten eggs a second time and allow the excess to drip off.
• Once again, press the shrimp in the coconut/panko mixture and place it carefully in the hot oil.
• (To recap, the dipping /dredging process is as follows:
• Flour mixture/eggs/coconut-panko mixture/eggs/coconut-panko mixture.)
• Fry the shrimp about 1 minute, or until golden brown, on the bottom side then flip it over and fry the other side about 1 minute. It should take about 2-2½ minutes for she shrimp to be cooked through and golden brown.
• Set the cooked shrimp on a paper towel-lined plate and repeat until all shrimp are cooked.
• Immediately serve with Spicy Pina Colada Sauce.
• Enjoy!

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

Yield: 16-20 shrimp

Note: Be sure the sauce is ready before frying the shrimp. The sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 653kcal (33%) Carbohydrates: 52g (17%) Protein: 34g (68%) Fat: 33g (51%) Saturated Fat: 11g (69%) Cholesterol: 449mg (150%) Sodium: 1419mg (62%) Potassium: 327mg (9%) Fiber: 3g (13%) Sugar: 14g (16%) Vitamin A: 450IU (9%) Vitamin C: 6mg (7%) Calcium: 225mg (23%) Iron: 6mg (33%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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