These baked coconut shrimp are easy to make, healthier than fried and with a delicious flavor that pairs perfectly with the mango dipping sauce. They're great for entertaining or just because.
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I know coconut shrimp might seem pretty everyday to some, but it's not something I grew up with. In fact while we absolutely got shrimp (or prawns as we call them in the UK, apart from small sized) I don't really remember having them much other than as scampi, mixed in to pasta and then later in Thai green curry.
My first taste of coconut shrimp was in New York. When I lived there, a colleague suggested a kind of tour that was almost like being in a play/murder mystery. It was fun and at the end we ended up having a couple drinks with the "cast" as it was their last tour of the season.
After a little while, snacks came out including some of the most delicious coconut shrimp. I knew one of these days I needed to get round to making them myself.
Variations on coconut shrimp
With things like this, despite being relatively simple, you have a little bit of a choice in how you make them. Traditionally they are fried and that will inevitably be crispier, but I prefer not to fry if I don't really have to.
For things like cauliflower pakora, I think the crispiness is more important, but here I am happy to sacrifice a little for an easier and healthier cook.
Also, some recipes combine coconut with panko, presumably to give more crispy texture. But personally I would rather have more coconut flavor.
The other advantage of not using breadcrumbs is these are really easy to make gluten free by just swapping the flour to a gluten free blend (true, you could swap the breadcrumbs too, but GF flour is easier to find, from my experience).
How to serve baked coconut shrimp
You can serve these with a few different dipping sauces and a sweet chili sauce is pretty common. I opted for a mango dipping sauce as I love the freshness it adds and it keeps with the tropical flavor profile. The little bit of ginger, garlic and lime in the sauce really help it zing without being overpowering.
However you serve them, these are great to just nibble on any time or they'd be great for a party.
Tips for perfect baked coconut shrimp
These are really easy, but a couple of tips for making these:
- Pat dry the shrimp before you start.
- Make sure you shake off the excess flour after you dip them in the flour. If you have too much, it can impact the taste.
- Similarly, don't get too much egg or coconut but these are less of an issue.
- If you prefer, you can add the garlic and paprika to the flour (it can separate in the coconut).
- You can make the dipping sauce ahead of time, but the shrimp are best served warm.
You can see how easy they are to make in this short video:
These coconut shrimp are so easy to make, and the mango dipping sauce works perfectly with the flavors. Fresh, light, and pretty healthy. There's every excuse to dip in and have some more!
Looking for more finger-foods perfect for a party? Try these:
- Prosciutto wrapped dates
- Savory palmiers
- Smoked salmon bruschetta
- Plus get more appetizer recipes in the archives.
Baked coconut shrimp with mango dipping sauce
Ingredients
For the coconut shrimp
- ½ lb uncooked shrimp prawns (peeled and deveined but with end of tail still on)
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1 pinch salt & pepper
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup shredded unsweetened coconut approx (also called desiccated coconut)
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic granules
For mango dipping sauce
- ½ cup mango, in cubes
- 1 tablespoon orange juice (or a little less)
- ½ teaspoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon coconut milk (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon grated garlic
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F/210C and lightly oil a baking sheet/tray.
- Put the flour in one small bowl, with a little salt and pepper, beat the egg in another, and put the coconut in a third. Add the paprika ad garlic to the coconut (or you can add to the flour) and mix through.
- Pat the shrimp dry then, holding the shrimp by the tail, dip in to the flour to lightly coat all over. Shake off the excess flour. Quickly dip in the egg to coat and allow any excess to drip off before dredging in the coconut. Once coated on both sides, put on a baking sheet/tray. Repeat the flour then egg then coconut with the rest of the shrimp.
- Bake the shrimp for around 10 minutes until the coconut is gently golden and just starting to brown and the shrimp become white and clearly cooked (the tails will also go pink).
- While the shrimp are cooking, put all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce (mango, orange juice, lime, honey, coconut milk, ginger and garlic) in a small food processor and pulse until smooth. Put in a small dish and chill until needed.
- Serve the shrimp warm with the dipping sauce on the side.
Video
Nutrition
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Katie
Coconut shrimp is such a tasty appetizer! And the mango sauce i s a perfect addition!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, the sauce goes so well with them.
Catherine Brown
Oh, YUM! These look so crunchy and delicious! I know these are better than the frozen boxes in the grocer too! Can't wait to try this.
Caroline's Cooking
I'll be honest they're not super crunchy but they are delicious and agree no doubt better (at least for you) than boxed ones.
tayler
coconut + mango = the best flavor combo! So absolutely genius
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, I agree they go so well together!
Louise
Yum! I love coconut shrimp, but don't make them because of the frying. I will have to try your recipe. Love the tip about patting dry the shrimp!
Caroline's Cooking
Baking doesn't come out quite as crispy (although maybe it would with panko but I like having more coconut flavor) but definitely easier and a bit healthier.
Raquel DeHoyos
These are one of my guilty pleasures from my restaurant catering days when I first started making them and tasted them. So good and I love your dipping sauce.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, I can understand why! The sauce is definitely worth trying.
Karen
These sound delicious and the mango sauce is so special!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, the sauce has such a great, fresh flavor. The little bit of ginger and garlic are great.
Wendy Klik
I love that these are baked instead of fried, especially if serving to company, you don't have to worry about grease splatters in your kitchen.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Wendy, and yes I hadn't thought about the mess part but it's very true. Much more hands-off.
Rebekah
These are so pretty! What a perfect treat to set out and share at a get together. I can't remember the first time I had coconut shrimp, but we never had it growing up either.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, I agree they'd be great to share.