Coconut Shrimp Recipe

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 05/29/22
Coconut Shrimp

The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Total: 23 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings
Yield: 10 to 12 pieces

Imagine biting into a delicious deep-fried shrimp covered in a light tempura-like batter flavored with the taste of coconut—scrumptious. This coconut shrimp recipe is fantastic to serve as an appetizer, tapas plate, or party food. Excellent eaten on its own or served with sweet-spicy sauces or a fresh mango dip. And better still, it is quick and very easy to make.

Ingredients

  • 10 to 12 large shrimp, fresh or frozen

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/3 cup cold sparkling water

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, or other frying oil such as canola or vegetable

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Coconut Shrimp ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  2. Remove shells from shrimp, but leave tails on for easier cooking and eating. Set aside.

    shrimp in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  3. Make the batter by first mixing the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

    flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  4. Crack the egg into the flour mixture, then add the water, stirring to break the yolk, and form a fairly smooth batter (don't worry if there are a few small lumps).

    batter in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  5. Spread coconut over a plate or other dry surface, and set beside the bowl of batter. Then hold the shrimp by the tail, (using tongs make this easier) and dip into the batter.

    shrimp in a bowl, batter in a bowl, coconut on a plate

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  6. Take the batter-coated shrimp and immediately drop it into the coconut, roll it around to make sure it is coated, then lift and place onto a kitchen-paper-covered plate.

    shrimp coated in batter and coconut

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  7. Pour oil into a frying pan, ensuring it's at least 1 inch deep. Set over medium-high to high heat. Test the temperature by dropping a tiny bit of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and cooks, the oil is ready. Drop a few shrimp at a time into the hot oil, reduce the heat to medium and fry quickly turning frequently. You will need about 20 seconds on each side.

    coconut shrimp cooking in a pan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  8. Cook about 20 seconds per side, then turn with tongs. Remove from the oil when shrimp turn a light to medium golden brown. Drain on a clean piece of parchment paper. Serve hot straight from the pan or accompany with a sweet chili sauce or a fresh mango dip.

    Coconut Shrimp on a platter

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Recipe Variations

  • In this recipe, the shrimp is quickly and lightly fried in oil. This makes the coconut tempura extremely crisp. If, however, you are watching calories or prefer to avoid oil for any other reason, then the shrimp can be oven baked. Preheat your oven to 400 F and place a parchment-covered baking sheet on the middle shelf. Follow Steps 1 through to 5, then place the battered shrimp onto the preheated tray and bake for 10 minutes turning halfway through. The shrimp are ready when the batter is golden and crisp.
  • To make these gluten-free friendly, swap the white flour for a mixture of 1/4 cup rice flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
408 Calories
35g Fat
15g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 408
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g 45%
Saturated Fat 29g 145%
Cholesterol 81mg 27%
Sodium 443mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 98mg 8%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 120mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)